Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1827-08-10

FICTITIOUS principle would operate the exclusion o.
nsariy one half OF the inhabitants of the country
from the Dement'S of Government. Woe be,ide the
nation people, THAI shall be so simple a, 10 rely
upon .fcfsons for the security and piotectiaa oil
their lives, liberty and property! Ii was reiver-
sion OF intellect, and confusion of IDEAS that ga.
rise to that train of reasoning which LED To the
conclusion that slaves and people OF colour
ought Ia be excluded from all calculation IN fixing
ihs ratio o alton. In fact. The Lam
susge OF n worthy member of he last Legislature
we have gone far enough Il think too fsr) eli
is time to STOP
| The idea, Misrepresentation and taxation ought
10 go together, Is not a new discovery OF these
Eight OF suff age IL is at least as old as Mag
ma Charter, and the reign of OLD King John; and
how much older ! cannot say. We derived the
doc'rinea, however, from our English ancestors. In
England, only irceholders vote. They constitute
but very small portion of the inhabitants. The
great body OF the people, them have certainly me-
yer yet deemed that they represent ed,
merely from their not having right TO woe. The
discovery VIII, inquest onsby be new and as
| onisbng, a. it will he alarming to them. They
VIII no doubt, feel themselves under eternal obii-
cations of gratitude to these Right of Suffrsse
men, for having made known to them the danger
Gus situation in which they are placed.
they appear to have some confused no.
ton of the dispute that arose tetween The Mother
Country and the Colonies, previous to the Revolu-
ton. The Parliament declaring that they had =.
right to tax the Colonies in all cases whatsoever
| And the Colonies coniending that they could no
more be taxed by the British Parliament, where
| they were not represented, than the people of En-
gland could be taxed by the Colonial Assemblies
IN which they were not represented. II being one
of the principles OF English liberty, secured by
Magma Chatter, that taxation and represent alton
should go together. The want of right compre
hension Of this dispute may, in all probability,
have given rise to these exuavagant claims, and
wild, speculative tons of theirs about the rights
\ q SUI rem mt at or nd taxa tin
| On the Right Of Suffrage.
The Right of Suffrage has always been ques-
ton of some difficulty in this Siate and the more
so, from its intimate connexion with the rights OF
represent alton and taxation.
In early period of our history this subject
seems to have attracted the particular attention of
our forefahers And various experiments were
made to regulate it upon some principle Of equality.
| Alter repeated trials, however, the question was
finally settled by limiting It's exerciee to freehold
tenure (see Rev. Co 1919, vol. l. D. IS, note
! Thus it found by the Convention that framed
the Constitution; and thus, they deemed il mos,
prudent TO leave it And il has remained TO this
| day.
| Ot late, however, the propriety of this arrange
ment has been called in question Restless and
versatile minds. ignorant of the Causes which led
to this conclusion, and dreaming only of princi-
pies OF equality and the Periectabty of man, have
manifested degree of impotence ill-suted TO the
| preservation of the public repose Hence, proba-
"
of universal snffrage'-" general suffrage"-
equal suffrage"-and dozen other kinds of suf-
| frage, for argh' know, all equally rational and
equally well calculated to keep alive the excite
ment already produced, and which it is not likely
will be allayed again, until the question shall once
more, be solemniy settled.
The Right of Suffrage differs from the Right of
Representation in this: that while the right to be
represented, implies the right to claim and receiv
the fostering care and protection of Government, ,
IN regard 30 oil persons and property in the Com
monw eatb, the right of suffrage conveys 10 those
possessing it, the exclusive privilege of selecting
the particular characters to be charged with those
duties. 1t forms one OF the most interesting prob
lens in the science OF politics and Government
And although ills solution has been often attempt
ed, no satisfactory conclusion yet TO hav e
been arrived at. The difficulty consists in fixing
upon some principle of equality that can be made
10 combine with the two great prin cples of Justice
and equity. a difficulty, it is believ ed that will
! never be surmounted. For alas man, at best is
but mortal, and all human efforts afe doomed TO
stop short OF perfection. In every theory of Gov
eminent, therefore, that be devised there " ill.,
probably, be found some abstract principles that
however beautiful they may appear, as The mere
| speculative imaginations of some closet philosoa
pliers, the ingenuity OF man will never be able to
reduce into practice. On The first attempt the
charm is dispeled; he fascinating Illusion yanishes
from our sight and leaves us nothing bat the know
ledge OF our own weakness, and the mortifyine
conviction, that the mind is capable OF conceiying
degrees of perfection, to which destined ne
yer 10 aLrips- The idea of every human being par
tcpating in the selection Of iboss who are to rule
over him, - certainly most brilliant conception
and one well calculate to csptyaie the mind at the
first glance But the simplest view that can be ia
ken of society, under ell its various forms and
modes of existence, will be sufficient, at once 10
convince US that the thing is impTacticable
| 1t will readily be acknowledged that every free
white male citizen, of lawful age, whatever might
be his condition la regard 10 the possession of pro,
perry, would be entitled, upon the broad principle
of equality of rights, dJsTactediy considered
TO participate in choosing those into whose hands
to be conhded the protection of his life, liberty,
and property. And could such principle be re-
conciled, IN practice, with the equal rights and
justice due to Others there could not be produced
any reasonable objection to such an extension of
the privilege. but when we come to reflect upon
the frailes Of cur the influence of ayarIce
ambition, envy, malice, and all the other bad pas
sons over the mind the temptations to err that
| would continually srise-the injustice that would
be done TO of property, by subjectng that pro-
perty TO the caprice aud control of men of no pro-
peTly-snd The cruelty OF placing the fixed and
permanent inhabitants, al the mercy of those who
entirely of rsnsitive and itineranl character
/ The most liberal minded amongst US, even those
protesting The sncsrest faith in the pefectabify of
man, and entertaining The highest confidence in The
operation OF the social principle on the human
mind, would deem 1t prudent, IL is believed to he
state little before they consented to tear down
the main pillars of social and political ediice
/ The truth is, the right of suffrage Is not mere
question Of principle, to be decided by abstract
notions of right II Is question simply OF poliry,
and to be regulated by the doctrine of erpediencu
y nd fbtfa hagb eli ~ a..