Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1829-11-26
0DWWM YfpUONs
DEBATE ON THE RIGHT SUFFRAGE.
WEDNESDAY, November Is.
or. HendeIs0n's Speech Concluded }

caPEcIty and Tie VIII TO chOOFe good public agents
The gentleman from Chesterfield b-or- alluded to- in
heating by anticipation of the que. tiJn under lie
bate, denied that who laboured were able TO per-
form thi- duty; snd minated that h., acute and
accomplished as he is engro.sed with proe
At pursuits, as not 10 leave him leisure for the study
OF political science Surely the same remark would
apply to the other classes OF society," for, by the fiat
an overrulng Providence, we are doomed 10 our
bread by toiDg in our several vacations. Shall we
cast the government then, into the hands Of the lille aud
worthless! Heaven forbid! But il does not require
In order TO the proper exercise Of The right of sun
that the citizens be master of political science Were
II otherwise how many voters would you have!-Sir
the pedsdnsry are compet tent TO the pei formancc OF
this duty. All who know men, and versed in their
concerns in the variou. 4ks of hie are aware thai
individuals Of limited education, observe character
with eyes at once steady and clear, unengrossed by
books, wide awake TO the world around them they
q"re and digest that knowledge that prevail.
ing and discriminating common sense, which enable
them to select their public iunctionares with iudg
ment-Sir, we have very pretty anttheical line writ
ten ny sweet poet who lazy fellow. sThosc
VINO think, mus: govern those who toll" Nothing 10
so apt TO deiu,ie man ami expose him to in po
htcs as poetry and metaphor. They lead him to make
sense yield to sound TO Aourshes of rhetoric
There lived in the last age another poet, and he will
i've Tor countless ages TO come He invigorated his
understanding and sharpened his perceptions nv labor
You will recognise In this ption the born but
high. sonled. and enchanting Burns He was a flax.
ore "xrr-fls contemporary and acquaintance Alexan-
asr Wilson, 10 when the republic of science owes SO
much Tor his inimitabe work Orni,hology wa, a
peasant too-fes, sir, l myself have seen Horn, a
weaver by day, poet at night. BENJAMIN Franklin
OF the peasant class. He Iaboed hard for hi. dali
ly bread. Gen l-meD abhor distractions Let them
learn, then from those iliustous peasants this pract
cal truth, that moderate labor inspires sound sense
ask the Committee TO test the correctness of my posi-
on by inquring how the freeholders in sister
states have chosen their representatives in the Federal
Congress, as compared with the wiser freehoders of
our naive State! Lowndes, OF South Carolina James
Lloyd, OF Massachusetts,, Rufus King, OF New York
william Pinckney Of Maryland, cum muitis oliis
were or ara The peers Of the first talents that Virgin
IA mas sent forth And now, SIR are not Webster and
McD"ihe, and Beriien, without naming Others addi-
tonai living examples of the truth of my propositions
such facts speak volumes IL were a most ungraciou,
consumption OF the valuable time of this enlightened
ana honorable body, to attempt by any enlarged scope
oil argument, TO prove that loves his birth place
az he does hi mother, with ardor that time can
eH'ce, no circumstance extinguish Sacred love Of
country, ineabe attachment to the natal spot thou
the onpring OF chulish interest; gold ,urcbae
thee! Sir the landlesa peasant clngs TO the rocky
clif. on whose summit he spored in the hacyon days
OIL ms boyhoo!, "a the lgamens OF his heart bind
II TO ms bosom. Away, then, with the idea Of the gen.
emhn from Spottsylvania, (Mr Stanard) tina, TWEEN.
y-hve dollar freebooter, a whole commonweat of
whom Stephen Girard could create without inpairins
ma 'erially his resources has stronger more eeva
ted, or more enduring attachment to his country than
the man have family attempted to describe
But, continued Mr.. III. gentlemen have denied the
proprlety OF permitting without property vote
equally with the rich because the latter brings
the common stock his fortune well all that class of
personal In the first place how
= This position to be reconced with the concession that
man who has twenty-five dollars in land shall vote If
one man have 100000 and another $25, the ratio is
very inconsderable 10 Withdraw from the argument OF
my opponents the greater part of its force. Examine
this branch of the subject in its true lights. m n
without property stakes his liberty his fe his reputa
ton, his happiness and his right to acquire property
While VIC surround property with many fences and
guard il with much socitude, shall duly APP
Preciate the right TO acquire it, shall not, in the
emphatic language of Napoleon, preserve for "the
open theatre?' Again, if the rich man brings in his
property, does he not create the of expen
sive government 1t mainly for his property tina law
piled upon law in your Statute book and that the
rous labors of your judiciary demanded. He, too
en- ROSES The honors and emoumcnts incident TO the
operations OF government IL is rarely that you incur
expense i'm making administering law for the citizen
without property and still rarely does he share in
those distinguished and interesting functions. How
stand the account in War? Arc waged for the in
teress of the poor? Do their passions prompt their
possessions invite thcm' No, Sir The ambition of The
great men of Rome raised her armies invade Britain;
after overrunning the airest portion Of the Island they
returned to enjoy their spoil leaving the highlands
conquered The poor and hardy Caledonians boastcd
that their gallany had rolled back the tide of batte but
Gibbon says truly, that the proud Eagle of Rome
scorned to perch the naked hills of he land of the
AMI often the victim of war; but he is never
its author and seldom shares its glory Let wealth
then complain that tits taxed for lis interest & its
own protection and honor But Sir property has been
well said, has influence. 1t coner knowledge, gives
facility for improving the virtues of the heart and the gra
ces oil the manner. This is power concentrated egiti-
10 he, till time shlll he more.
Gentlemen intimate that the enlarged and liberal SUI
rage VIII engender tumult elections and mpart 10
the popuace habits of diss patton. Have you not now
mrth and irregularty and riot at your elecons' What
real evil springs from this source The gentry drink
wine and the lower classes alcohol This a subject Of
regret but not adequate for DISTINGUISHING the
one or the other. celebrated in England, remar-
ked that twas better the NobIeman's coaches should
be despatched by the mob than that the people should
be made slaves. And il is better that cultivated taste be
offended here, than that thrccfhs Of the body polite
perfect remedy may be found in the creation Of mode
rate election districts.
MIR. Chairman, have small, but conspicuous
example Of the correctness of the doctrine which have
the honor to maintain, in Virginia ITSELF and gentlemen,
justly tenacious OF the character Of ancient Corr
monwealth, ought TO weigh il. The borough Of Nor
folk is entitled, all know 10 delegate in the low
house of our Legislature IN that borough not boil
e,s and mechanics tco haze serped an apprenceshiD
invested with the right of suffrage How Sir have
they exercised III Look at their on this
floor One Of those who eIcmpliGed their political fit
ness in the defence, in peace the ornament Of the
State is here longer. II is, sir on indisputabe fact
that the thorough e .Norfok has been represented in
the Legislature with ability and patriotism which do
honor the City ITSELF while II Is diving and constant
prO0 of the capacity of the non-frcehoers Of Norfolk
AID are not the eholders Of the County Of Fred
crck as competent they arc Is ther~ any thing in
the Of city which gives light md purity to it's popu-
lace hen citizens Of corresponding grade throug hout
your wide confines involved in darkness stepped
in mpurity' We have been taught 10 believe that the
multitude in cities dcpraved end liable
10 political deuson than that dispersed the surface
OF the country. Allowing them 10 be worse than
their fellow citizens Of Norfolk time, the best nstruc
tor, establishes their claim II is vain TO contend that
happy, and therefore that no amendment would
al hos ak