Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1829-12-15

rection Of 1916. Justified eait popular ;nsur-
rscf'on. because the phrase Il agreeable to my
republican notions than the werd " rebellion" used
by The gentleman from Chesterfield. REBELLION air,
Then what were the Of l776. but rebels again At
the Royal an'hority!, Nathaniel Bacon was a rebel,
VINO perhaps wanted only wider theatre Of action
anc more rrotracted span Of existence, TO be tho
Washington Of hs age. He rose in arm. against on.
preston snd ademocratic Legislature or one under his
control. while II redrsssed many real grievances. re-
rea'rd the Limitation OF suffrage. imposed In 1910 Hi.
dsmoerauc code was repealed in is turn in 1911 and
two resimens Of Bri'sh soldiers we,s sent by hi. most
| gracious Majesty, King Charlie. H. whose govern.
msnt the gentleman from Chesterfield calls by way OF
a'sunc"on, the lawful government to disseminate
IN he Co'onv more correct notions concerning civil
and political liberty. This worthless tyrant-the most
worthless that ever 6llcd the Throne Of England
did not ccndescend 10 ask, Of the trembling Bur
gesses whom he assembled at the very mouth,
OF his cannon. anil at the very point Of his hay.
onet'. Legislative act esabiishing the freehold i-
fdfion Of the Right Of Smfrdge In Yirginia
orderedhi' governor. in his private letter Of in
srucions under his royal hand to take care that the
members of tho Assembly should there after BE- elected
by freehoiders only" az And thus sir the fire. ehoid
Limitation Of the rirht Of suffrage became the iatp O,
pirgmd and 20 1t has remained to the present dav
Modified, to be sure. from time to time, by subs.r.
Went colonial assemblies. in regard to the quantity OF
land necessary to confer the right but st me freehold
limitation. And, with these slight notifications, il
Isma.ns me Jaw and the Constitution Of Virginia, to
me present day. was In 1871, then, moi In l776 that
th's boosted regulation. the Of political wi sdom
became part Of the Constitution of Virginia. II wa,
dictated by vrant. and thrust down the hroats Of the
people OF Virginia ut the point Of the bayonet And
this |, the principle Of Constitution which we are
| called on to venera'e-to how down and worship a,
the wisest and best Of all the Institutions formed -
II6 oy the sages and patriots Of the Revolution. Thi.
the institution which IL the great safeguard of pro-
pertv and the palladium of our liberties : f.
Sir have said that the Constitution Of Virginia. a.
1t regards this great aud vital provision wac
ana completed in 1877. The Convention Of l776 |o,rna
m rad 49, Ia "a
And WHY did they leave II untouched. Were they
Ia love with the memory Of its author Or were the
true republican, az they unquesiionaby were parta
10 arstocratic distinctions and privileged ordsr,No
.ir they left untouched because they dared not touch
IT, II had taken deep OF, and could not be torn mr.
with saio'y, while 40 mary elements OF di.cord were
already at work. and threatened add the horrors of
ciun, to the dangers OF foreign war.
| Moreover, the poisonous plant, arisfocrdcv, had
grown mp and honrished under the sha low of the tree
oil royalty. privileged class had been created, not
only by the establishment Of exclusive political priv
'eges hu' by extensive grants Of land to the favorcs
OF the Crown There was, therefore, iandef a. well
asa political arisiocracy. 1t was, like all privp ged
classes tenacious Of its exclusive privileges and like
Al wealthy ari,'ocracies, proud Of It's wealth To
class IKE this, the authors Of the Bill Of Right- geuu
Inc and bold republicans they were, did not dare Ia
say In the heat Of which put in qnision all the
wealth and all the resources OF the country 'sYour
reign shall ceass-your power and influence are a, an
end"
They said, with mournfu and sententiou, brevity,
The right OF suffrage shalt remain present exer-
cisrd."
This, sir, isa true history Of the rise and progress
ani unhappy OF the present state Of the right Of SUI
frage in Virginia.
NOTES.
SEQ iening's Statutes at Largc vol. /, page 4l2.
(2 See Henng's Statutes Large vol page The
peang act proceeds tho repealed paging
discovered in time.n " - ~ " NV,
81 Sec IIenings Statutes at Large vol. page $780,
% See Henag's Statutes at Large, VOL 2, page 425
MIR. LEIGH said, that the gentleman IRON Frcder.
lex needed not TO inform him that he had not learned
the history OF Virginia from the note to the revi.ed
Code. His object had been merely to put the Com
n'>'es s ~ DO s.e>< SsieA eve thcss .,n,
ed. The gentleman had only studied out of a dif.
'erent system OF law, but also of deren, system
oil general history or he would not have said that Ba.
cons insurrection, which grew out of private ieuJ
wasa stand in defence of tho rights Of man.
The question was then taken on the motion of Mr.
LEIGH, to amend the resolution, which motion wa.
decided IN the negative Ayes Al, Noes ~.