Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-03-20

sir which have been enabled TO take of his subject
cannot agree To vote for the first amendment ofthc
gentleman from Orange l know NV constituents
TO be free men, and Icannot BY NV vote, aid in de-
grading them below the level of any other men,
Ose word more this subject: those gentlemen who
have heretofore been opposed TO convention, now
say they are willing to aid i'm organizing convention
because majority have voted in favour of convcn-
ton let me therefore earnestly invite those gentle
men, who, SO highly respect Me ell ofthe mgjoriiy
vote for bill that will enable that majority To be
fully heard in the expression Of their soiU and &c
contend for BILL the provisions of which will
| bic minority to rule the majority.
Mr.. Speaker it affords me grca, pleasure to state
that the second amendment OF the gentleman froIr
Orange, comedies with my own views, and that il
will receive my most cordial appreciation. had my
self prepared similar amendment in principle,
did not however, require more than the residence
one year. chcerfully, However, yielded to my frcnt
from Orange, who had famed the amendment now
in your hand. Mr. Speaker. I am perfectly awar,
that gentlemen will start constitutional scrres in re.
lat OH to this question: confess that feel none an:
hope to prove that no constitutional objection does
exist. would ask gentlemen, what has the cons;i
tuition to do with the whole subject now under con
sdcration' No such thing as Il convention was con
tempated by the constitutions therefore no p, ovisior
was made III the constitution to the qIaiifcatio,
| of electors OF the members OF convention. The,
made provision as TO the qualification of cleo
tors for members Of the General Assembly which
admit we cannot by any enactment changc.-
ana whenever gentlemen can shew me similar pro
! NisioH as IL 10 the election oil members of
convention, then sir viii yicld my opinion. The
truth is, sir, there Is provision in the constitution
that looks at all To the call of conventions there
fore no provision made for it. But Mr.. Speaker
the Bill OF Rights declares that II" q mgori'y If til.
community hath an iHdubi;bie, u,GiicHaLle and indie
feasible right IN rter, reform abolish their govern
mcnt" Now if this principle DC correct the non.
freehollcrs being part of the community have Z
right to aid III this alteration REFORM VIII gen
tlemcn tell me thai the word community means q
community of freehodcrs and not a conmuni
| ty OF ireemen' Surely not.-But Mr. Spcal
or, gentlemen 10 suppose TINT the bill in
your hands, if passed, will be law. Sir we cannot
pass law To make the people change their govern
mcnt it will BE- partly law, viz so far as requires
the sherIffs and other officers open poll-books and
receive the votes If they rendered BY the people;
we have the same right TO require the Officers of the
present government tn do this, that we have TO re
quirc them to do any other net. But far as il re-
iates to the people voting, impose no penalty
on them for failure rctusll that is in la moth
ing more than recommendations and if the people
under IT, they will thereby make il their own act
| by adoption, they made the present constitution
their act by carrying its provisions into effect The
act oil this subject passed at the last session was no
law farther than 1t required the officers open poll-
books, NC. But the people having acted under it.
adopted 1t as their act, bat far as it required
them to vote, it was nothing than a recolnmen-
dation Now sir, If we authorize the sheriGs to re-
ccve the Votes of the frecholdrs and If the peo-
pie act under the recommendation to elect members
'cW that thcy sanction our recommendation, but the
very gentlemen whu urge this objection ara decided
! iy opposed to county representation. Now should
like for those gentlemen to shcw the constitu-
tIonal provision, that authorizes them % chanra
the election precincts from counties 10 districts
/ ~~>--i.-c- .lair
exclude Counties from feprtSl,ratiun.e '' II
tue constitution has any thing 10 do with iiis natter
then there should be two rol each county nay W.
would have to elect twenty -four reyisors of the most
numerous branch Of the convention, twenty. four
called by some other name, 10 supply The place OF
the senators. Surely, Mr. Speaker. gentlemen nlpst
see hat the constitution has nothing at ali to do VIII,
this matter. Having thus ondeavorcd to show that
we have right to direct the shcris receive and
record the votes of the non frceholders, will now
assign the reasons why think il ought to be done
Mr.. Speaker, will asl; this plain d9estion: from
what does derive lis right 10 be ree3-
Docs he derive 1t from casual or accidental crcum-
stances-Or is 1t the gilt of that superior being by
whose bounty Inc is authorized 10 breaihe and mare
and have his be7g1 Sir, God made nun to be free
he was formed after his own irnage;-to him was
given dominion over all earthly things but man-bt
no dominion was given TO him Does liber-
ty consist III the acquisition OF little propertv n
Thing that may be acquired by fraud accident or dis
honesty? If 1t does, then by losing this property no
odds how from causes that are accidental, such as
dr.. ructlOn by fire; from that are vicious as
by rObbcry from causes that are fraululcnt such as
sVndling; from that are indscreci as by i'm
providcn dealing trading; together with all the in
Vulnerable variety OF ways that may bring an honest
man to poverty, heu sir, gentlemen must admit that
liberty is held o. all those frail cnurcs that NAV be
lost by fraud accident force or ndiscretinn but tho
Dill o! rights 10 which have often referred in this
debate SAYS that these rights are uualiciIablc.
The sixth Section Of the bit NJ rights declares, 'al nssn
having suinc cni Evidence Of conn'on psrnencn will
sd attachment ;ar community have tie Of sTars-
and cannot DC mEe dcpi,r of 'r prop.v for pu5i,
tc, withon, tucr consent, t hrr Representatives
'A0r Gy1d JyIay Lt Ia rhi- hcy not Ike yrup
GsscHej, far me y"br Rsod Now si g not M the daiIy
habit Of compelling TIC non cchJd5r Obey laws, tlo
TAX item w.t1 county leyies, po9r rates. 81 ticrt'
taking "tlcr oprY lor public wit0n tcr co,,sod 81
tat of their repnsrntatvCs Do not father connie
them TO attend Witnesses Irur,, do we o
lcgsate in relation 10 their lives and lcy; and something's
dcprNc ucn OF 10th by judicial decisions, do nor 70
farther, AMI compel tm 20 labor Oh c publ IoaG, wfelhc
they interested NO. AM, % poses. uo,s,f
gDlug stl fdc 81 compelling diem 10 tic whole labor MI
TIC publ highway? As cSCu tic owner two lvcl
FROM abourng the roads, might, ~ the way
exempt the heciodcrs from dong any labor road
which wheh made would have tendency cntanco tic
value lands and IN which the freebooter would
probably hay no interest," aud compel tine cehoIeT vino
has interest IN the road, 10 make IL for him that
interest ~ ~ Sir, IS not justice 20 the nOB-cehnlden he
made to cy laws ~ the enactment OF which c has vocc
- a. =