Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-10-15

10 the curb, have generously taken the res and ma
tuay enough converted them into beasts OF burthen
Aste tue danger from large manufacturing estab-
hshnehtS IN 'irguia when their disastrous iufu.
enc DC experienced Is it not apparent that sucl
estaois nents must, tor indefinite period, be at
the mercy OF those who sllect to dread thcn ant
may DC shacK!ed or suppressed fear aud fancy ma,
u,C'a'e' Tor how many centuries must the distran
1857, e'.~eis De- content to reimqush their rights
"eoause in some remote age of the world distant
p"Sterty, similarly circumstanccd may be u,werfu
enough, anu base enough w.lhal, TO tranple upon tn,
rights of others, r
put IL Justice is not 10 he expected if sclf.aggrau
uise'neht IS 10 be assumed as the sole ruliru pruci
pie OF men in power, them your m.,norialists con
cei'e' Tue interest of the many deserve ut least
inuch To be guarded those OF the few Concedlns
.ne truth OF The proposition assumed what security
tiey would enquire. is there against the Injustice ~
the ireebolJeTS' How is the assertion made rood
tnat they can pass no law affecting the riis of 9th
CTS without more inluriously affecting their own
hey cannot do this, is said, because they posses
IN common with other citizens al personal rirhtS
and, IN addition, the r-h;s pertaining 10 their pccu
mar property. And II this be satisfactory reason
'hen one !anhol0Cr in each county o.: district wou,
SUN e to elect The representative bodv or the i'm
possibility OF iniurinr others brnp sl,rwn sinp,
landhoder in the Commonwealth u,i,,l, sin MOI,
conveniently exercise the sovereign power But Il
not the proposition obviously fals,s VIVA, is thor,
10 prevent their Imposing upon others undue burikcn
ana comforting on themselves unjust cxcmp,ions,-
Supplying the public cXigencics bv capitation or
'aN exclusively or oppresSvclv operating on he 9th
porunhs OF the community EXacting from The latter
IN common with slaves, inenia services, PLACING
around their own persons aud property more efcicn
guards Providing for their own uurc. speeJ.r r,nn
des: Denying 10 the children OF all other classes nd
niSSi"n to the public semnarics OF learninps In
teIact!"S 10 al Lat their own ordcr' Indccd IN,
power to elect ana the right to be elected arc mos
Intimately II not nseparaby uni;cd-all Offices of ho
horor enloiument, civil or military WHY can the,
not On this, and more! Where is the impossible
~; 1t would be uniust:--admirabe logic! Injustice
can be preCicated only OF non frcehuIiers
sui II Is said, the nUn-ireeholders have no Just
! cause or complaint. \ freehold is easily acquired.
The right OF suffrage, moreover, is not Il natural
nght society may giant, modify or withhold if,
as cHpedicncy may require. Indeed oil apree that
certain regulations are proper those for example re-
iatIng 10 age, sCN, and citizenship At best, il is an
ue contest for abstract right whose loss is attend
Led With no practical evil.
l! freehold be, a. supposed, so easily ACQUIRED
1t would seem highly npOic, 10 say no more TO in
slst on retaining odious regulation calcu lated TO
produce no other effect than 10 excite discontent-
Dut the tact IS not so. The thousands expelled from
the polls too well attest the severity of it, operation
IL is by no inodhs eaey or convenient Tor persons
wnom iCTthne OF inclination have engaged III other
than agricultural pursuits, 10 Withdraw from those
pursuits, or from Tie support of their families the
amount requisite for the purchase of freehold TO
compel them To do this, TO vest that sum in unproduc
tive property. is 10 subject them, over and above the
oEglnal COST the assessments upon it, and the proba-
Die loss by detcroration to annual tox euuiyaent
to the profits they might have derived fren1 thc cr,i
tai thus unprohtabIy expended. What would be
Thought of tax imposed, penalty inflicted, upon
all VOTERS for exercising what should be the unbouGht
privilege OF every citizen? How much more odious
II the law that imposes this tax, rather it may be
sad lncts ms penalty. portion of the com
munlty, probably the larger and least able 10 encoun
ter 1t, and eXempts the other9
The right of suffrage, however, It seems, Is not
natural right. If by natural, IS meant what ia ms,
IN gfNabln hon H.
that those whose purses contribute TO rnoin,nin
whose lives pledged to defend the country should
participate III all the privileges of ci,izensliin Rnt
sny 1t is not natural right. Whence did the free
holders derive IT. How become its exclusive poss,.s
sorS' VIII they arroguntly tell us thew own the
country, because they hold Tic land? Tie rjoit Inv
which they held their land is not itself natural ;L;
ana ny consequence, nothing claimed as incidental 10
rom grant or conquest?-Not from the latter. No
war has ever been wagcd to assert it. If from iLc
former, by whom was it conferred? They cannot
II they would rccur 10 The Royal Inst rticiions a
tnas E1g.'sn monarch OF Infamous memory. who
enloneh upon the Governor of the then COLONY nj
virginia, "to take care that the members of tho
seInbly be elected only Jy the FreetoLYe,.s as hon.
more Agreeable to the custom Of England he mighi
nave added more congenla also with nionarchical in
suutlons If c lonIa regulations nlight proncrL he
looked 70, then the right, not of freeloders merely
Vrt OF /Fecroen, TO vote, may be traced to n more
distant antiquity, and less polluted source But
| oy our ever glorious revolution, the government
whence those regulations crnanated, was annulled
and with it all the political privileges it had confer
red, swept away VIII they rely on the Constitu
tonal provision That was the act of men delnoa;n,
by themselves. They exercised the very rioIt !,
question in appointing the body from whom they bro
fess to derive 1t, and indeed gave that body all tb
power il possessed What is this but to snv Tho,
generously conferred the privilege upon themselves
Perhaps they may rely on length Of time to oresto
! enquiry: We acknowledge act of limitations n
Dr. will how l.,
any title; and, cnging to power, rest on force I'M
last argument OF kings its and its defence
| This were, doubtless, the polite course.
! Let conccdc that the right ofsufFrno or s n soo
right that il must ofneccssty be Required by socie
ty. STU the question recurs is the existing lrnita
taiion proper For obvious reasons, by almost mi
yersal consent, and children aliens and sa
arc excluded II were useless to discuss the proprie
] ~ OF rule that scarcely admits Of diversity a
! opinion. What is concurred in by those who eonst
tute the Society the body polite, must be taken TO b,
right But the exclusion Of these classes for reason
pecnN"ry applicable tn them is no argument for OK
! cludIUp others To N n nF