Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-04-11
GEN. BLACKBIIRN,S REPLY


Had n Voter from Bath and his associates consul
ted me personally before they announced my naure
tho public, or asked private exposition of my vcyes
Un the important questions contained IN his note "
the tn instant, from Warm Springs, it. would per-
haps have saved expenditure of feeling; at least
should not have been before the public without nv
own appreciation previously obtained and this open
avowal OF my opinions might have been unneccSsa-
ry; but rs things now stand, esteem 1t my-iutv and
that of every man who suffers his name e. be identi-
ned with public measures, especially those OF grave
and solemn import, TO give most unequivocal assn
RANGES OF my opiuions on the questions proposed
list. AS to the extcntion OF the right OF suffrage.
For the last % or 80 years ofIny life have never
doubted the necessity, cXpcdcncy and Justice ofex
tcntng It to all ifeeborn white male citizens Of Vir.
ginla over ~ years OF age, not dlsgraccd by crime
or disqualified hy imbecIlty OF intellect, having res
Idence evidenced BY the payment Of tax the pre-.
cedng year, andto all others bcln, citizens Of the
United States, vino by residence, the payment ofax-
es aforesaid, ntermsrFiage with citizen. or the
performance of Militia DUTY. have givc,l evidence OF
permanent attachment the country aud of obcdi-
ence to her laws--w!icnover public opinion and the
wish ot majority uncGulvcCaly expressed should
give birth TO cusuiry. On this question, in the vca-
1899, al the Hastings IN Bath, public address 10
my constituents gave them n solemn pledge flor
some Jar mistaken at that early period Ne 10
suppose that power within reach of ordinary lCriS-
lation that, If thereafter that question should ever
cnme legally before me, they might cncuac on my
humble s;Ippolt that r>rod has arrived and
That pledge, t elected feel myself solrmnlv hound
10 redeem. have not forcottcu-I never can forget
tDat my name, perhaps Gci0rs could legally have
heeu done, was enrolled among the defenders o. this
country, md of this CONSTITUTIONS the MAMMAL ofthc
youth %. that day. whose fathers taught them TO read
and l. next the oraces oinspiraton nor shall
/ sooner forget the feengs-nay more the indg-
nation ~ tue glazing injustice done to myself and
others, non-irccholdcrs, at an Election IN Rock
bridge, III the Spring of 1891, memorable era i'm
the revolutionary struggle, and iong to be rernem-
bcred by the people OF this District.
there saw mrny Of my friends and equals who,
but fw weeks before had been thought by ther
country, ari fcllIw citizens, worthy hazard all in
her and te7r dcirncc-worihv % suffer cvcrv priva-
tion-wor'hy 10 bleed and die if me- ssarv (which
was tho lot of 'lanv-passiDg an! repaSsinc through
the crowd, apparently cool and disin;ercst'd sneca
tors of very animated contest for political power
certainly without the weight Of feather in ihe
enactment of laws said to be made for the protection
Of their rights, that blood and those lives.
Nll'c on this subject, permit me to remark. with
some regret, that the legislature framing the bill
organizing the-convention have confined the electors
10 freehold suffrage; TO me, that here
itany where Is 10 be found the meaning Of the much
abused names liberty and equality and that the egis-
laturc mi t nave recognized it-Inuannr lin soc.etv
the liberty of doing whatever be done without in
ury 10 ohcrs-and equality in law; what is janta-
mount equality IL right. Had this feature been en-
grated the bill, it would have sugured favougd-
bly, TO the rights OF non frcehoders, AMI would have
presented TO the convention in characters too egibe
be misunderstood the sentiments ofthrt honorable
body on this interesting question, would
most desirable results
2nd. As to the basis Oh which our future represen-
iaton in the General Assembly is % be scaled or ap.
poroned have as little hesitation IN decari1r nv
decided and perhaps unatcrable opinion that the free
white population Is the only equal and Just standard
by which it be scaled Will our eastern brethren
take into estimate large stcc's Of horses and
mules, our AOckS and herds, III We: the cattle that
range and browse more thsnten thousand hills
to the west and give them their proper weight in this
question? When they do, claim for representation
Tor any portion OF their slaves will come with better
grace. True they are human beings, and who are
our non fTeeholdng brethren: The members Of our
families, neghbors, sons, the husbands of our
daughters, very bone Of our bone, and flesh Of our
hcsh-are they less than human bcngs?-II make
no comparisons) yet they have no representations
but it is equally true, they property, even person
al property, frequently attached aud passing with
the freehold, and too Frequently, am sorry to say it.
treated beasts of burden-BUt forbcar, YOU ask
I'd my opinions, not my reasons for them.
Having thus explicitly answered your specific on
uIirics, permit 10 add n few remarks on passing
occurrences, going still further 10 dovelopc my
yiews-I have discovered 10 ofour public prints
attempt To ctose the doors, and strike from the rolls
nfhonour certain descriptions of men in the conrnu
uity-e. g. the judiciary. Can this course be cor
icctin an undertaking Which involves tie interest
Of every individual in the State, to Jttck 59V any
set Of men in the community, by mark more
iutOler1be than that imposed upon the fratricide
Cain Of old? But what Is TO be Thought oftie pocy
Of measure, excluding FROM the cOunsels OF the
nation ut THE al important crisis, the mass ofintc-
gcnce, patriotism and virtue recognized by oil who
Know trnu ,I 10 Judiciary Of Vrgiua2--Yor VIII
rot consider the apOlogist eulogst Of the Iu-
diciary-it needs neither. Ny remarks (muta.Is ma
taudis) m king proper diecrhqiaotiong will apply o.
very class description Of people in the common.
wealth aud | Do most religiously believe, that 10
snch u'iD-! oi roy description of pcn. vii be- |
able to make s way into that Venerable body as ~
give just grounds afaPprehcuio o. any other class
Whatever may be iiulr WishC..
certainly ava o- NO halfway measures; ibo pccplo
f1'c called TO- rc."rmct it he complete and extend
% every department o. Tie government capable of IT,
''t Tie aog'an siobcs 81 each department be swert
ana c.apsc1 trDI an impurities without regard 10 tn.
tiui, Manner, SO cunse of their accumulation. d., OH
eNcrcsceBces be- topped OF, Thy rtj ..u3ut fsfiuu
th' body polite no JOSS than ..Ic LalllaI boG..
Let the responsibility OF or JUDGES lc increased,
without inYaling tioil ndap udsncc. Examples vet
81 thc fif'oe O.! aucccssiut experiment, a'.rI the
lapse o. thtI ytars, are no. "dnuc1n Some o. our
SISTER states IS 90 tie county COURTS ID ~. pos.