Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1829-11-24

means OF giving FIVE years education 10 every free
white ctld born in the Coinnonwealth of Virginia:
and well TO those of the part Of the
Old Dominion 10 those of the west. Yes Sir, to
ALL And whatever other gefltIemen niaysthnk upon
this subject, think even thai would render more
substaulial benefit to the people than all we havea
dome Indeed we have done nothing ~ may say !
more than all can possibly expect to do. /
But il must be abandoned for The present
< This brings me- Mr.. Chairman, to the question bed
fore us and have before said, will endeayoar to
argue from facts to conclusions.
The proposition now under consideration justifies
an enquiry into the state of governments and be-
iiepe, will be found to be ris ocratica it princi-
pies, If you agree that ar,stecracy is properly
defined to be government of the few over the many
and that those few hold their authority by virtue OF
their estates, can prove that government is an
arisocracy least arstouratica IN lis nature and
psincples-If it shall be found that the powers of
this government arc III the hands of the few to the
exclusion ut the may aud these few 10 be ascer
tanned aud known by the estates they hold, surely
il must be aristocraical in its nature. And Iventure
to say that such is the tutioil OF the government
of Virginia at this time. -
nl823 when the election was before the people
to determine whether they would call this Cs,n-s
yeniinn not thirty eight thousand five-hundred
and thirty three votes were given, and returned
| from the whole State [2o,275 east of the Blue
Ridge and 1928 west.] Aud here sir must
beg leave correct of the very erroneous call
lcnlations OF the gentleman from Spoisylvania made
few dayssgo III the discussion of The question upon
the basis OF Misrepresentation The gcntfman's caeu-
latos Were taken from the argument of he gentle
man from Augusta. whose argument was founded
upon documents furnished by the AUDITOR known by
every person here TO be inaccurate, falacous, and
not TO be depended upon These documents purport
to exhibit The number of freehold estates in the com.
monwealth- which will authorze voters It must be
recoliected that they included all such estates, wie
ther held by men, women, children, foreigners or
even free negroes, if any such persons have free
holds But not only each PERSONS freel,od in every
county, counted, that the same man is counted
once for his freehold or freeholds in each county
aIany men coInted 3, A. and S times and some
peraps ohener. 1t is very common, partcularly in
ne Eastern part ofthe State for gentlemen 10 have
West But this is all In several Of the yVes-
tern countless, few. years ago, large quantities of
Hands We're returned delinquent for The vtnent
Tor taxes, andsold Most of these lands now belong
to the Literary Fund They do not appear on the
com'nissoaef's books; and consequently we're not re
ported by The Auditor These documents are not to
be relied on, / can assure YOU.
i give you better proof--I offer YOU the Freehold
ers themselves heIs called TO the polls, and not ~
one time but several tiraesWhen all felt am inter
est, ana when nearly al attended offer you tile
sI OF votes rom al the counties, cities boregFs
both from the East and from the West Il Is NOT
tnut every voter did not attend but more presume
were prevented from attending 10 the West than In
| the East. There were circumstances in TINT coun
10 prevent their attendance. which did not one
rate here In some of the large COUNTIES " here
We're no district eeciinns, some were prevented from,
attending the polls by intervening mountains and wa
ter courses; and even where there were
who failed to attend on the first cnn,nad
afterwards to go to the court houses for The law
y required the polls to be kept open after the first
4 gay, at tue court houses during court days Those
4 State. - 100 ,lp '..e " . .ne
can assure yon, that he votes were taken, g. the
poiis examined with great care, and doubt who
.ner INC vote OF any non-fres holder. ever reached
4 the Executive Chamber. The Judges oualitieJ 10
take votes and purge tic polls we're yioiIant md
performed their duty with The utmost strictrlcss 50
far as have been informed. Indeed thew ,vere "a
.aa1f fba
proper votes to be counted for it must he
tras these gentlemen tle COUNTY courtclerks sber-
ana of the reyenne had but little
jeei'ng or desire for the for0lat: on OF
h ne, did their duty fully aud anlply
Il The number of freehold voters IN the
pc estimated at 900, and more. shall con
sider Them as or that number From the free
population of 1920 and the llynotbeti1a III incrss
since that tlne there are now in tin. f;tata moro
tnan i4o ooo free white male citizens oyer2 years
=, ass act rom his number the voters aud
yen ma 70 ooo free white excluded from The
poiis. But Sir, deduct from this last number
fes II you Pease $1,000 for paupers and others who
oilsht 70 be excluded andy still have so0oo.jc
wing the government in tie hands of littte mrs
one third of thepeople. am then iIsfi IN go
ing that the Government is in the hands of II,
,at ~ is heid and exercised by that few who hold h
- Vitue OF their freehold estates. ask you now
.or'H our government be not to some extent aris-
toe atlcai IN AS forrn' 1t is so Considered 0 ,S
men OF great wisdom andI believe eeperalv bv the
peoPle OF the o.hcr States of this Union. Are we
" eioee our eyes toese facts? or are VIZ. q,
81 tnefh as having some influence on our deJbe.a-
IONS Ts, Sr'w we ought to consider them -
men use this argument to prove the afistocrat
@ OF our government do it with due
tesPect 10 tue opinions of all the members of this
pJuy' ana also with due respect to the freeholers
' wnI sent me here-whose opinions and interests
Isl ~ represent. Ept Sir. from these Gicts
must contend that the right of sufFrao, o,rbt 60.
~ 70 oe extended The fieebold suffrage is contra
~ 10 the genius of our people; and nav well saw
I,;,a 10 the genius of the people of all these
dy of the people? ~ VIC s'ed' DO
snah now attempt to shcw that the freehold rich,
IS contrary TO the genius of the American
people IN dong this will Introduce for tbe Co;
% 'he committee, general ANALYSIS of the
on the right Of suffrage in each Of tho