Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-04-30
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES MErr,Nc

~ large and respectable meeting of the Non-ffco
holders and Freeholders of tine county of
and the town Of fredericksburg friendly 70 the ew
tension OF the right of suffrage held pursuant 10 M
tee on Saturday the 25th April 1:s9-Gt the Tov,o
Hall OF Fredericksburg:
DIR. JOHN II Wallace was called IN tho f,b,;-
and George ". Basseit appointed Secretary
Wh. NJ BLAcKFoRD, Esq. then rose and ox
paihei the object of the meeting, and INDICATED AT
soa'c length, the rights Of the non frccholdcrs. He
concluded by offering the following Prcmbe and Re-
solutions, which after some discussion and nIoJ;fc
ton, were adopted by the meeting
PREAMBLE
dany OF the Non freeholders, aud n portion of the
trechnders of SpotsyIvana county being assembled
III the Town Hall of Fredericksburrt 70 consul,
upon the best means Of effectinr an extension ne
the Right of sufrGge-dcclare their belief that ~
ouGHr no EXTENDED;
l. Because, the voters under the present system
ocihg not more than Is 900, whilst those of mature
age fixed residence and probably permanent attach
inent to the State, who are excluded from voting
amount To at least G0,000--public agents arc no1
c"Sc': ana pubic affairs exclusively directed by n
minority OF the coumunity IN utter al srcnard
OF this fundamental maxim offrcr s,n,os a. = IL
~ grrty Shouid gOrer-r. ' '''
Because much OF the burtlen of government, 10
sustained by others then Frceholderp; fnot bv inv
inent OF money, yet by contribution of person.l scr
vices III military and civil Capacities; the disf,ancl
SEQ class being, under lie present state of three ooh
lectcd I" imposions to which they have !ud mo nm
poItinlty OF asserting dissenting in the converts
fn oil . ,
cherished ideas of free people
8. because, the ownership Of land is no conc1,iyc
cFlienrc o. attachment 70 tho community either hv
feeling or by interests it being os easy TO part win
ahccd os with personal property; and neither the ono
nor the other binding tho posscssor more fr,,l, o.,
hs country, han do the affections ilnplanrd hy "a,
ture IN every man, for the place Of his birth and Tho
companions Of bis If. Nor is this a questionable
position; since s truth is attcstcd by the generally
conceded fact, that OF the thousands NJ y-;r,,;n'
have no hor .d l, - -
foreign foe, and Of the tens OF thousands ,v1o no,
stahd ready at their cOunry's call TO die i'm hcr do
renee "A MhJoa'1T WERE AND ARE NoN rarvuot rrp
j. becH"se, If three fifihs Of all adult free aud sol,
uca uihic citizens continue TO he subjected m fho
VA! OF The remaining too ahs the usi,rpinD minor
NY cannot, as heretofore, plead tho silence of Tho
majority asimplyng acqulesccncc in the
SINCE, on the contrary the voice OF proos,ation a.
SnS' IL WIN have been loud and univcrsa and lovcn
supposinE the discomfort to be i'll founded and IN 90
press itself by open act1 the existence in eoco,
Ioi 20 large portion Of subjects rniiYmurnp NJ IL
provisions ot their government, is what the friends IN
social peace and order, must ever doprccnto
.. Bccpusc, the non-ffeeholdors II, tbis re,t;,L
licvc that they and fher 10000 dsfranchiscJ b,c,sor
are able as wcll as entitled. 10 pssjsf in coyc,n;o
themselves " beng incredible to Thorn Tho, III
gracious Providence who created tl,js NATION con
u'cy htcd Ior scli-governmcnt hath denied IA rooro
than half Of is people, tb-se faculties ,vic h ,ho
principles ct orr political institutions presume q, he
shared by al. P'Su''c 10 DC
u these ayc valid rensons for extending tho ri,bt
d suffrage IN elections of Representatives in ofJ
naTy LegsIature land this meeting believes them to
DC IrrciutabIc) they apply with tenf,d G,,cc % n
iJnhctOfc at which the fundamental layv of tho bod
polite the coupnct which binds mon into ono society
- soout 70 be revised and altered. For il Is prom,
osllion mob to be denied without an outrage upon
reusoh: mat me now DISTINGUISHED three Ihs Of the
men Of Virginia nrs parfis, % ms co1,naet md II
they ar" parties u is equally undenablo that their
VOICES must and ought to be heard in any determine
non affecting that Compact IL is therefore obvons
tthc citizens in question should have voice either
N selecting The persons by whom tho proposed amend
incn's TO hesocol compnc;-thc constitution Of the