The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1824-06-22
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To The pcople Of pi,giniia.....so. g.


r qlirrnrni - property Is, - hiss been re.
a marked, natural right, as Is also thai o
= cliop-ing Our rulers, aud 10 infringe on IA,
= one hr tue either, is ip exercise power no
{ rr,agalzed ! "a republican government. -
a To make any particular species OF IL 4 tie
I crssaty evidence ri an attachment 10 u
Q county, Is paitali ms ofihe same character
. We would appeal to the candor of all meI
J of observation. IL say, II there II not a
great m abuse of the elective franchise, a,
II is now eNercisrd. as there would he wrr,
the STANDARD lowered 10 the points we las.
mentioned Are all freeholders intelligent
and yltious Aud are all non.freeholdcr-
the reverse Inqnesionably they, each
Of them, pariake of the virtues and vices oi
human nature Neither nre exempt from
the latter, or destitute of the former The
fprogress of political knowledge has kept an
even pace with other improvements IN our
country and To be intelligent, Is generally
10 be ,irtuous, ~ far AS the public interests
alr concerned Along with these imp Owe
nents have come great number aud ,sri-
ely of artizans aud mechanics, as well as
other persons, whose means of subsistence
are not derived from the soil, and would it
not be extremely unjust To deprive that in
:
! blessings Of free government? Although
! agriculture is, and must continue 10 be the
gicai employment ofthe citizens At large,
! yet, we perceive daily increase of other
j pursuits, which, from the peculiar slate of
/ the commercial part Of the community,
/ becomes more aud more necessary, aud
! this serves TO render The slate less Deepen
dent on foreign countries, sand also on the
z 1, 4 IL
tbesr amendments made, and the improve
m'nis proposed adopted, an Increase Of
such CLASSES of men might soon be expect
! I'd, who would find ii for their interest
! To make permanent settlement amongst
~, aud those Of The most respectable part
OF them, who are undoubtedly the best of
citizens. The climate Of Virginia is mild
and inviting. She has large extent of
Territory which is thInly Inhabited, and her
numerous rivers, aud her Internal improve
meats goinl on ogrthcr with the minerals
Ia the bowels of her mountains, all hold oul
strong inducements 10 such emigrants
offering them the full en- joymcnt ofthe natu-
raI rlShts nt nse Thee numerous ad-
vantagt, viii not fail tn produce such a
result. THIS consideration alone may be
llnGght sufficient IL induce lis To make the
proposed amendments, Ia which may be
sddtd.nether of no less importance. That
portion u the people who are not ircehu-
drrs, have from time to time been hooking
torWald for an amendment of this charac-
ten, aud they naW have strong hopes of Ell |
f,ctmg II /, but shouid il fail, there would
hc 10 reasonable prospect fits being done
tor a long time 10 come and the most in
lelligrnt and high minded Of them would
naturally be exasperaicd, and in their in
dignalIon, leave the state, aud perhaps a
great proportion OF the others would follow
thcr example. Should this prove To be
fact, the injury which the commonwealth
would sustain, would be great. We would1
remlnd the wealthy land aud slave owners
Of ii consequence which we furbcar to men
tiun. Shouid the duclrine of abfldging the
exercise OF the right a., suffrage, BIZ longer
continued IN practice, some unpleasant aud
e'en fearful consequence, other than those
mentioned, may BIZ expected, although the
lime may be far distant. We have Nitnes-
sed the important services that nou-free
holders rendered TO the state, and the coun-
try At large during the last war, and should
another tlme Of the like necessity come a
boat, tand surely II may be expected, soon
~ 81 IT. t'r no people cap, for any great
icngth of time, be exempt from such pub
lic calaniite5l the same, or more tatiguing
services will be required If their hands
AID NE viii seriously enquire of those who
prenly and Violently oppose them in this
lhrir reasonable request, how they could
expect such exposure and such sacrifices
81 ME, blood and health from those who
noa feel Themselves injured, and are IN
many instances in ulted, when The time of
pnhllc calamity again comes on Power
would then naturally be exercised in a
manner injurious to the community, and
the recollection of their former services,
nnlenarded in regard to their chief wish
/ would only serve IL heiShtcn their resent
ment. The spirit Of men may he checked
bat the love of freedom, and the exercise
al all lis rights, can never be cradicated
nom their breasts. Liberty is the burden
oI every mans sonS--thc sound Of it, and
the free use of il, are as soothing to the
mind as the breezes from the mountains in
a summer day, arc refreshing & reyi,ing to
the body. And, as the mind is expanded
by knowledge, the want Of all the rights
belonging To men in society, is as kecnly
felt, as the want of personal liberty is by
the ignorant and vulgar. The reasons
which were once thought good, in favor of
restriction, no longer exist, or they are so
far extinct that lhey have now no force
Al the period of the organization OF our
government the general state of knowledge
among the people was very low, and few
mcn oI moral OF other qualifications were
90 be found who did not possess some por-
tion of the sod. Agriculture was then al
most the only pm suit, land being abundant
aud cheapi whereas, at this period, in ma
ny counties the necessary quantity tGfty
aercsl To enable man 10 vote, is difficult
to be procured Consequently mechanic
or other citizen, not possessing it, must re-
move 10 some disIaut part of the state, if
he would enjoy This right. The injustice