Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1829-08-18
@ON@T4Ns

our readers to-day translation of Speech of our La
li"yeue which we think quite remarkable for the vgor
AND concsencss OF its argument and the felicity OF i,s
vndica'ion OF the Constituent Assembly which did I'M
quesuonabiy, achieve the revolution and was not re
'ponshio tor the tsrociy OF its Ii is the
remarkable as having been made unexpectedly, and
without preparation.
The subsequent scene shows how inAammabIc are
shil The smonidering embers OF the revolutions:
I nv. \. .gmcr.
| CHAMBER OF DrpuTIrs-Gru JuNr.
petitioner aeks the repeal OF the law authorizing
much interest appears to be excited in the Assembly
motion being made to pass this petition and proceed
| 10 the order of tile day
Gen. Lafayette speak; the most entire silence
reigned in Tie hall, and many members came i'm from
the committee rooms.
Gentienen, said the orator, am opposed 10 passing
10 the order oil Ire day. and although has been
times said from this place. Tint il il ubecomng speak
Ill OF laws of which the modification is nevertheless de-
manded; think myself the rather authorized 10 give
reasons Tor my opinion as 10 this double vote by the TACT
that IN order TO carry The law establishing it, il was
found necessary, no; only the then existing
law OF elections but tho Charter itse which makes
40 distinction among electors Ii. gentlemen, my OPT
mon were asked, il would be that all who paw taxes
ought, by themselves their representatives. to have
voice in the imposition Of public charges; and that the
only exception 20 dis rule should be, when there
NANTES, and clear Of independence, or under
standing But here in The circle traced by the
Charter; and already, of hundred Brenchnen Of
competent age, ninety excluded from the right of
voting Moreover, the House OF Deputies. Of which
lone the members elective, only third OF the
iet,iSihtlVo powera remark make, in order tran
quze The last speaker who to fear the breaking
loih oi popular feelings against the higher ranks. BY
the Charter, the right of voting has been attached to
the paymen, OF three hundred francs direct taxes; and
il does not lawful 10 violate this regulation
by giving the privilege Of double 10 the fourth
part The voters, who pay the highest rate of axek
Let US recall, Gentlemen, what passed in this very Hall
not long ago. One OF your Committees had reported
iavorably on the proposition 10 lower tie age of eli sibi
" TO this iioue that is, 10 do what the author OF the
Charter did, when at the second restoration ne wished
Yet
Itentemcn, such your ardent and scrupulous at
tachmen 10 the Charter That beheld nearly he whole
OF my colleagues rising with caFnestness in support Of
the order OF the days thereby declaring, that those es
sential qualities of legislator Intelligence and energy
were only to be found st aye of al 5S years
yer hen The question was az TO restoring many citi,
zSns 10 the exercise Of natural and emily an
mrresciipble right; while on the question Of the dou
Ole vote the result was TO yi,iatc and frauduien.ly
impair the exercise oil right duly acquired. openly en-
joyed, and soemny recognized by the Charter
How was this anomaly Of the double introduced
ara by what arguments! You know gentlemen, that
deporSbc catastrophe had united all parties: the sem
tinient 81 a coiHmon grief, when il entered into tile
minds Of certain people ibis fortune ills isola,
ed crime, 10 the profit Of arocracy and the spiri, OF
domina.ion. would refer to the ntreues the vic.
lence and to the expression OF the honorable
who preceded me, tho scandal or that sah legislative
pooh, it he had not himself referred It'll will
not inquire BOW u was that the proposition OF tue don.
bic voteobtained majority Of soae few votes. will
only refer TO OF the arguments which may be sun
posed TO have weight viii, the House, since they have
recently been repeated here. We must. IL is said
40 10 the assistance OF large property-tha, ia TO
say, 10 the assistance OF those who are alreadv the
strongest because IL is most interested in sound leGs-
Idlon In the fret place gentlemen deny the fact
1t Is, on the contrary IN the inverse proportion en-
tent that property has interest ia goo! government
Undoubtedly the owner of one hundred thousand franc
oil revenue, when reduced 10 fifty thousand francs ia
lors object Of consideration than he who is reduced
irom thousand francs to Eve hundred anil stu less
thanthe yet smaller propistors ghom unwse lave may
reduce TO The condition OF mere dependents. cay no.
thing neitheir here OF The property Of our persons
though there is no one, imagine, humble a not to
value that at something sHove zero daughter Bn,
how is this made question of property when already
TO be deputy one must pay thousand francs and
to he an eec:r five hundred francs of direct taxes-a
sum beyond the mean OF property in France? I,is IN
behalf OF privilege, that ths privilege is created
IL is for the benefit Of certain opinnns of party pnd
perhaps with ulierior Yewsso much So that we NAV
perceive leaning, and if may so eSrress rnvself an
odour oil this double vote Qaughe in all that has since
been proposed; and especially in the two laws concern
ing the departmental and municipal councils which
were Withdrawn the moment The amendments of your
committee created an apprehension tina, these would
render them less conformablo the spirit O. The doull.
vote. applause on the left) There was much ella.
NOR them now, and perceive these cIarnors have
made mpres on the last spoake there much
camor then about democracy, republican notions and
the sovereignty Of the people. Ar gentlemen believe
on these subjects the Of n colleague whom
the habits OF more than half century, md his personal
opinion. have much fanlsrzed with ibis train OF ilin
ng and these theores-tbere is word of all that
IN The charter nor III any thing that has been proposed
under its auspices. Il il not rather be surtnjseh that
ihe enemies Of all liberty had cherished hopes that the
majority Of the hundred thousand chief
OF France would become Indifferent to that liberty and
TO the institutions which guaranty ii; but that on dis.
covering their error, and before the third series of de.
putes were elected. they seized the first peext 10
find in the one fourth most highly taxed what The
could not obtain from the whole body of tho electors
Ferv markell sensation) An opinion has been ypres,
ed Which, II did not misunderstood him tlc las, spea.
ker has reiterated The Charter said has indeed
designated those who cannot be electors; but those
whose capnbiiiiy IL has admitted may become what thew
please, what others may please and the Charter has no
Thing TO do with It, This would, indeed, gentlemen be
fine part Tor the Charter 10 play in our electoral sys
tem-an instrument OF prescription for those whom il
excludes II IL not 10 DO an OF protection for those
whom 1t admits Gentlemen, IT ls already great sten
Tor Constitution, resulting from the deliberations nj
The whole nation,-or for Charter, sprung from the
royal Wilt is already repeat great step TO re.
strain within certain limits the exercise Of natural
and social rights but when these limits have once
I been established, Is IL possible Tint any authorities
owing their existence 10 such Consultation or Char
ter, may az their pleasure still further restrict those
limits, establish for example among the electors cate
gories, grades of elections, ard privileges? That would
indeed be, 10 use expression OF The honorable mem
Der who preceded me, overthrow oil social order
That would, indeed be following what might DO called
SenscfesS Meoricsan expression, Of which the Minis
Ter OF the Interior good enough 10 give us bis la
tcrpTeta,on in applying 10 the Constituent A.semlv
hat Is 10 say, gentlemen, to those theories which PRO
claimed many truths established so many rights
abolished many preiudces, abuses anil birbdrsns:
n those theories OF which the remnant after surviving
the three great vicseiiudes Of acobiDsm, The omoro.
and the restoration, yet prevail and render indispenss
al tc IN