Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1829-11-24


such agovernment, what example il afforded which
ought TO initiate. IL was during hi, s,rupyI.
mat our ancestors fled from per.eeutiou-and set
lieu on tins continent, under charters from the
Crown, which Charters formed the connecting i,k he.
tween the Colonies, and the parent countrv In all
these colonial governments, the power wa. IN ia ,.,
pie the GovsrnOr wls the agent of the King iii,
powers were limited. Every prop,.itio, affiliated
WIN tue peopIe,thers was negative in the Crown.
This was the only check their authority Tier.
was nobility o. prince The revolution Transferred the
whole power TO the people There were no %, vil.yaJ
orders ror was the government hereditary. II con.
sisted OF House oi burgesses, Council and Cov
ernor. Every proposition originated with the pconl.
under our colonial governments and. therefore ber,
and free principles were incucate, which x.r.,n,,.
perfect by our Revolution. The Who'll. yovernn.n, H.
all is branches, is now that Of the p.op. .v,rv nro
position may be said to originate from hen for when
checks on the most popular branch are provided "a bv
the Senate, Tor example, on the House Of Deer ncs
they are formed by represent ves of the people and
intended TO give greater stability and pernsne ace to
their government Such a condition therefore az ,b
rich and poor, aud such s;rugsle between them "a
overthrow the government of Athens and pro,tr,,.d
hs power of the people, did not and does not exist
mere IN tho slightest d'gree--In the NApcie, I r..
publcs, and especially In that Of Athens tie neo,I
possessed the wholc power tho sovereignty ami The
government were united la theme with NJ i, is ,,;fc
en' The sovereignty in the people but the exrci..
OF government is in their representatives Every yo.
ter pariakes share OF the sovereignty; and bus The
right oil sulrage IL tho basis of system of eov.rn
ment And hence the necessity for caution how No..
extend.thetght TO such have no nj in,.res
IN the Community. when sea that the reprr,en
tatves are numerous and Ia al the voters raj, s,,
great mass, we have the certainty that they n,rsr
can pass laws in favor CT one class OF society 10 the in
jury of another class ~ :"
Many rea sons urge Tie in loaLi,r ., calf ,o,.....
TO cause tins right Of suffrage draw ne,r IA po.,i
Ole every class IN society tog .hcr. Bat il sh,ul h..
connected with an interest ia the soil I Sish 10 .o
no distinction order nor any thing like rank utrodccI
amongst W. Let all be in tie hands az ;be n,oo,
LIE: majority rule The laws Of pri.o-enure and Of
entail are gone, aud what 10 the tendency of such
state OF thing! The father bring, n, hi' SON, ~ .i
own principles habits s VIXEN he die h. JviIes nj;
s"a'e among hcn or IL he dies ;riestate the law of
descens comes In aud divides il for hi,n RS. ons,
without iaoour, and thus la or three gen.ra,or
the largest estates become suhiivded until The ovn.r
reduced INTO one mas; and the whole aspec,
oil society becomes nearly the sane. Does moi iii
present reason Why the right Of suf.sgs .houll h.
connected IN some degree with the soil? But It IA.
test be made as moderate 1t can be- Hero zoe go
none oil those causes which overthrow the ancient re-
puohcs' The bases OF soc,ty are different from
'neirs. Our Interests ara more combined Tn, mas
., me people are more connected with each o,her
iiere are no great divisions OF rich and ,r .xsn
Gstinct from each other and engaged in perpe,u con-
ntcs For Aase reasons shouli like TO see the rrh,
oil suffrage connected with the soil hut TO an yen, 40
moderate, a. Circumstances will admit
me question was ihen token on Mr.. SrAxARp's
noes A. 80 -
tMessrs Madison, Monroe aul Marshall voted in the
alIrmative) " we" =" VIE
The question then taken on Mr. Ix,o,,s
amendment, and decided in the negative. ayes a.
81 - "J'' 90
.q9ye, Mr. Monroe Woes Me.srs. Madison s Mar.
shall. FA"'''o' - MAR
Mr.. Cooks then offered the following anendnc,,.
STRIKE out from The RESOLUTION of lie Legislative Com
:" -isr me words R-'oIyel that AMI insert:
lhat naturAli-ed ci'iZ'ns of the Uurd States shall
not ENJOY The right un' in addition TO the nualicari
o, residence req red by the next preceding clause
they shall have respectively acquired ~ ,,srr;,c m
descent or purchase feehoid etats ia and of the AZ
sessed value Of dollars .i,,arsd =. LIZ q. o.
commonwealth, Che title 10 wh shall have been evil
nehced by recorded deed, will and shall h,v. hoe,
IN possession Of the for the space of
before airy election at which they shall re,nect;v.,
required by this clause t. be prescribed by IawO
That no person shah exercise the right of suffrage Al
any election unless he shall have paid a state co,oty
or cooperation tax imposed him by law and gaiI,,
demanded OF him. during the two wears ;,u,ns,a,nI
preceding such election: the mode Of proving or d.
proving such payment, If disputed, prescribed by
That no person convicted Of any infamous oe,,..
snail at any election hereater' enjoy or exercise The
be made by law " ~ 0es W
That the Right Of Suffrage shall not be enioved or
ex.rc.ed by any rauper- Che definition of the term
Pauper TO he medc by law0-
by any person who shall have heen DECLARE, h
lawful tribunal, TO be Of unsound mind during The con-
tinuance OF such disAbli;y,-or wa
by any commissioned officer mr. pr;y ,,o .o,r.
or Of this CummGnwealth ''
CHE preceding is tho shape which Mr.. Coke A..
gnents) 1N "''e'u
He explained AMI supported The anne ndmen. a, some
iergh: but prcfaced lis remarks by shew vim ,yv H.
WIS opposed TO the amendments, boil OF Mir Loiob
and MI. Sanard 20 the former because il ,r.sr,ib
period yet uncxpir-I OF tho les, on which th IT,,
see was TO vote thus admitting him 10 y,t, one year
an" hcplVlng hin the ntS TO The latter because II fl T.
Gu the h'sh Of Suffrage at given sum Of axespa;d-
basi' mniable with every change in the value of mo-
ney, and such rs enabled the Logisa'urc bv Diminish
ing The rate Of taxation, 10 circumsciibe the classes o
voters. -NF' "
In regard to The last clause Of his amendment AZ
COOKE explained it intended 20 sweep off class y,
persons sparesV Possessed Of tract OF lind but ,yho
paid no dues and idle, dssouie drunkrIs and va
gabonds. ~ V"
Mr.. p. p. PARBoUR srokc in decided opposi.ion IN
nhe scheme proposed by Mr.. Cooke. lie suggested
oouhl whether that portion Of Nr. c. Amendment
"i'h excludes citz OF oher States did not initiate
sgalhsi one ct the provisions of the Fedcral Con.tu
Won In intnianing dat an interest in the soil was
ne most certain Indication OF an interest in the Commu
hY ne turned against MIR. G.. IL At feature of hs ovn
proposnio1 which requires sch an indication from All,
ems OF helr puTpoe 10 connect themselves pern,ra,,
with The Stale lie aIger,ed to .c pc,shab. ,ud,ra
SEM clo aoter Of personal property, which nis br
sdd 10 belong To the universe large but not Co any
particular country suCiey. He w,e illirg IN on
every reasonable length n io~eing The landed nuagS
'dnoD' ne would embrace the reyersioner and es.oe
contemplated IN Mr. Leighs amendments As TO the OH
Jecon mat hl' lessee mus have limited term 10 run
~ he harhshp growing ont Of that applied enualv t
Mr' Us own DIVISIONS rcqHiring certain teen, of res
uehce' ana Tie payment OF taxes for limited number
az years no qualification could he devised that couId
not De exposed 10 the same Inconvenience and spparsn
hardships "- "PP''e"
He argued 10 shew that the charge Of sri.oc,acv CO..
not Justly imputed TO the plan which reuuired Isn,
qnahcaton IN the voter: permanent distncton If
society into classes Intended nor ,youLi Ls ar .,
Cd ny u. lie ahverted TO the operaon of Tho lao, II