Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1829-03-24


votes, provided aii,ocys that they fairly give their
votes by subscription, and net in u tumuituous
way" Il IL. St. l.. l03) But in October 1870
in the 22d year OF Charles the II. fifteen years
afterwards, IT was enacted BY Abe Assembly,
" That none but freehoiders and h0use-6ecpers,
who only are answerab,e toihe pu5iiYue for leves,
shall hereafter have voice in the election Of any
Burgess" "a IL. ~ l.. 2SO.) What difference
there ia the lcves during the time of the act
OF 1865, and of this last act, cannet nrw be
ccrtainei with much certainty, bu;. tits more than
probable that the manner o. levying taxes was
about the sainei and that the change was made
under the influence OF the crown aud the isto-
cratic part Of the Colony; and not on accoont OF
change III tic principles OF taxation: For it will
be found that years afterwards, in June 1876,
during the time OF Bscon's rebellion, when lib
erty began TO raise her head (or at least resistance
10 the regal authority,) this restriction was re-
peaed, and all free were agoin restored 10.
their rights, and privileged 90 vote in the cleo
ion OF Bargesses. =. IL. ST. j.: $3.50 But
his enlargement. of the privilege Of voting only
continued 90 years, when iii April 1899, in the ll,h
Year OF william the III. il was enacted by the
Assembly, that none bat treehoiders should vote
for Burgesses. q. IL. st. l.. I72) This act
did the &c; OF the 22d of Charles the H. 1t is
possible that majority Of the freemcn of the
Colony held freeholds OF some kind or other; aud
as it was the object TO secure the power OF the
country, in the hands OF the freeholders, it was
necessary to have a minority Of the people 10
sustain it--Ths act effected the object But the
ireeho!ders not being satisfied with this en-
croachment upon the rights OF the non-freehol-
ders, soon commenced Quarreliing among them
selves. The aristocratic principles which Undue.
ed them TO exclude the non-treeholders induced
them to divide among themselves, and narrow the
privilege OF voting TO still smaller number of
persons. And 81 years after tho passage of the
last act, the Assembly in August l736, Gin the 10th
year oil George the H. enacted, and declared, that
9o|rechoider should Ucte TOR members os Assem-
6iy, tnless his freehUid il Of uniDpToved land,
mt al tc itpn ypI IN =
II. ST. l.. 475) II is matter of doubt TO the
length OF time this act continued in force. 1t,
however, appears that in November, 1852, in the
Sd year OF George the Ill. an act OF Assembly
passed, making provision Tor the election of Eur
gessses which reduced the quantity of unimproved
land upon which a ireeholder might vote, from 100
TO 90 acres. But this act contained provision
that il should not be i'm force until after the Kings
assent granted, which assent was never grant
ed. And it is doubtful whether the act of 1896
is not yet in force. 1t certainly was at the com
mencement of the Revolution, but it is probable
at the time the Constitution formed, and il
might have been the before the dissolution OF
the House OF Burgesses, that the right OF suffrage
was exercised according TO the provisions OF this
act The Convention OF l775, ordained that the
persons qualified 10 vote for Durgesses in every
county, SC. had right To- elect delegates TO the
Convention; and according 10 this ordinance the
Convention of I776 elected. IL is declared in
the constitution that tine right of suffrage" shall
remain as exercised at present" without referring
TO the law on the subject; and it is possible that
different constructions were given in different parts
of the State 10 this part OF the constitution. The
Legislature, however, in 1875, (and upon what
authority il is hard to tell,) declared the act oil
1852 in force, SO far relates TO the 30 oil
land and settled the law upon the subject of the
right of suffrage. 1t is presumed that dIeren,
constructions prevailed, and that the Legislature
ascerained matter of fact, that at the adoption
of the constitution the right OF suffrage was exer-
cised under the act ofl1G2.
Mr.. M. recapitulated the changes, showing the
time each system continued in force up to the pre-
sent. by the following table