Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1829-12-03

sIavc-OwncrS; NJ FTOptFTy
generally diuscd there, than in the east-there were
more small slave .holcrs-aad that the of one
slave safe depository of power the owner oil
lOOO-inasnuch the tax ON that one would h one
rous to him. the 1000 oul he their
Grand would make him visilant to guard aud pro-
toc that right This argument then, from side OF
the question wholly rcpuliated, anl il rcincm-
Der rightly, by the gentleman from CheSterield-yet
yesterday he used that Identical argument TO
prove that Col Aliens poor neighbour owning but one
rlavc safe political partner for the Coloncl, a.
though he owned 1910 slaves, an assigned the very
identical reasons heretofore assigned by the friends OF
the white basis But other discrepancies exist in the
arguments which could have escaped the attention
Of this committee. They complain that, by extending
suffrage Won augment the power of the ricl-a sngu-
lar complaint coming from the friends of restrict
ed suffrage, anl most generally if not always, used by
the rich themselves They that tenants not 20
be trusted because they will vote for their landlords,
they dircchc poor will vote for the rieh they
direct yet these very gentlemen claim power in
representation Tor the protection OF the property of the
rich. They Disguise the effect of the claim by telling
they claim il for individuals, counties but
sections of country and that the effect of it
crbe power to the poor in right of their vicinity TO
wealth, for its potectionin other words, give them
all equal portion OF this surplus power the
OF wealth, in trust for the benefit OF their rich
neighbours. IL this be so, why should the gentleman
from Chesterfield and his associates, fear the subserv
ency OF the tenant To the landlord of the poor the
rich'-i they hold power for the benefit of the landlord
AMI the rich, they must either yield 10 the views Of those
persons, set up for thcmscvcs-if they set mp for
themselves AMI disregard the wishes of the property
holders they would prove unaithul trustees, and the
object oil property representation would be deeacd-if,
on the contrary. they should subserviont, then
only could the object OF protection he accomplished by
the means of property reprcscnation-and the gentle
should, therefore, not complain of this effect of
universal or extended suffrage. But again: the gentle
man, on yesterday objected tenants being voters, be-
cause, said he the landlord held them by their very
-strngscould distrain upon them sell their last
cow, and the cradle which their infants reposcd.
Ii the gcntlcnans argument he good one, l think il
will prove too much. think il will prove that his IA
vourite freehold test is not quite good a one as he
seems TO think, unless there he something in the
ershiP of land that by enchantmcnt magic converts
Trail errns man, into an nfaible and npeccabe being
think all the tests, except those of age and residence
will be iounl too imperfect to act upon moral test
no man would advocate, neither religous-an indie
dendcnce founded the of property is
equally Utopian, equally unjust, and equally faacous;
no man contends that the land is test of patriotism
and even if il WERE should it, therefore, be established
rs the test of suffrage? presume there many
degrees in patriotism there men-and there
degrees in any other virtue Every is more or less
a patriot-if patriotism means love of country a man
that loves not his country, is monster-such
have never yet though such have lived and live
teintamy the page of history, Benedict Arnold
anl very few such. The love of country formed in
the heart of in childhood, in youth, and does not
as seems to be supposed, grow out OF the seove and
seliintercst of mature ycarsit springs from the acc-
ions and the associations of childhood youth be fore
the sorld and selfish of manhood have taken pos
session OF the heart Did the patriotism of Arisdcs of
Marcellus, and of other great that might be men
toned upon the frcchod-werc they patriots i'm
exile, than the ungrateul men that banshed them?
humbly answer
Mr. Chairman. will not the reasons assigned nv the
gentleman from Chesterirld for the exclusion Of -
nant', operate in equal degree 10 exclude his
vort- r"eholders'-will il furnish good reason
io excluding every man that is iadebed, aud for put
ting the government in the hands of the creditor elias.
at the commNnity And il this he the rule of excIu.
sion, how many of the frseholrrs, think YOU will be
exclu 'e venture 10 affirm at least half or 81 h.
lis there not that proportion indeb tcd their neigh.
hours heir merchants, TO TIE banks, &C. by account
by bond AMI by trust deed olherwse-and w ~ not
adebt have the same Influence upon fceholier "a
upon tenant or oher non-ireehrlde,s' Indebtedness
IL IN sub'tance the assigned for excluding the
tnin; and can IL be mater of any importance what
sort II debt IL be, whether il be for any other
deration-whether il he collectabe by distress
warrant by ieri iaci"s whether the era
die he soil by the constable, the sheriff trustee or
marshall whether the person indebted be turned out
o possession by notice. TO quit il en,ut by hu.
oerr /fcHS posseSSioacn', sesnAm il a morrgaged
ireehold'r 1, therefore conclude the gcntemons
rule tried by his own arguments, would include a.
much too msny voters il would exclude, improperly
tried by our arguments. The genteman's argument
has evidently several ssons varied with itself
This has been the faux OF the gentleman's ingenui.
" or abity but The fault oil the principles he advo-
ca'es-his premises wrong-' He has iaboured un.
der cause Too light TO carry him, ard too heavy be
bone by him"
The gentleman from Chester6 III, has said universal
suffrage originated in Cromwell4 army III. has he en-
well answered by the gentleman from Frederick (Nr
Coeke3 Did The gentleman, when he made this as.
srrtIon, forget the pure democracies of anti1uity
where all voted and iegislaed in propyia person1-
he forget those Of more modern date hut still more an
Gent than the age of Cromwell? mean the Swiss
Can'on@. Their suffrage more universal than il
ever was before since: every male the age of Is
years was allowed vote-and take il ,Ipon me
TO say, that no evil there resulted from this
suffrage
The gentleman from Chesterfield, i'm bis argument
IN favor OF property representations warned US against
he white basis, equal representation. He said il would
Inevitably lead to the subver-ion of our free govern
mrnt and 10 despoiism. He cited examples Greece
rome and all the ancient republics, and held up 10 us
me English Government az an example in many re-
spects worthy Of our imitation He yesterday predicted
MAT the same effect must necessarily result from uni
Versa suffrage, but instead If again vouchng the an.
cient republics TO sustain him in this prophecy think
ne said these republics furnished light our guild.
ance, but that England the country we must look
10 Tor Our analoges and for lessons instruction and
experience, II being the only representative govern
mem bearing real sinilituIe ours, in the world
or That ever exsed.-Then all free governments have
Pershed by these formidable foes of liberty: ecuAI
representation and universal sulIrage.-TIow do the
gentlemen account for the iai OF Gespoiisns?-hey too
have persisted. and free governments established on
their ruins Did universal suffrage, and equal repre.
sena,ion, produce these Effects too?-if so thew nav.
done mach good cvi-and deserve mt such ut,er
reprooaon--But the truth is, gentlemen have been
misled, they knew only the historic fact that govern
mshts Tree and despOtic have persisted have sI red
the tate OF every thing moria-have obpycd thai
great 'aw' which sooner, later consgns 10 the tomb
Wdh' anu all the works OF mar; hut the remote and
nihden causes That produced these effects ever have
been, and ever will he, mere matter of specul,,n
ne ancient or the modern republics are surely inca
Plble OF teaching any lessons of instruction. or of fur
nish'ng any heacOns for warningthey are not ca
ses IN poinliheTe Is 10 resemblance between the pure
oeocrar'es ut antiquity, and the representative demo
cfdcies oil the u. States. Here made the frat ~.
pertinent Of tina, form Of government. aud ours are the