Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-03-21

disprove this assertion by pointing to one single
act oil legislation, i'll which Justice has not been
dealt out 10 them with even, ifnot liberal &
profuse hand the period, SIR, when The large s
populous counties constituting those sections, were
IN state oil feeble infancy aud scarcely able TO
deiray the expense ofrepresentaton this floor.
ask, where was the liberal and generous policy
which extended to them the helping hand of bro
thery love, and admitted them 10 4 more than e.
quail participation in all the benefits Of the govern
ment! And, ask, if they do not continue to de-
rive from the funds Of the State, their full share of
benefit thius, that if gentlemen will look back
TO the time of their need, they will abate little Of
| the unreasonable jealousy and discomfort which
have manifested themselves on these subjects. 1
believe, that may with equal safety challenge
proof OF one single act of aggression upon perso
nal right, arising from the restricted right OF free
! hcid suffrage, whilst single familiar question
VIII sufficiently illustrate the danger to be appre
henGed 10 the rights OF property, from the extern
sion OF the exercise Of suffrage TO individuals, hay
ing no property. Would you, sir, ask, deem il
either wise eXpedient, even just, TO enter into
co-partnership, mercantile, political. any other,
with individuals having neither omnlJn stake, nor
I security TO offer you, for the jus & oiitable
! ductof your stock in trader | believe, sir, that
ihe non-freeholders of this nonwcalth, the
{ most intelligent and vrtuous portion of them at,
least in according TO the existing constitution, the
sanction Of that tac;t acqiiiescence upon which il
! now rests, have had reference to this principle -
4. and do believe that itihe question were even now
propounded to them they would adopt it again:
pt'1S'C WOU!u prefer 10 IOlSGO inc CAef-
else offs right, which has not been found essential
TO the security OF their personal rights that those
! ofproperty, to be acquired by them their pos
! teriiy (and to which in this happy country every
man confidently looks) may rcpose under the az
gis OF principle so sauary and SO just.-Sir, am
sorry TO say it, but think ii but too obvious that
q certain wild, speculative philosophy, is bat too
rapidly substituting Experimental or the only true
philosophy; and thatit is already, but too much the
fashion with the 6e6tr eSpritS of the present day
TO prefer jumping 10 conclusions arriving at chem
+; through the tedious road OF experiment.; and in
i deed TO record as axioms problems, which have
scarcely gone through the first stages of nvesti
CATION. The governments of this union, sir, state
and federal, present system OF problems, the most
/ beautiful and interesting the world ever saw,
and from the cautious and correct solution of which,
| we may hope to derive volume of political wis
dom which future ages viii peruse with wonder,
delight and instruction; constituting the best
. commentary upon the periecGbility of man, and
! his surest guide 10 the highest state Of social ANA
feet nature. But very few pages of CHS sacred
volume have as yet been inscribed by the cautious
hand OF wisdom and OF virtue, still fearful for the
I erasurc of truths consecrated By freedom TO the
! happiness of mankind. In the preliminary and in
! the early stages ofour federal government, even
the feasibility of an elective chief magstracy and
the still more fundamental principle of the capac
~ of the people for se!i--ovcrnmcnt, were regard
ed by many OF the wisest and most vrtuouS repub-
| licans OF that day as problems, of more less
doubtful solution according 10 the boldness, the
acueneSs oil their preceptions,or the ardor OF their
temperaments Experience IL is true, has happily
demonstrated that those fears, TO a very great ex-
tent at least, groundless; it has not demon
! strated, however, it has not had time 70 demon
sgae, either that restrictions should be imposed
upon the right of suffrage, that those imposed by
our constitution, incompatible with the essen
tia rights and permanent happiness of our citizens
and believe that time only is necessary TO shew
that our sister states, which have adopted differ
en pripcple, and the example of whose prosperitv
so losor,l ,icati
quoted against this subject, have hastily a.
doptcd an error, which they will in vain wish to
recall. In the early settlement of a country when
labor is and the means of Subsistence album
dant, every may be considered as morally and
physically independent, in other words, a free a.
gent but who has reflected at all upon the
resistless force ofthe principle Of population, be
Tor one moment blind to the fact. that even ,lpen
the most extended territory and under the freest
government, the relations these bear to each ether
must and al no distant hay, DO mot Es4stsEtz
changed, and that when labor shall have become
superintendent, and the of subsistence diff
cult and scarce; Gas is The case now IL the manu-
featuring and populous districts of EuropeO when
in fine, the laborng class whether it consist of ar
tizans, or husbaudgaen, shall be condemned 10 the
unremitting ard unrs enting task, oil earning their
daliy bread, still dependent upon the will OF their
employers; say, sir, that, however, we may wish
TO disguise from ourselves fact so painful aud hui
initiating, yet as hunger is the first law of our ma
ture, il must be confessed that our poverty in such
cases must ever prove too strong for our wiil-To
extend, therefore, to individuals thus placed by I'M
aye:dabie circumstances under the ban OF cruel ne
cessIty. the exercise ofsufiiage is to my apprehen
sion but TO increase the power ofthose upon whom
they may chance to depend for employment and
subsistence One alternative, indeed, presents it
self, but 1t is such one as apprehend that the
most radical Jacobns among Of any such tn ere
be) would scarcely wish TO be realized IL is no
other than the tersubversOn of the then existing
rights OF property, at the instigation Of the awless
cuPldity OF unprincpled demagogues. 1t may be
SAID thatl anticipate state of things much too re-
mote; that sufficient for the day is the evil thereof
and ihat content with providing for our own happi
ness, we should leave 10 posterity the exclusive
care OF their own Such however, sir is not the
language Of tender and aiecdonate parents 10 their
offspring, nor would the latter, apprehend, feel
much obliged to them for alternating without eouitv
reasonable wants, merely that they might enjoy
tic doubtful and precariOus chance of providing
better themselves tits frequently asked If we |
are not at least as wise any generation OF our
ancestors which has preceded US and chat if taey
have been so incaiculably gamers by innovations
why should we be less SO? As well might YOU ask
the adyen,urer at Faro, who pGrGiees Il believe
sir that most Of us old enough to remember the
term, although trust, that with the PRACTICE IL is
quite obsolete) who pGTGiees ] say, stake, win.
nngS, & all, upon single card, WHY be does not
uniformly double his stakel We ali know full well
what the usual fate Of those who persist In trying
such conclusions. For my part, sir ai; in favor
Of holding upon them, at least So long as tbev
are adequate TO all our reasonable occasions--and
am inGispOsed TO hazard much when think little i
to be gained. Such, sir, are a few of the promi
nent reasons, which have determined me in oppo
siton 20 an experiment, to my mind Taught with
more danger than Of probable benefit and hopino
thatin consideration their breYity the senate would
pardon recurrence TO 50 tiite subject will pass
on to The means by which this bill seaLs sf.;n,,,.