Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1829-10-27

,ne pest way IN which his own reason could dreC
him. The result embodied in the resolution
which he had offered If they have no other pur
pose, they may ut least channels into which
the thoughts and arguments OF gentlemen lad beef
thrown, and the Intelligence of the House concentra
ted. He would not have offered these resolutions
had he not believed their principles to be true. Ii,
begged the Committee to give him credit for the as
scrtion that he valued truth much beyond consistency
lie would endeavour to subdue in himself the prl.
OF human confidence and consistency and woul,
! openly abandon the views he had embraced the mo-
inent he was convinced that they wrong. 10
lave committed error, and to have openly expressed II
was venal offence aud found its sufficient punish
ment III tho personal modification to which il lcd-
but 10 persist III course, after the conviction that
IL Is erroneous. Is an objectionable sin. He therefore
assured the Committee that he prepared to
submit his propositions, aud TO invite an eXamna-
ton into tfcir principles, aud he pledged himself to
abandon them the moment tcir u,.roprctv YVES do.
tected To his conviction.
The four successive resolutions refer entirely to
! the elective franchise. With the lcaye of the Con
vention he would read them, as follows
Heoire 1ha; the franchise should be mi form
3" mat r"us"ut the state, similar qualifications should
| Lex similar right of suffrage
h'eSoutd mat anhons those entitled by the Constitution
To exc! se the elective franchise there should eii,e ey
voter should much another qualified vo,er
Whatever may be the disparity of their respective
fesn0e That Representations should DC through
out the State
d Resocea, That ,,dird,ai suffrage should he <o.si
without respect 10 the disparity of individual fortune 50 an
equal number Of qualified entitled to equal
tao without regard to the disparity OF leir aggregate
These resolutions, the Committee Will perceive,
al grow out OF ona principle: they all refer
object = the elective franchise, and tie mode iii
which it shall bc exercised. He hoped the Commit
tee would permit him to preface the remarks which
he should make these resolutions. by II very few
general observations. All consrilu tionss whe-
Their state or federal, founded on Tic assuu,p-
ton OF these political truths
/ ISL tfiat Tree governments are hest adapted to
human happiness, 1t not every where at least the
happiness OF man ii. TIC American States.
SGIy. mat the resides of rirhf ass
well as in fact, in the people. and,
Lastly. Ihut the best mode OF adninist ermr that
sovereignty Is by agents, instead Of by the pco lie
personally.
| He would net stop to enquire il the PRINCIPLES
which Ire at the basis OF our institutions true ur
lalsc lie would not hesitate express his cniirt
CONVICTION of their truth; and he belle, ed he should
be only doing Justice to the members OF lhis body to
attribute similar conviction them. But he: al
! luded to the principles ON which governments,
are founded SheW that they all rest ON the
great principle OF representative republics. They
III! acknowledge that the sovereignty resides in ti,
people. They uTc representative in this tt.y all
concur in saying that This sovareignty ought hot 10
De exercised Oy the people personally, but by agents.
delegates and representatives. Nor WAS it. his IN, EN-
tnn to enquire who arc the peo! i'll whom that So
vere!gny Is supposed 10 Reside. SOM. tell US that
by the people Is intended individual wit hcut
regard to sex aye. Others Inform us that the
term embraces all who Gght and pay taxes
who defend the country in ANS. and to
contribute TO support her with their purse in the p-
ping days OF peace. Others arain INFORM us that BY
the people, is only meant those whom the Cons-
tuition OF the Safe confrs the it of political power
at the polls lie would ask icas mend his eXpres-
SoI-Not conier5, but recognizes the lipat as one TO
10 be exercised for the benci; of the Commonwealth
ncntcmen May differ upon these points. He did
not intend to lHcddle with these topics. These rso
: lutions approach them not On the Contrary they
p:ciippoac tnat toe Constitution, lii other part
determines by them this power shall be ciscd, and
they only look to e righ. illus conferred and rcgu-
its exercise. The principles they confain il
n
! to another; freehold sufiiarc, o. to any other
which nny be fixed by the Convention.
Tic had made these general remarks with view
to sncw that the elective franchise is esseuiia
part OF system; that it is the motlc-lLc oni,
mode whereby government is effectively exercised b.
representation instead of the personal exercise ut
sovereignty by he people themselves. This eectiv,
franchise looks to oGjects:-ist. To the persons
exercising 1T, hat is suffrage. Eut besides, tn s. il
also looks to another object-the eaJc Of The sui.
frage when exercised, that is representation. The
Committee would prescribe that suffrage is the
mc1nS, ard represent Gtion the effect The final
end Of both, Is 10 execute that Gr'aL fundamental
principle on which all ret by delegation, instead ul
personal exercise On The part oi ti!JSG HON the
! sovereignty resides.
Suffrage then. ought to be Uniform, So Us 20 con
fer like privileges in like circumstances or 50 div He'd
in its copcration that the rights exercised ny persons
III section OF the State sall be denied to other
persons Similarly situated another section 1t is
the object of the first resolution to scIe DIT que
ton. Thc Bill of Rights says that suffrage siial be-
free; he was dCSirOjfs add, that il shall he Uniform
Convenience recommends that it he So in order to
! avoid the great confusion which necessarily results
from the existence Of opposite rules, operating iii
different sections of the State, local in their action
instead of an equal and uniform practice Justice
requires it; for there be departure from the
rule of uniformity, which VIII not confer on some
individuals Inmtnities which dccrccd to othcr<
contrary to the spirit and Of two other articles
Of the Bill of Rights II is demanded b necessitv be-
the existing Constitution not Only does not pro-
vide uniformity but Establishes principle hich is the
rove!se-th" irerho qualification The State Coua;i-
tuition establishes rules which are local aud partial in
their operation In West Augusta, AIr. TAYLOR SAID
that lundholdcrs aud not reehoders are entitled to
suffrage; and thus not only embraced individuals
claiming by occupancy instead of tfle but who are
otherwise incapable otefirctIng titles under the en-
sting laws Of The Commonwealth
About the year 1852, ii the policy Of the State
to increase lis numerical strength, in Older TO avert