Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1827-12-15

suffrage. But be contended that the exercise O
th'srsht was derived from the consent If the non
heeboiders. II the frsebolders had the rower Il
change The government in one respect, they could
10 so IN anoiber. There was no form Of govern
ment which they could not establish even mo
narcny Itself, If the constitution of the u States
oid not prohibit It, The non.fi eeholders had con
sehsed 10 The constitution at its formation and had
zee Seen Wi','ps mar the power given TO the free,
no'ieIs should be exercised Tor the general benefit
i5ut 1.-THE government is 10 be dissolyed If we are
20 De fesolYed into our original elements, every
e"iAen - entitled 10 equal weight And on the
question whether or not we should give up the
present. constitution, they had much right TO
oe heard as on the question of forming a new one
Mr.. Wi,cher said he differed materially with
,hs friends OF the motion. He did not understand
lar ours was the government OF the Irkoie people
mere was nothing in the History of Virginia to
tshow, except tor very short period, that the
non heeholdsrs had ever had any agency in the
government The country belonged 10 the owners
oil the soil, and the government was emphaticalIv
tnehs The declaration in the Bill of Rights,
'nat all men are equal bad reference only TO the
owners OF the soil, to those who spoke that lam
guage - equal with smother in political power,
ana perhaps equal with The non -ir i'm some
o'her respects The latter were not parties to the
compact, and had no right TO vote to dissolve il.
IN reply to what had been often said, that the
hoh-Iesholders were compelled TO fight the battlss
OF the country in common with the freeho!ders
ne would remark, that it was duty incumbent
upon them for the protection they derived from the
government. lie compared their situation to tha,
OF man who resided in the house and enioved
tue hospitality OF his friend IF the house CAUGHT
On hre, was II not his sGuty help 10 put il out?
Inc government he repeated belonged to the
owners Oh the country, or of the land that COM
posed 1t, and they alone had rieht to form or
aiter that government. MIR. Jyitcher said he was
friendly 10 convention, ami should vote for one
NIT Newton supported the amendment on the
general grounds taken by Messrs. Hubard~and
sSooae' lie was surprised that AIr. Witcher
snoaid regard the constitution belonging 10 the
reeholders, and yet wish TO abolish il an an usur
patton. MIR. N sad that the reason. ns,bsns wv
'he non-heeholders had not a hand in framing the
constitution, was to be found-in the peculiar stu.
a'ioh OF the country at the stormy period in which
II was formed At that trying crisis il was deem.
ca safest mat none but the most certain friends of
the country and of the cause of the revolution.
shonld be ntrusied with the power
Mr. Witcher, in reply, said that Il wa. the
ihequsiiy among The parties to the compact and
not an inequality between the fIeeholders and non.
ireehoidefs, that made him an xious to amend IL If
mere De any inconsistency, it lay at the door of
those who ADVOCATED the doctrine of phnsraI
equality, and yet refused 10 vote for SUBMITTING
inc question either 10 the reeholders alone or to
all the people collectively and who refused to
remedy the evident inequality of representation
that exists at present.
1"'' s4a9etu, aithough oppostd 10 a cow enton
at present, said il we are to have one let /, he
upon terms just and Honorable between man and
man. lie again enforced the idea, that the govern
ment belonged 10 the whole people a member
on mar moor was az much The repres entatiye of
those who did not vote for him as of those WIN
ad' = or certain purposes the power of the people
lad been IntTusied TO the freeholders: but il did
not follow that the Don.freeholders had M ir,.,es,
or participation in the government The arsu
men', that 1t belonged 10 the owners of the soil.
was specIous, but falacious. The term people of
virginia conlrrehended all its citizsns-and citj
@enship ne commended was not confined TO the
owners of The soil. Ownership of the soil was
one evidence of citizenship; and, in convention
ne would contend Tor this rule TO some extent
But II was not the only evidence: The present
question was, would the people re- consider their
form OF government, and it necessarily carried US
back TO the snsl elements of so cieiy in which
all were entitled TO be heard
Mr. Colston said The government wao now in
Inc hands OF the treeholders Who had sent them
there TO protect their rights and not to sacrifice
them. II convention be called; for one. he
was anxious to extend the right OF suffrage. GEN
Ieinen seemed TO think that The present question
Involved The change Of the government itself
when II only went to the decision of the peopIe
whether or not a convention should or should not
De called TO make change. He was made to
appear as The opponent OF extending the right of
suffrage, and the opponents of that extension, as
gentlemen who were opposed 10 it by consti,u-
tional provisions seemed TO wish il 10 be done he
/ the mere fiat Of the legislature
| MI Goode insisted that he might be the adyo-
cate OF restricting the right Of suffrage, and vet
think that when there was no government, and the
people were IN convention for the formation of
one, all should be equal. Are we 10 be told that
at such time The nOn-treeholders were nothing ?
! that they are not, and ought not, to be members
oil me compact! II they are not members OF
the social compact, hat character do they fills
II they are citizens, they must be members If they
are not citizens, tcho are they! Sc.
MI Wiicher said, that in forming the constiiu
| ton, every right had been guaranteed 10 the
non-frseholders but the RICH, Of suffrage
Mr. Good remarked that this explanation was
subyerslvs oil republican principles; it was based
on the same doctrine with monarchy. The gems
ileman coniendsd he said, that the people derived
'heir rights from The government, and not the 20.
vernmen, from the people. That doctrine had
been exploded here-The people were the soys-
reigns OF the land. BUTT had been decided tha,
the administration of the government would be
more advantageous under system Of freehold than
oil universal suffrage. Bat when the freeboIder,
are called on to Telinquish their trust. or vbeo
we are caed. on to say that this g. stem is no Ion
ger advantages, The great cody Of the people up.
on whose authority ii has always rested, orght to
ascde the question.
MIR. Wcher sad, he only commended that the
Jurisdiction OF the country resided in those who
owned IT, and did moi belong to the people in.
discriminatory. The lreeholdeIs made the constlf.
tuition, and they alone ought TO be consulted on il,
y alieraton. The gentleman, he said, contended for
an entire equality of rights an privileges and YET
4 II sitting on convention, would advocate the pre
sent restrictions! The government was not dis
solved by merely taxing up and voting on the
l.fff.a "a