Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-11-26

VIRGINIA. COW ENTION.


ihould be rejected. he would move an amendment to
tte ih,rd resolution 10 strike out from the word
Constitution" in the third line, to the word "pro-
rled," in the twenty third line, and insert the fol-
.-v NJ words
And shall be extended 10 esery free white male
cGl1en, aged Il years or upwarus, rho shall have
led at least one whole year i'll the county, city
bcr)ash or district III which he shall offer to vote,
Immediately preceding the time of voting and who,
uliug tina, period shall have actually paid
tax legally assessed-And to every free white male
sa7en aged twenty one years or upwards, who shall
have actually resided at least whole year in the
UNITY, city, borough district. where he offers to
vt'; and who, for the period of SIX months least
shl. have been house-hecper therein "
lie stated that he had Intended, when he rose YES
er3ay, to make the motion that the COMMITTEE rise
20 address the Committee, but any right whioh he had
@ do this, he now willingly yielded to the gentleman
from Amherst, (Mr. Thompson) =.
Mr. THOMPSON then rose, and addressed the Com
mtee IN reply TO the speech of Mr.. Leigh, whom
he promised to meet on the grounds OF reason, the
Bll OF Rights, expectancy and experience, He pro.
iessed himself to be III favor of general though not
If universal suffrage. lIIIs Speech will be given
hereafter
Mr.. DopoR,pcE rose to add, very few remarks
80 what had fallen from his colleagues. Ii was I'M
leecssaryt TO say much b:s constituents had alrea
dY been well defended Tie desired To do nothing
more than to bring the question before the Commit
tee. The decision on the proposition of the gentle
mar from Monongslia, Mr.. Wilson, had much mar
rowed the ground for discussion. After that, the
section of the proposition of the gentleman from
Broke. Mr.. Campbeil,) followed as a matter of
course. and also that of his other colleague from A.
n'nGaia, Mr.. Morgan) which looks. 10 Il further
oD9ct system OF general education The PROPOSE
teE OF each OF those gentlemen was 10 extend tho
gh OF suffrage to ali free white m-ls OF the are of
= yeafs, requiring certain residence. That or tbs
g'n eman from Monongalia, ahourh il extend,d
INC rght 10 such as We're MOI assessed for anv tax
Ie4ared that II asSessnert oftax was made. The tax
s'oN'd De PAID IL decision of the Committee on
thoSe propositions had settled this poin, ,Lof M ono
saonld he the right of suffrage unless he wes to,
~ some way, ana the decision went no farther =
me amendment which he proposed to offer did not
Eoto the extent of those of his colleagues which had
aeen rejected. lie stated that he had been gre,f
atai OF ms time away from homo during the last five
years, and consequently not so Wei acaua,nicJ
With the opinions OF the people Of his district as M
colleagues Were, but taking them for his guides h.
had framed his amendment to extend The rGht
Of suffrage To all free white males of the ace of ,
years, who had resided two years In the Stare and
one year ia the county where he desired vote and
who during that year residence, should have paid p
eVenue or county tax, legally assessed. Ifany gem
'Iaman should object to the extension 10 hose who
dereIy pay county tax he may move 10 strike out
.e words, so as TO make the quaiifcai ION the pav-
-lent of a revenue This proposition therefore
not so extensive as those which have been rejected
d II TO give the power to those who are called on to
aappnrt the expenditures of the government.
Tie amendment Offer d By the gentleman from J
Chesterfield, contains, he admitted, beneficial cx
tnslon OF the right ofsudrage II extends the right
although stli confines the soil and fms ,v-
o!uds great number of individuals who coruain of
12r exclusion. But 1t includes termers VINO ho!I- q
ing under leases removable on pavmeat of fine are
IN effect reehoiders and are considered by the
Gentleman from Chesterfield. Bat At that cllss and
no others to be admitted il was scarcely worth
while to call the Convention. This was not that cx
tension of the right winch asked aud expected
and they who had struggled for the Convention would
not be satisfied. 1t that extension of the r;rb,
which was thought of in 1916 and 1917: il was what
20 one of these thought of when the of the peo-
-',e IN 1917. demanded he Convention.
\ On hear uO CHI a. Al.
extension contemplated by the gentleman from Chcs-
arheld, did not go so far wished and would
:-Fher show that the freeholders had been cheat
Cd out OF the votes which they gave for the Con-
renton. While on this point, he wished to get rid
"a difficulty, which seems to have always risen in
Us debate, and to explain what he meant by the
erms aristocrdcy and 0Hgdrchy, in that sense in
which he understood the terms, and in which the
Germ aristocrat had been applied TO himself He ne
YER intended, in using the words, apply them i'm
7dch manner as could give personal offence But to
at the subject and to place in its proper light
The proposition Of the gentleman from Chesterfield
did not go to the extent which the people wish, and
for which they have steadily called There are points
however, on which all agree and it matters litto by
what road reach them. II is of little import whe-
ther g. back to the days of Adam or to those of
the Shepherds there points where national rights
nave beginning; aud If we strip the subject Of alb
sractions we shall agree on the main points. We
are all agreed 10 the proprety ofexcuding females
yet all know that they exercise an Influence over
those who have the power. We also agree IN the .
exclusion of those who under the age oftwenty-
one, not that they may not be qualified 10 vote but
that the human mind does reach its maturity be-
fore that period. Thus exclude many who are
well qualified and who would be safe depU=tories Of
political power But there is no rue we can fix which
'@ not liable 10 exception. In determining that none
hall be admitted to vote until the ag~ oftwenty-one
we act on the established principle of legal adiudca
lion. He admitted that this rule had it's inconyenl-
ences. Want of mind excludes the IDIOT ard tic
lunatic and such as have committed infamous Crimes
I'll will agree, ought TO be excluded. Thus your
scheme and ours are exactly the same; and you have
arrived at your conclusions by the same course Of
reading and the same knowledge of society. We
nave then, by cOanon consent, excluded females mi
nors, idiots and unatlcs, and those who have been
guilty Of Infamous offences Who then are left,
Men who free citizens, who are above the are Of
twenty one who have commitre ed no crimes and who
according TO law, entitled 90 the ordinary riolts
Of citizens. Here is tho depository Of every scintia
fPower. Who Of these shall be excluded from the
exercise Of THIS power They who with he gentle
man from Chesterfield say-all who have not Dortiou