Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1829-10-08
oo1GNMUNICATIoN.
FnR THE Wu1s.

ally appear ate Polls completely equipt az rpouy
;jr Infantry, cavutry or artillery service.
10 CHIEF JUSTICE MARSHALL.
II has been some tune since addressed you OIL the
subject Of Military Arrangement of the Right of
Suffrage at that time had no intention of troubling
you or tho public any farther about the matter but
npuations OF insincerty charges ola design to break
the array ofthe great organized parties, 1.-THE advo
catcs OF freehold and those of general surage) that
have been aHedged against me, the warm advocates
OF each of which, (y incog. enables me to discovery
observe with jealous distrust, has induced this en-
deavof to remove all such uriounied suspicious. |
hope to maheit appear, was actuated to offer my
crude notions this monsentous subject, from mo-
Stfres which it not wise, at least pure.
conceived this to be an epoch in our political ex-
iseloe, one winch required and demanded the aid Of
all WHO could idea that would be of adcil-
ta",> even the smallest, to the public welfir-. Tire
proposition then suggested by me, hadexpanded itself
IN my imagination to measure of gigantic magni-
tude ord Importance, and should have conceived my
sell guilty otine%cusnblc peltic.! sin, in Withholding
iS'foh' the grave --rsldetaion of the country TO
90 away lrIilst and unchartable inputaons, and to
w That have been actuaied by no sinister designs,
viii briefly sketch the which first suggested
the idea OF an armed community, aud the rationale by
which it was expanded and strengthened until fixed
an my mind great AID Important tllldaIaeltal
principle for government.
have ever held in utter detestation every thing III
the shape of oppression and have held i'll adherence
MS main cause: Gift any degree of inequality of rank
in society, except that which asserted by nature
and extortcd by merit. l have always esteemed
government OF freedom, instituted on principles Of
most devoutly am thankful to Almighty God that
was born to their enjoyment; and most ardcntly
w4sl always to bcNs able, as am wiling. 70 rerpe-
tnate the oft.
Dnt who to himself indulge the enjoyment Of
such thoughts, without revertins with painful emotion
to the situation oft'aat people, tho history of whose
ring world the beacon of liberty and freedoms @uid,;
whose brilliant and triuuphairt glory has enti-
c'd succeeding generations to adopt their Institutions,
und to emulate their noble examples.
i
~ that Greece would day triumph, and dscncum-
Der herself from the thraldo of the Turks the pros
iuett crsirowded in gloon, With the thought
that the event could but achieve change masters.
Such IS the known aversion of the great European
:Irants to al examples of free government, that if
Greece We're successful in her rugole ami in Sue. es-
taSlistunent of Republican Cove rnnent, it could
hardly be expected she would peaceably be permitted
ats enjoyment Rejecting on those matters, and spe-
culatng the which would probably best pro-
tect eIncipated Greeks i'll the enjoyment of free in
stltutlons, (Which rcckone from the genius OF their
ANCESTORS would be the Government of their cIoice
1t occurred to me, that to equip every citizen tor
solder, an cNpedlen TO monarchy dare venture upon,
offered the ta1rest prospect; and in studying the
means, could conceive simple in itself,
so economical to the nation, and to tue bear
eT Of arms, as making their possession the ba-
SIS OF the right OF sufiugc and looking into
the history OF their ancestors, as well as that
OF other nations, confirmed in my notions of
the great ecacy Of arms in the hands of the comm-
tiiSy for the support and mantainance of free nstt-
tons. The armed portion of the inhabitants, whc-
'er the many or the teW, seem III all instances, in all
countries, to have sWayed the destines government
Going far to show that man, natural unarIned man
isabout tire most deienceless animal in nature
soWitt's Honyhuhula, most truly remarks; we have
heather mouths adapted Tor biting nor CLAWS Coz tcd3
Iig.
Without combining the observation exclusively to
Igeece, wefind generally such portions of the globe
rs have been divided into suaIl states md ,Sbrsr.
Princes Rulers have been constrained to entr,,st
TO the inhabitants repel the ncrrsions of the
one upon another have ever been the nurseries of
freedom, Thus situated the people, no matter by
hat title their government is know, essentially
free: they have within themselves at all times the
ACTUAL aud entire. control of their destnics.
Such was the situation Of the states of ancient
tifeece, which Thucidides informs us, long submit
fed through choice TO Monarcical Government, Ell
ther as convenience, OF from principles founded In
tlelr religion The dignity of King generally con-
iefrcd on some successful military leader, whom they
often chose to defy, and whose memory they hon
cured after death, by pepetuating his authority to
Ills descendants But, says he 'tLe fatal dictates of
anbItion and avarice led them ransgress the pre-
scrlhed limits, and to truTnple those laws which
tfIeig predecessors held sacred" until sick OF on
ptsion, and tired out with repeated actso reckless
tyranny, n spirit offrcedoTn seemed almost at the
same moment to porvadc all Greece; and the fIciltv
with which they effected q change OF povernment
well exenplifes tie fact, that waYlik5 Community
with arms 10 their hanas, have but to win to be fee
and they are so.
Aristotle speaking Of Aurncnus at about tic same
:riod OF Grecian history, s1ys, ''TIe prerogatves
9, Royalty were not as yes supported by Tue exclu-
SIvc weight of the sword by which particular class
oi men might lntundate and control the resolutions
"i their fellow subjects. The moro independent and
niustrous citizens, who had been accustomed fr2rn ir
earliest times to armed to the council or assem-
bly,, communicated their grievances and took prouer
means to redress them" Pbe Arrives condemned
their king to death '.ior usurpng absolute auther
tY ut Attica, on the death of the devoted patriot
Ladnus the regal Office abolished. The exam |
PIC OF this shrewd and celebrated state WINS orckJv
followed by the rest the case in almost evcTy
thing else until in all Greece, there remained not
q king Out At Sparta, and this was hut IN ,,o,oo ,
king. ~
The govornmcn. at first established by inc Athe
naf1s differed but little from that they had abolished
~ onGes and honours were monopolizcd by a l.
powerful arlstocracy: tic common people bad 1nI
multiplied their masters. "Thc great body Of peo
pie saws a ristote eUaipcd notbi1,, L,, tIy ~