Wheeling compiler. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [i.e. W. Va.]) 1829-1831, 1829-12-09


IN the county where he desired 10 vote. and
who during That years residence should
have paid a revenue or county tax, legally
assessed. It any gentleman should OBJ
iect to the extension to those who merely
pay county Tax, be may strike out the
words, so as O. make the qualification the
payment OF 4 eyenue tax. This propo
sinon, therefore, is not so extensive as
those which have been rejected. 1t Is TO
give the power to those who are called on
to support the expenditures of the govern.
ment
The amendment offered by the gentleman
from Chesterfield, contains, he admitted.
IN beneficial c'.ension Of the right Of sui
frage. ID extsnss ,ae right, although it
still confines 1t TO the sol, aud thus ex-
cludes great number OF individuals who
complain Of their exclusion. But il in
clu1os termers, who holding under leases
receivable on payment of fine, are in eff
tect fleehoIders, aud are SO considered by
the gentleman from Chesterfield. But if
that class, and no others were to be admit
ed, it was scarcely worth while 10 call tae
Convention. This was not that extension
which was asked and expec cd
aud the who had struggled for the Con
vcuUon would not be satisfied. Ii is moi
that extension of the right which was tho't
of IN 1916 and Il; 1t was what no one OF
these thought of when the voice Of the
people in 1917, demanded the Conven
venhon.
A few remarks on this head would show
that the extension contemplated by the gen.
t.eman from Chesterfield, did not 90 so
far as was wished: and would further show
that the freehoders had not been cheated
out of the votes which they gave for The
Convention. While on this point he wish
ed to get rid of difficulty, which seemed
to have always rised in this debate, and
TO explain what he meant by the terms ar
istocracy and OHgarchy, in that sense
10 which he understood the terms and
IN which the term arIstocratlc had been
applied to himself He never intended,
ia using these words, to apply them 10
such a manner as TO give personal offence.
But to come at the subject and place It in
It's proper light. The proposition of the
gentleman from Chesterfield did not 60 to
the extent which the people wish, and for
which they have steadily called. There
ore 7oiuts however, on which al u.rUU.
and it matters not what road we reach
them. Il is of little importance whether
we 20 back to the days of Adam, or to
those Of the shepherds, there are points
where NATIONAL rights have a beginning;
and if we strip the subject Of distractions
we shall agree on the main points. We
are all agreed as to the proprIety Of ex-
cIudiug females, yet we all know that they
exercise an influence over those who have
The power. We also agree in the exclu
sion Of those who are under the age of2l
not that they may not be qualified to vote,
bat that the human mind does not reach
its maturity before that period Thus we
exclude many who are well qualified, and
who would be safe repositories OF political
power. But there Is no rule we can fix
which is not liable to exception. in deter
mining that none shall be admitted to vote
until the age of2l, we act on the estab-
lished principle Of Iegll adjudication. He
that the rule had It's lnconvenien-
ces. Wanto mind excludes the idiot aud
the lunatic: and such as have committed
crimes, all will agree ought to be
excluded Thus your scheme aud ours
are exactly the same; and you have arrly.
ed at your conclusions by the same course
of reading. and the same knowledge Of
society. We have then, By common con-
sent, excluded females, minors, idiots and
lunatcs, and those who have been guilty
of infamous offences. Who then are leiti
Mea who are free citizens, who are above
the age of twenty one, who have commit
ted no crimes. and who. according TO law,
are entitled % the ordinary rights Of clu-
zeus. Here IS the Depository Uf every
scintilla of mower. Who Of these shall
be excluded from the exercise Of this pow
err They who act with the gentleman
from Chesterfield say-all ~ho have not
A portion in the SOIL They who are op-
posed, are as strongly possessed Of the
importance of personal attachment to the
State AID It's institutions, yet contend that
the sufficient evidence of permanent com
mon interest and attachment, which the
Bill of Rights and prudence look TO, may
be found without reference 10 the interest
N the soil which other gentlemen deem to
be indispensable. THIS expressed what he
intended BY arIstocracy; not the govern
ment of very few-because, as the gen
tlemaa from Chesterfield had told Us, few
and many are relative terms-but the gov
eminent Of the minority over the majority.
Hence would be seen the tendency OF me
measures of gentlemen on the other SIDE
TO establish an aristocracy; and this IS ine