Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1826-03-24

I
be treated sacredy.
But, at least, the gentleman contends, we have N
constitutional provision, which results i'm uniformity
Even this, have already had the honor of Stain
10 Tue committee, is at with his admssion-tat the
constitution, such il is, viii practically result in uni
iorniY. hat uniformity is not know, Tie uniformi
winch Tue guntienan preers but il is the unformit,
OF one system, II not of another But will waive thu
! point; aud will follow the gentleman fr Z moment in
Tie argument on this subject of uniformity and must
ASK 'eaVc 10 say considering that this idea of unorni
70 Tue oasis OF his system, that could wish lie had
aPPieu Iite more OF that sagacitv, i'm which few
equal HIM, in anayziog the idea of uniformity.
ihere are many incidents to the electoral CHOICE
IN some OF these uniformity e provided for by the con
Su,uuon, as we have 1t. In others, where does not
exist the gentleman wishes to provide for it, while in
others, and those i'll my Judgment of less npor-
"ce' he ieaVeS 1t SILL wholly unprovidcd for. We
nave an UNIFORM constitutional provision, which ascer-
's 'e power That shall appoint the electors; the suites
shall appoint them. We have an uniform constitutions
al provision, which ascerains the tribunal that shall
uecue how tins appointing power is To be exercised;
Inc legislatures of TIE States. We have an uniform
provision that ascertans the number OF electors TO
"i"ch each state shall be entitled. Here great deal
o' cor'Hy' as much, as have already said, exists
III other most important parts of this governnent.-
Dut Tie gentleman maintains that il is not enough
There IS one dIsct etonary element in this system aid
me states have exercised that discretion by no fixed
RUE. MS must be remedicd; and lie proposes
nchy TO probit the states from exercising this discre-
tlon' and TO lay out the United States into an uniform
system Of Districts beg ;ha, The order of the words
may be marked-an uniform system of Districts. Sir
tat Is one thing; but is il to be system of uniform dis
u'cs Tor mat Is another thing; tYugh the vital differ.
ence between them has been overlooked by the rentle-
man from South Carolina. will suppose that the
state oil winch have the honor 10 be representative.
shall be entitled, now TO fifteen electors and that i;
snail be required 10 be laid out into system dis ricts
and that the districts be uniform Snpposc this
operation TO be begun by running line through the
state, parallel OF latitude neridan and dividing
1t INTO two portions nearly equal as may be- so that
one sid ort limo and
seven on the other. Suppose that on one side of the
ne' those qhalications OF voters shall prevail, which
OBTAIN IN Virginia which my friend from that State
(mr. archer tVpss the very pei lection of the cleo
tora franchise, Which shut from the polls more than
one-hait OF the arms bearing and paving free ciii-
Hens "hile on the other side Of the line univ ersai suf
irage shall prevail. Now Sir when we come to throw
our these two divisions into districts, though we may
call The system uniform, the districts uniform
DoeS each OF the districts. side reflect the same
quahtuin OF popular voice and popular will The
other side No, sir, have the iryyu unor,,lit and
1t Is tie only thing have, and that is in the wrono
place The very object at which the gentleman aims
Under cover of tins word unJo'nlHy cludes his grasp
Inc system uniform far this: that all the states
WA he divided INTO DISTRICTS but the districts are as
ununitorm possible.
Is this doubted, sir: Look, for moment 20 the qua
h!cations of voters in the different States have for
tins especial purpose, looked through the Constitutions
of the United States rs contained in the collection
printed in eighteen hundred and twenty and cotnplc.
hehdinS all OF them hut the very last and think NAV
say tno nave not found two States the Mon
Tie qualifications for voters precisely the same. II
been seems 1.-THE ingenuity the trainers of them had
taSked to md out some qualifications for voters in each
state that should dsttor little al least from the quail
icatlons IN every other State In some Of them ii is
required that the voter should be citizen of the Unit
ed States IN others, ii is not. Now, from one PGcsi-
dent'a term to another, have forty thousand emf
grants arriving IN Tins country Under State CON
Sttutlon, they be If they possess the other
requisites, and under other constitutions they cannot
ihis Is o great Importance: for il might pm: it in the
power OF an eruption of this KIND from abroad to change
the fate of contested election Then apart from sla
very, there Is the discrimination of color In INV State
that forms no dIsqualllcatu in most other States it
does Now, sIr III the State of New ork. there is a
ree cooTcd population near half large the entire
population OF that Stale Deiagare} winch Won SD vor-
u!Iy represent and which, in New York is not mi.
lied 10 vote, except under burdensnne qualification
OF property and IN most States. is entitled at ALL
Is not tins great difference? The distinction Of SEX
even that Is not constant discrimination. In one
state New Jersey all the Inhabitants possessing fifty
pounds OF proclamation money may vote and in times
OF high party excitement, tie inhabitants have II voted
male and female, till The evil was thought so concra
| bic that AL honorable gentleman the way, (Mr.
Condct) fearing the possible effect Of this new gyne-
cocrasy, more prudeDtiy than gallantly undertook TO
| apply remedy, and proposed aw which took from
tie tarest and best part of creation that influence at the
polls which we are all willing TO concedc TO them every
where else. But, this exclusion only platcr of law;
Tie Institution remains the same; and in times of high
party excitement, should they retnrn, who shall
LITIGATION Of voters Again the diversity in propcity
rs qualification of voter, is great, trat, in ono
stale, more than half the free populations who paw tax
es and bear excluded, while other Stlies al.
nit 10 th polls the poor who has nothing but his
IIie to bind him to the community; nothing contribute
10 IFS support but the labour he besovs on the highway:
but whose life and liberty are as dear TO him az Tie
broad acres obis rich fellow citizens their posses-or
Lastly there IS The great distinction between freedom
and slavery, which allows the friend who SITS nj nv
right band, OR Hmnllton,) to have twice as much
political power as is conceded 10 me- being citizen of
a non slave holding State Yet, you tell me- sir that
system which takes account Of this Discrepancy in
the qualifications and numbers Of those who compose
the districts, is uniform. Sir, it is any thing but uni
form.
The answer made by tie gentleman from South Ca
roina to this difficulty, is, that if this were matter Of
ordinary legislation. il il matter " ihil tie
grasp Of the changefuI discretion Of State he should
think it evil that called for remedy Sir if if
were, as he represents the matter constitutional tx
ure IN The States, it would only prove That no remedy
conld be had II would only prove that uniformity was
moi difficult 10 had rosif;vcf, ,,,,tt..-