Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1829-10-15

Shieits IN virginia, when their disastrous iptlu-
cacc 10 ee experienced Is il not apparent that such
establishments must, for an indefinite period be ct
the mercy of those who affect TO dread them, and
may be sacklcd suppressed as fear and fancy NAV
dictate: For how many centuries must the diSfran-
rhiSen citizens BE- content to rciinQuiS, their rights
because III some remote are Of the world d:s,an.
poscriiy. similarly circumstancnd, NAV be powerful
enough and base enough wiihai. trample upon the
F, rights of others?
Blu, If Justice is not 10 be expected. if sell.apuran-
dlscmrnt is TO be assumed the sole ruling prnci-
iic OF men in power, then, your nc.noralists con-
celvc the interest of the many deserve at least as
much to be guarded as those OF the few. Concedng
the truth Of the proposition assumed, what security
they would enquire, there against the injustice of
Tie ircehciders: How is the assertion made rood
that they can pass law affecting the rights of 9TH
crs without more iniuriousy affecting their own?
They cannot do this, it is said because thew possess
IN common with other citizens, all personal rights
and, IN addition, the rights pertaining TO their pcc,-
mar Pr"pnr'y: And If this be satisfactory reason
then one ianiholder in each county district would
suffice to elect The representative body; or the i'm,
possibility of iniuring others being shewn, a single
iandholder IN the Commonwealth might still more
conveniently exercise the sovereign power Rat Is
not the proposition obviously falscs What is there
prevent their imposing upon others undue burthcns
ana conerfing on themselves unjust exemptions
oPpiyls INC poilceT'gencies by eapitaton other
'aN, exclusively or oppresSlvey operating on the other
portions OF the community Exaciin from the latter
IN common with slaves, mcnial services, Placing
around ther own persons aud property more efficient
| pr
dies: denying tolic children of all other classes adj
mission to the public Summaries of learnino9 In
ierdicIiis to Ill tu. their own order, Indeed. the
power - elect aud the right to be elected are most
nor or enolnment, civil or military? WHY .an they
not DO this, and morn? Where is the impossibi!i
iy' 1t would be unjust:-alnrable logic. Injustice
can n. DE- predicated only Of non !rceh1lders.
Still 1t is SAID, the no-treeholders have no inst
cause OF complaint. a freehold is easily acquired
The right OF suffrage. moreover. is not natural
! Fight Society may grant, nn:ty. or withhold it,
as e&PodienGy 1nay require. Indesd ali aeree tla,
CERTAIN regulations are proper: those for examine re-
iating to age sex. and citizenship At best i il an
IDLE contest tor abstract right whose loss is attend
! dcd with no practical e,il.
II freehold be, as supposed easily acquired,
u would seem highly inlpuc, to saw no more TO in
sist on retaining an oious regulation calculate ed 10
produce no other effect than excite discon,cn.-
but the tact Is not SO. The thousands expelled from
the polls too well attest the severity of il operation
~ is by no means easy convenient for persons
whom fortune or inclination have engaged in Other
than agricultural pursuits, TO Withdraw from those
pursuits or from the support of their families the
amount requisite for the purchase of n freehold .o
compel them to do this, to vest that sum in unnrodnc
hve property, ia to subject them over and above the
original cost the assessments upon it. and the proba
Die loss by detenoration to an annual tox equivalent
to the profits they might have derived from the csni
| tai thus unproftab!y expended What would no
Thought or a tax imposed, penalty inflicted, upon
all voters for exercising what should be the unbopgh,
Cdn
The law that imposes this tax, rather it NAV be
SAID. niicts tins penalty, on portion of the com
unity probably the larger and least able 10 encoun
ter 1t, and eXempts the other?
Iile right OF suffrage, however it seems is no, a
natural right. If Icy natural is meant what 10 inc,
and reasonable, then nothing more reasonable than
that those whose purses contribute to maintain
whose lives are pledged to defend the country s. aid
participate IN all the privileges of CITIZENSHIP. Ent
say 1t Is not natural right Whence did the free
holders derive 1t? How become its exclusive posscs
sors> Wili they arrognntly tell us they own the
country, because they hold the laud2 The r;o, he
which they held their land is not itself natural r;gbf
and by consequence, nothing caimed as incidental to
Lt.-W hence then did they derive this privilege,
From grant or conquest'-Not from the latter No
war has ever been waged to assert it. IF from the
former, by whom was it conferred? They cannot
IT they would, rccur TO the Royal Instructions al
that English monarch, of infamous memory who
eoined 1t upon the Governor of the then Colony OF
Virginia, so take care that the members of the 4
sclnby be elected only by the Freeholders as beino
more agreeabe-to the custom of Enpapd:" he norhi
have added more congeTia also with mona rcbica in
S,tutons' II Colonial regulations might properly be
looked to- then the right, not Of reeholdcrs merely
nm OF J'eemen, TO vote, may be traced to 4 more
distant antiquity, and q less polluted source But
ny orr ever glorious revolution, the government
whence nose regulations emanated, was annued
and with 1t all the political privileges it had confer
red, swept away. VIII they rely on the Constn
tona! provision! That the act of men deleoa,sf
by themselves. They exercised the very right If
III aPfoihti1S inc body from whom they pro
less 10 derive It, and indeed gave that body all the
Y power 1t possessed. What is this but 10 saw the,
generously conferred the privilege upon themselves
Perhaps they may rely length of time to foresta
enquiry; We acknowledge no act of limitations n
gainst the oppressed Or will they disain to show
any title; and cilnging to power, rest on force fht
last argument of kings its source and its defence
Q fhis were, doubtless, the more polite course
Let us concede that the right of suffrage is spcis
right nat mnst OF necessity be reguls ed by socie
, ty Still the question recurs is The existin1 r;,
taton proper For obvious reasons, by almost uni
verSai consent, women and children aliens and sin vns
are excluded 1t were useless to discuss the pyoprie
y OF RUE that scarcely admits of diversity OF
opinion. What is concurred in by those wiz r
tue the Society the body polite must be taken TO he
right But Tho exclusion of these classes for
peculiarly applicable to them is no argument for ep.
, plies. ''"'oi'' up
It's said to be eredisnt, however to exclude non.
ffeeholders also. WHO shall iudpe of The no;o