Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-02-16


Is there any man who viii contorI thnt the cbu,.
nniiy, spoken o IN tac l.ill OF Rights Is the free
hohierss IL there any ~ DC found, nr iuhsncnt
~ weak - contend that the ri,rht of n r,, u,a,
10 participate IA the ~. ol'tion o.. his governments
either depends, ought in the nature oil ,h;n,s 10
dcpcnd, upon ms possessing twci viivc acrcs land?
We contend thar the principles declared in the Bill
Of Rights arc derived from the laws of nature the
hcncvoieee OF Providence. and the rcerul right and
fitness ot things, and as such are OF universal TRUTH
aud applicable alike To all poople and all times But
TINS Theory supposcs them to be- modified or limited by
the municipal regulations of particular community
ana conducts us to the ahSuIditv, that the community
whom 1t - affirmed possess the ril-ht of changing
Their govcr1lu ent means thing IN ore place and
another thing III another piIce. This inconsistency
- the necessary cpiiscdfoEcc o. adopting the idea,
tnat Inc treehodcrs are the community; and the
suppoSioD Is unfavOrahlc to human liberty by xciG-
ding numerous class tom the irimuniii,s o;' free
mon, ana Ii besides variant FROM the practiccb al the
States of the ConicdcraCy who in RECURRING TO first
principles have IN every admitted TO paricipa-
ton the whole body o free citizens we must rricct
a. arisOcraiic aud crroneous.
Notwithstanding the irrcsisthl, strength of tn,
conclusion that the community is the whole free peo-
PIE oi the Commonwealth, and not rich and favor
Cd feW the BIZ 20 organize Convention proceeds
upon the contrary SUPP ostion ndrecornZcs the freq
holders alone, as composing that community From
which 1t follows that either the authors ct the Bill! of
kGhs are IN error, when they assert the right OF
the community ~ change their Government, or that
the Gcnera Assembly in undertaking to confinc and
limit this right 20 select class. have committed
giarng usuipaton upon the rights OF the great mass
otthe people How this dilemma Will be dctcrmlin-
Cd by the people OF Virginia and bv the worlI We,
feel not aInoincnts doubt
IL has becn enormously imagined and is argued by
many, who oCncur in the wish that the non-ce,a-
ders shall be admitted to tine rights of men, that this
cannot be done su by the -, Crvention of a Cnnven
ton, and that II is nncOmpci cnt for them to exercise
the right uni; liberated by the provisions of a now
constitution. We ctunot yield orr assent TO the
'ru'h OF ms view OF the case l. IS L characteristic
C our state Constitution that whatever is mt mol
ted by A. may lawtSlly he done by the peopje ac,nn
through their ordinary Legislature; and as the Com
stltuion dcprNcS the non-irCchUlers oil suiia.sr uv
IN The election III members to the General Assembly
ana Ca Congress. Il results that not hejn,, f,rpjdI,
they cnticl TO il in al other ina ninable cYscs-
EvCn had tho Constitution denied To NON treioiers
thc right otIaIug part il charge efthc fundamental
law III the country, the provision would hnye been
ypd d,u-1;0ry but IL makes no such d,ii and
Oh rnc CONTRARY, asserts the opposite prncinc will
1t pc contcnd"d that the ordinary Legislature has
the right tn diSrenchiSe moro than half OF the free
men 81 the ColGmonwcath; II the Legislature can
90 Whatever is not BrpaiLttSH bv the constitution
VAL 1t b, pretended that the Peopie do not p,sse
the same rghi' And as the constitution no where
prohibits the non irccholders from voting for meirbers
.. e"nYon;ioa Nj; it be said tls, the People less soy
errign than the Legislature, cannot do. VIVA, the
Legislature daily does:
cwing the question in every light in which it IS
reseDtcd 10 our understandings, we arrive sill al
nc saline conclusion that the non-freeholdcrs of this
comrnHnwehh, have perfect and indistructible
F'gH TO tax" part ~ thc c!Hrs - Of Governments to
vote Tor members Of i.e COW ,nton and to be re-
prosecuted in il.
Restrict 0ccts, >Uc ouhio, - the ,.,i,e,,, If ,,l
mere aS>rnhich tt the IeG holders possess tin. igi and
=, s-iUu. ~ >0'
ROlrs tat the approaching election for member, If
co'en' on we will IN peaceful and orderly manner attend the
p' and solc:' ne officers Of government our votes
- 'c Citizens Of tie Commonwealth, entitled 20 ~, cca orc
10 HE Change Of suycguincrt. l
'Nrsf thar the cGHiuct;n. the elections refuse
having IN the first pine; appointed and procured th, oafro
9n c to o. more citizens keep The said Joly receive or
vol and tI1Hsin, them t c5l~c;iou which oiv
W " contend g: tic rh their benz allowed equal oirl
10 G,cinnig elections. with the votes OF ilccho!cis
ht"'1, that the non ircchnicTs Throughout the stale be
II S'Siiuy lnri'ciio Cooperate n this purpose.
"f'e'rsf u common and custom pose limf;a ION
upon he right Of rtrase, and dat will coinenance its en-
7Iil no ;afihe ian To c r- ~ wh) Il ycaIs Of
age and tave r"s'ca ~ lo1st - months in Virginia
He'r| that hG act of assembly organize n cnrycn:on
a., ri', 2 suffrage r. ecloll'rs only, violates nnnua
hh p"aipl" tha'l 0riv ~ the community has ri,t ~
% ~ - .'sl 'l .i''.n, eD' eminent make nvI!i
qra,rSii5, and is uucJnstit ' ID and imperative.
H;o''ef uai te:" procc ',s %" signed y ;he Chairman
and SECRETARY ari ptiici IA the yapcrs Of Tie city.
When the reading of the foregoing preamble and
resolutions Lad been tiu.: d BY The Secretary Mr.
Mayo moved IN Difference to the majority ofthc COM
uitcc, that select committee be appointed to- &C.
port to adjourned iaac:iu- on Wednesday oycnipo
next; ~ the sumo tmc cNn~esairr bis own sasfac-
ton with the preamble aud resolutions reported by
the minority Ui the committee, and hoping that thew
would now be adopted by tic meeting; and this mo-
lion decided III the negative.
The question then having been Dut Oh the abortion
Of the preamble and resolutions, il was carried in the
affirmative by very large majoTity--lud then the
meeting dOusncd
JoIINH. PLEAsANTs, Choirnnn.
lc.IAU 3. AuHorr, Secy.