The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1825-03-11

possess The right of suffrage, & wb,, -. ~ NO
the right Of suffrage. under a r-nrsss. ',e M
system constitutes the freeman n au'e
I'M slrs more than living in wb,, :. 'u"'h
nee country. When the autho,, .sued
ptn Oh rights spoke of freclnen. thy - .,' We
"i men exercising the privileges Of sspoSe
rrnmtnt. What rights of self pn,ss' GOT.
mas t'iat man who has no right az n "''''is
ment at all And What else doe. -. ~, tra-
sfrietlon lead to than tn. .stahI;.h "'s re
an ar,siocracy in the strict m.,nh', o.
Term Odlous as il the name i, !. :" us
torracy where some part of the co,n. ~ ara
Toys al the p"wer aud the rights of r'
r,n'aent to the exclusion of The otbsr h s"-
where to" IS the justice of this r.s,ri STR, par.
Is HE industrious, the useful, the MN ,'n',
anh may add the patriotic m.cban;.st'
the poor man who pays r.yul,,i. Is
taxes, but Is under the necesstv us
ing his land from year 10 year. and , 'e"
FOR II nut of his annual tabor. h"'ms
worn s'liior who Gghls his conu,,,,, hat
ties, endangers his life in her causs s"1
turns home covered with scars. tba, '~ "
CLAIM his devotion tn his country. ;n,sr Wv
ARE these men unworthy Of m. ~.
meat OF freedom-unworthy to eo;ay
first, 3 greatest blessing, the slrc,;,. T"
chise--ihe right of suffrage? No ,o, o""'
about the principles of equal lib,riv Y'o,
as the rules of eternal justice. ,ell ~. we"
The other states Of the Uum ARE thew az
wrong, are we alone right p hay. .srl.,, ~,
this odious feature of the patrci,n snS y.
p'ebian, for thns it is Justly diNngqA,Ms
from their fundamental laws Iudsn.s'
dent OF the principles of equal liberty ,nI
OF Justice what is there in the way ofsu"
d'ency that entities the land holder NM.
to vote than the citizen, wbo own, No,
sol enough 10 cover the earth thu, f,,m.
nun Does fifty acres of Land make N
more v'rtuous or more intelligent? DOs
" give me- greater claims to patriotism Inv
Inspiring mr. more with that virtue +? Can
u ana''fy whomsoever you shall choose A,
your Representative better TO consult ,he
"'shes and the welfare of his constituents,
it will, | hnnbly conceive. do none Of
these things And as to the e, lis that ara
appfehended on the other side they have
oot neen felt in other states, and Virginia
VIII teel them only when the yh,ue Of br
people is departed, and the spirit thai con
ucted vs. through che rev pulmonary SIR /
g'e IS no longer amongst w. to support a
republican government. As long AS lhsM
rlt, inherited rs il is nv the pos'erity nilh,
heroes Of our independence, continue, TO
persa'ic every class of the commmir, I
am one of those that fear not that it viii b,
equally to be found amongst those whose
poverty tenders them unable TO purchns
the wonderful talismap Of so acres Of land
and those whose wealth enables them to /
own the sod whose territory would match
an rmiire. Is not citizenship and prrma
nent residence. an amlie test of the ne
rest that | feel in the we'll being Of thu
community of which ! am member4a
community Of whose support I have to
hear the burden of taxation and for Whose
security and defence | am not exempt from
shouliering the iirelock There is an ssa
to which universal mankind has ascribed
discretion and granted civil freedom and
when attained, the individual ST. attaining.
ought according 10 my notions Of free gov
ernmert,to enjoy some participation ofthai
power, which constituting government e
tablishes and cnfprces the burdens and do
ties of collective society. he be without
that participation " it is easier for came,
TO pass through needles eye" than for me
TO perceive his political liberty.tG
Ii | we're 10 go into detail~6T the 9th
or considerations that influence me On ths
question, would ask why in regard tow
presentation in the legislature Of the staff
the same system OF equalization is oot pur
sued, that is followed in governing thee
presentation To the nstional leeisIatur-
II the national system is fraught with Nj
dom, rs IL is acknoH lodged to he, where's
the difference of analogy in regard Tore
pI esentation, between the one GOVERNED
and the other ! Why not pursue The saHs
plan at eqnalizing representation by Dis
tricts II Is impossible for me to con,ats
OF evils that can be created out Of Seh
system. Would the Representative ~
representatives Of district act under less
responsibility than those that represent
county His or their relative duties would
be the same, s. the only difference wouldh
IN guarding the rights and interest Of VI
der latitude of country. would ask 'Oq
IA the little county of York and of Nd
wick, each Of them entitled 10 as much re
presentation MS the large county Of Bedfor
or of ampbell and Buckingham Is
Just and right that twenty thousand peoP'
IN one part OF the state, shonld have wv
representatives only, whilst less than
fourth ofthat number in another part
entitled to double as manyP Is ,tiup'
the principle of republication that The CT,
Iens Of Warwick of York, of Elizaoe'
City, or Of Williamsburg can weld e'e
tunes az much power in the sovern'neo'
Virginia, as belongs to the citizens OF Deu
ford, and other large counties Is II nI
the most delnousirable thing IN the WORN "a
that so unequal distribution OF power Gu"
enable the minority to govern the ""'S'
tys From This state of things alohh IA
possible for evils to arise that m'sn. "J bs
not an unfornidable comparison W"n ,.;,h
many that are apprehended as beng WV"
in ne pale Of possibility from an ealenaY