Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1829-12-01
,'eCp1ittnesi from iSt page.


The love of country is fgmed pths heagt of man in
childhood, i'll youth, aud docs not ~ ms to be
supposed, growout of the self ovc and self interest
ot mature years-it springs from the affections and,
the ASSOCIATIONS of childhood and yonth, before Che
srdic and selfish carcs of mauhood have taken pos
SESSION ot the heart. Did the patriotism of Aristides
be mentioned, rest upon the ffeehod-were they
less ratr,otsh exile, than the ungratcful men that
banishcd thcins hmmbly answer no.
Mr.. Charmah, will not the fcsons assigned by the
gpntlemah from Chesterfield for the exclusion of
nants, operate in equaldegree to exclude his own ia
vorite rneholders'wi it not furnish good for
excluding every that is indebted and for putting
the government ina lie hands of tie creditor class Of
the community? And if this be the rule Of exclusion,
how mahy OF the freeholders, think you, will be
cuded?. venture to affirm at least one half or as
Is there not that proportion indebted thefns1gh
bours, their merchants, to the banks &C. by account,
by bond and by trust deed, or utherwise-and will
not debt have THE influence upon a freehold
er upon tenant other nea-freeholders, In
debtedness is i'm substance the assigned for
excluding the tenant and can it be matter of
Importance what of debt it be- whether be for
rent or any other Observation-Disclosures It be col
ectabe by distress warrant by feri cias, whether
the the cradle be sold by the const able, the
Sheriff. or trustee or narshul, whether he person
indebted be turned out of possession by notice, to
quit tenat, Or by hu6ere fncas possessiouen,
scsinam if a mortgaged freeholder, therefore con-
ciude the gentieinans own rule, tried by his
guments, would include much too many voters as
1t would exclude, Improperly, tried by our arguments
qhe genteman's argument has evidently on several
OCCASIONS varied with itself This has not been the
fault OF the gentleman ingenuity or ability but the
fault of the principles he advocates--his premises
are wrong--"He has laboured under cause too
light to carry him, and too heavy to be borne by
him.
The gentleman from Chesterfield, has said
universal suffrage originated in Cro,nwell's ar
nay. He has been we'll answered by the gen.
tlcmun from Frederick, (Mr. Cook) Did the
gentleman when he made this assertion, forget
the pure dcmocraces of antiquity-did he forget
those of more modern date, but still more ancient
than the ,, age ofCromwell' II mean the Swiss Can
tons Their suffrage was more universal than it ever
was before or since: every male of the age of Is
years vas allowed to vote-end take it upon ME
to sny that no evil then resulted from this extended
suffrage
The gentleman from Chesterfield in his argument in
FAVOUR OF property representation warned against
the white basis, equal representation. He said it
would inevitably lead to the Subyersion of reegov
ernment and to despotsm He cited as examples
Greece, Rome, and oil the ancient republics and
held up to Us the English Government as an exam
pie in many respects worthy of our imitation. He
yesterday predicted that the effect must neces-
sar result from universal suffrage but instead of
again vouching the ancient republics to sustain him
in this prophecy think he said these republics
furnished no light for guidance but that England
Wasthe country we must look to for anaoges and
tor lessons of instruction and experience being the
oniy representative government bearing real sin-
ItGde to ours, in the world, that existed
then, all tree governments have persisted by these
formidable foes OF liberty, equal representation and
universal suffrage How do the gentlemen account |
~. \
and tree governments established their ruins Did
universal suffrage, and equal representation, pro-
dpce these effects too'-if so, they have done as
much good evit-and deserve such utter repro
batlon-But the truth is, gentlemen have been mis- |
led, they knew only the historic fact that govern
ments free and despotc have persisted, have shared
the tate OF every thing moral-have obeyed that |
great law, which sooner or later, consigns to the
tomb man, and all the work of man, but the remote
and hidden causes, that produced these effects ever
have been and ever will be, mere matter of specula-
tIon.-The ancient the modern republics are sure
y incapable of teaching any lessons of instruction
oT OF furnishing any beacons for warnng-tbey
are not cases in point-there is no resemblance be-
tween the pure democracies of antiquity, and the
representative democracies of the u. States. Here
made the first experiment of that form of roy
eminent, and the only representative denloc
Tacies that existed. Had the Republics of
Rome and Greece, been based ours, upon the rep
resentave principle, their liberties might have been
immortal-for if that attribute can, without impiety
be ascribed to any government, it must be to gov
eminent like l fondy trust ours will be i'm
m0rtal-For this representative principle, we are
indebted to England, aud she borrowed it from the
woods of Germanybut in borrowing this part of her
government, discarded her monarchy, and her |!
arlstocracy, lnusing instead, the pure democratic |
spirit incur institutions.-Greece and Rome have
furnished models of architecture, statuarv noe
try, and painting, but not of government Il would
be as just to compare their beautiful Temples to our
Steamboats, cotton gins and printing presses as to
compare our institutions of government with theirs
they are as dissimiar. They therefore, can shed no
sight on our deliberations much less Mr.. Chairman
than the Cherokee Nation of Indians, who have re-
Gently established free constitution of government
and laws-Mr. Chairman, we have heard many pro.
LESSONS of patriotism, and love of country | doubt
not their sincerity, but shall make myself af-
ter telling you that the man who loves not his coun-
Try, is monster in human shape
Nor shall l, Mr. Chairman, JON i'll the war of epi-
thcts, much complained of by the gentleman from
Chesterfield, and the gentleman from Spottsylyania
submit it to the candour Of this Committee to de-
eide, who cast the first stone and whether if arsto-
crat, and moDarchis be obnoxious epitheths-
er Missionaries, abstract theorists, dcmagogues bid
ders at the shrine Of popularity, slang, &c. be not
entitled to the same appeilaton. | submit it to the
Candour of the gentleman from Chesterfield whether
in his zeal, he has not been betrayed into the sama
fault, which he has imputed to our Side Fur one
example among others, TINT rnirht be ennmerntnd nF