Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-01-16

ding to the work of establishing freer rovcrnmcnts
than they had been accustomed to- of the states
souu retain some OF the features OF that aristocracy,
which they snd their ancestors had been SO long ac
customcd To view with appropriations and, ACCORDINGLY
some aristocrotica features were introduced into the
Constitutions of some ofthc States
propose tn review thoS, features i'm p,rh and %
trace the course of public opinion i'm relation TO tho
topics thus presented, from the period of the Rcvon
ton To the present time, and, thereby ccctually ca
tabsh the position, that the friends OF the Bill under
consideration are vanly struggling against that ire
sstiblc tide in the opinions of their counirvmon
which Mr. Jefferson is reported TO have said at tho
time oil aumi,tng ONO into the Union, would shortly
renuS each iree man IN these States equal, in all po-
lltlcd respects, to each of his fellow citizens.
In Virginia, solid we'll defined and local aristocra
cy already existed, and the new Commonwealth took
tue most early and decisive steps to preserve il and
perpctu'te It's authority Under the regal govern
mont 1t was the policy of rulers strengthen their
hands, not only by subdivisions of counties around
the Seat OF Government, but by rctaring the crot
OF tile western settlements. The proclamation of
Governor Dinwiddie of 1863 is an evidence of This
polc". The charter oiVirTnia extended to the wcs-
tern occan. ycttls proclamation forbade SETH n,cu.s
on the western waters, the issuing of grants for
lands there 1t even announced the intention of his
Majesty TO disnenbcr the old Colony by the establish
ncnt oi new governments III the western part OF fit
IhS would forever, rs It was supposed preserve the
balance OF power on tide water. That the recall III
tcto III TINS respect, was rtancd and ntrccd by
the commonwealth will now be shewn. West of the
AHcghany there existed two great sub divisions of
country III the actual occupation and under IN, nov
crnmcnt OF irglnIa West Augusta and the county &C
ohlgcny The latter was sct. d under our author
tv, IN part, before the peace of 1903 and It's C,r,rcs.
Font Duquesnc, Pittsburc was delivered ir.o
our hands and garrsoncd by our troops. This conn
Try, now composing ncurly one half of western Penn
syNania was recognized by all as part of VIRGINIA
but the charter of Penn covered nearly tho whole.
and was supposcdto cover the whole oft. The char
ter of Penn was about - years younger than ours.
yet the convention Of July l775 had already so far
determined or the diSmcmbermcut ofthe west as the
King had GCrniined before them, / SUPPOSE for In,
same reasons, that they gave to old Yoigcnv no ron
resentaion in that very convention. which in the
year following, made the Constitution under which we
i've. They gave representation to West Augusta
which was not organized county: but 10 The ot bar
they gave In the convention there, ,ssuo dol
cg1tc 90 claim protection for that beautiful country
1t was to be cut otsacriiced TO political considcra
tons and accordingly its separation sealed by he
following clause in the consttuton--to Wit ..Y'bo
territories contained within the charters creating tho
colonies of Maryland, PENNSYLVANIA North and South
Carolina, are hereby Ceded released and forever
confirmed to the people of those colonies respective
", &c. &c. All that any colony caiIncd from, fin,
oldest charter was given away. IN the convention
OF l77G, which provided carly for the dis,nenLcr
ment OF the West, it IS both amusing and ilstrucnr
TO observe the used Tor securing the ascend n,
Cy OF the tide water country The ordnance of thor
election had said that each county should have two
mcmbcrsyet see commencement OF journal of 77GN
they permitted Wcstmorcland to have three icIar
zee. Richard Henry Lee, and John 4 washington;
York had also three, Dodlev Dirpcs Thomas Ncisnr
and William Dgges; Jamestown and other cornoTa,
tons. including the College had member each: and
whe.' member was absent they permitted him TO
serve by deputy. Thus, Thomas Jefferson was rem
resented by Georpc Gilmcr--ard in = cony which T
have seen, the Rev. Hugh Blair is stated as the fcD-
uty OF George Wythc for the College. The con-
yention thus constituted, did retain IN the fullest
vgor the ancient aristuracy Of the colony lust as they
found it, and left no means in their power unc,-i,,
al H.. ifttti,, al
gaze the charter Of Pennsylvania prefercnc,, over
ours, and Wien tie western bouudarvj OF That .tc
was run, 1t yet left TO Virginia organised county
which retained IL NAME Iohireny and by an nct "
ground that 1t was too small to exist as u separate
county; AMI this a time when it cuuacd IN TERRITORY
and population Elizabeth City and three adjoining
Counties The whole western territory ,,ai nr.'i
given away, and Kentucky was soon alter nra1e an
independent State.
As might have ben expected, less rrthc clements
OF arlsocracy viii be found in the constitutions ote
other states than in VIRGINIA The u 1tcs or C,onnn
ticut ana Rhode Island lived under the pure drrno
craccs created by their charters It NAV DC said
generally, that with the exception Of Virginia tic
old thirteen colonies adopted their constitutions On The
principles of perfect equality of iht in all persons
and otpocal P5wer, pTirIcScs and capacities in ali
free white male citizens twcny-onc wears oil are
liable to the payment of taxes and to the pcrorInals
OF military duty, unless under military suborlinaion
or other durancc and not rendered infamous bv
tic exceptions TO THIS general outline as accurately
a5 can, from recollection, state thcm:-In Massa-
chusctts. property qualification is required Of the
voter, Of freehold estate Of three pounds annual
value, or sixty pounds in personal csate, End the
senatorial districts to be laid ofuccordng 10 the taxes
assessed. In New Hampshire, tho senatorial districts
arc l1ld oil ~ The same manner and he Senator must
be a ffechol1er worth Zoo. The suffrage is uni
yorsa, and so is that in Massachusetts, by their late
amendments. in New York, the Senate was for
mery the representative Of property 10 a ccriaiu
d'grcc. The constitution ofthat state removes
that distinction altogether, and ;hc suiTiego il made
universal. In New Jersey, n Senator must possess
freehold worth EiO00--a Representative freehold
worth 900; aud the voter one worth zoo. procona.
ton money. ] 30 not know the value, hit ! have
th9s" qualifications practically amount 10
nothing. In Delaware, and in Maryland the Repre-
sentative must be tho same. fic voter must have
$50 in chattels, which, by subsequent amendments,
has boon reduced TO nothing. In NJ Carolina the
Senate, and the electors Of Senators, must bo free
holders. in $. Carolina, members and voters are
qualified By tho mere possession Of taxable property