Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1829-10-29

the nsrsons in whom The Right Of Suffrage is
TO be exercised, are marked out by the Cons,i'
tuion itself. He stated, that suffrage Is the
means, and reprrs .ntation the end
Suffrage. then; ought il to be uniform
throughout the stare, or shall Il be denied in
one portion Of our 'erri'ory to persons dlHsrS
emily situated in another! Your Bill Of Rights
saws. that elections shall Dr. free; we should
add 10 il that they should be uniform No va
ration can be made from this principle with-
out allowing 10 some persons immuni,ies md
privileges denied TO Others. The basis Of The
present Constitution is freehold, bu. there are
.nar,s Of The Commonwea l'h where a diff rent
rule prevails. In the ives, Augusta it is not
the freebooter but lsndholder who is entitled 10
exercise it. In The Borough of Norfolk and
in he city Of Will ,nsnurg, che right is exer-
rised under diff ent circumstances. He stated,
that it was his object to remove these aroma-
li.s-and to make the rule unlform-such was
the object Of his first Resolution.
Suffrage Serg es abiisbed whether uniform
as he proposed, or diverse as now established,
another delicate enquiry presented Itself; how
it Vas to operate among he people themselves!
Will YOU make them all units. or attach 10 zach
different value? His object was sf'er fixing
the oualifi alton, 10 ascertain Wheeler evs--
ry qualified person should stand upon an
equal ioo,ing with every o'her He avowed
his Oh cct 10 be, to establish principles IN re-
gard 10 their ult,rior application. In any
county or district, suppose A to have $50 votes
and b so votes, will you allow A or 10 rep
resen, the county or district. Suppose each
al the $50 votes nave freehold with $50; and
tina, the 50 have bt sides the qualification, 1000
each in addition. IL you go hen by numbers.
A is elected; if by property, B is successful
Adopt numbers then. and y is elected; and il
by the other standard, Of which we have heard
laieiv, is elected
G. ntlem.n say, that This proposition does
no! be ar upun the quesion before The House.
He begged 10 be excused, for saying this was
the very ques ion in,olved. Nav not some
gentleman say, ,ha: government is insti u,ed 10
preserve property; that there is an inlermna-
BILE conles, between wealth and Persons-tha'
If YOU give undue ascendancy TO Eumbers. they
would exercise rapine over he few. Would
they not tell you, 'ha, no guarantee, could be
offered, 10 save property, hut BY placing the
government in the hands OF the Few, who had
property But, the question before Us Is set
lied bv the spiri, OF This naiion-by all our
fee Institutions; and the equality and Juslce on
which they are founded Wha, then does This
resolution ask !. Nothing 81, what is already
sanctioned by our practical institutions
all that is wanting Is 10 announce IL in the
Constitution. The pr, sen, Constitution seems
To admit this equsli,y Of rights. He read the
| clause (Which pro, ides thai toe right OF vo'ng
shall remain as heretofore e1"rcised.) Ii
the presen, Cons tuition does settle 1t, there
IAN he no objection 10 sanction il; il it does not,
why should We no, SETTLE l..
The other resolutions relae to The right OF
Representations that's, tbr effect OF tn. riShi
of fran hise when cxe,ted They are bul CO.
rolarirs from ,he preceding resolutions that
like numb RS shall coufer like power OF repre-
senta,ion, without r. gard o properly In the as-
gregate amounr. Representation is the IF ct
,f numerous SURFACES. If all suf ages be
cQual, does il not follow that the aggregation
of equal numbers ought TO produce an equal
amount? Mr.. +. said, he had hitherto stated
the case Of only one county. But does il mol
apply 10 every coun'y! Locality cannot alter
right. Ii wealth annot confer the right Of re
presen, alton IN Norfolk, whv should il apply 10
the county of Brook? If then the diff u,y
does no, arise as brtween diff rent counties,
ough, i, to arise among he different dis rIc s.
But i, is 'here thai diff uliy does arise. II
we5Ih is 4oi to regulate ,he votes in one conn-
ty, shall u prevail IN organizing the districts
themselves? For thu gold and slaves of one
district, mus, you call for a greater number of
people in ano, her distr'c,? rha, $50 men in
one district with large possessions, STALL equal
izr 900 poorer nen in aDoiner district! And
is The evil less, because it IS disguised? II il
De contrary TO the principles Of our republican
institutions 10 establish this unjust rule in favor
al wealth, to Establish il in tie counties, will II
be- u>t in applying i, 10 disfricfsS He CON
sdpred il nothing more than an 0ligarch al
principle, to give The minority OF wealthy men
an ascendancy over the majority Of The people
thus extending dis riots, masses, what you
refuse 10 do for the clemens, The countless
The very fact that YOU apply i, 10 masses gives
it more d 'ngerous eff c.. grain Of gun
powder may explode in iady's boudoir wi,h-
out agitating her plume -bu, collect il in mass
es, and its explosion will cause towers to Top
pie and castles to fall.
He commended tina, such principle corrupt
ed and I'M ured the persons themselves for
whose benefit i, was supposed TO be exercised.
II will firs' produce faction, next the employ