Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-11-23

observatioes to notice some of the remarks of the
gentleman. The gentleman had opened the question
on the other side, and he felt IL TO DO his duty to
ply. The investigation as To what ought to be the
basis OF suffrage, might well be gone into at this
moment, as ut any other. He then stated that he
had some thoughts on paper, which although drawn ,
out IN reference to other objects, might for his
guide OH this occasion. He believed that, what con-
stltutcs the true basis would modify itself to any
thing these propositions may present. He was not
IN, vhen the gentleman from Loudoun commenced his
remarks, but he believed OF hrs arguments was
that every white person had right to the same pow
or with every other citizen. He inferred from this
that the gentleman assumed, thut every in the
community had right To vote. Here he took brief
vie" OF the rights which II had been assumed, that
man derived from nature, and OF the existence OF
those rights IN an involabc form in society. He
maintained that IN society the only question is what
eNpedlent-what will best promote no public good.
These the only rights which are recognised m the
Bill OF Rights. The Bill of Rights first speaks of
natural rightsthen of rights inalieuable-thc rights
OF suffi age-the rights of life, liberty and property
These are all nahcnablc, and they are described
In the Bill of Rights Inaienable, it follows as
natural consequence, that they regarded in dis
tlnct view from natural rights. 4 great deal had
Dcen SAID about state OF nature and It had been
demonstrated that there never was such u state.
The next state of that which had been I'm.
agincd by poets, was that state which the people
y msevcs performed the functions of government in
their primary asscmblies,-Whcnt they met together
tn enact laws, &c-ln the lutte Republic OF San
MarnO, government upon n rock, with ONLY a few
hundred InhablantS-thcre was some approach To
thus primitive state OF government. When the pco-
pie emerge from this elementary state and become
too numerous for themselves, 1t become neces-
sury To find agents Here have representation.
ANA the mode OF appointing those agents is suffrage.
All this grows out OF society n. then referred
10 the BILL ot Rights Tor the true basis OF surape.
He spoke Of the manner in which that instrument
had been noticed by gentlemen the other side
eu!oSsing II when II served their purpose, and at
other times undertaking the ability Of its authors
tO nrtic la N ln
tIously subscribe as his creed. The sixth article of
the Bill of Rights gives the best rule. Ii we adhere
to that We shall not 60 astray. 1t requires that 'all
men should produce sufficient evidence of n permanont
common interest in and attachment TO the community
Every word of this should be scanned-and The
question is whether any of these plans exhibit that
sufficient evidence. Mr.. Nicholas made some fur
ther remarks upon the construction of this clause
upon the character of the Bill of Rights in general
upon the manner in which ii was frumed--the char
acters of the ramers, and the obligations which arc
dcvolvcd upon 10 adopt it the object of our
vencration and the guide of our course.
If the true question be how the right of suffrage
ought to be regulated, as TO comport with the Bill
of Rights he would ask if there could be any other
evidence of permanent common interest, than that
which the freehold gives, aud If that should
sequently be the foundation OF the suffrage Gen
lcmcn had rdicucd the idea of land being the basis
and said that non frceholdcrs stand on the land as
well as freeholders. That true but they may
run away from 1t. The Bill Of Rights requires that
we should have evidence of permanent common in
tercst.-Lapd is the only One.-Does service in the
militia give itsDoes the payment of tax of cents
on hoIse give it?-Do these form evidence of per-
manent common interest? Suppose man has mo-
noy in bank stock-he has nothing to do but to 90
70 the bank 10 transfer his stock, get ino stage and
leave the Commonwealth. This property then is
not evidence of permanent common interest. There
can be none but lund. The question has been ar.
gucd as 1t 1t vas contest between the satraps and
the poor Of the land. lie then asserted that did
not follow because man was irccholder he was
rich man. EXpeuen,c s observation teaches Just the
contrary-our freeholders generally poorest
mon, and the object OF so basing the suffrage is not
to attach the right TO cah but the soil, and he
who has the smacs, interest i'll the land feels great
stake in the Commonwealth, and is as much entitled
to vote he who holds the largest. He said there
was no danger of the large freeholder depressing
the small one, because he could not do 1t without
depressing himself lie stated that his idea of suf-
frage was that the humblcst freebooter has an inter-
est, and, has the evidence of Permanent common in
terest, and cannot abandon the soil, and he would
propose no greater weight the government for the
larger freebooter, than the smaller. The man with
% acres, may have the same weight, as the man
with % 900 acres great deal had been said about
hghtlnS Tor the country, and the gentleman from
Loudoun, had gone back to 1856, to refer TO
laws eXemptng all the voters from service. These
laws were always 1uctuating yet because some such
law passed. a charge Of misrulo was made
against the State, whereas 1t mght have been sound
policy 10 keep some at home, TO maintain those who
fought. The law exempted ovcrseera OF four slaves
and this might have been very necessary provision
When gentlemen arc obliged to go far back for
proof OF OPPRESSION IT Is strong argument in favor
Of the goodness Of government. He had not found
any oppressive practices under the law. That law
renamed on the statute book only three years,
and because this IS found there, is demanded that
we in I8l9, must give the people the night fsuage.
Stress bad been laid on irceholders fighting bat
ties, but the ireeholders exempt. They must
both fight and pay. II gentlemen would advert to
tie progress Of events III Europe they would find
that something more in requisite besides
mon Mum ions Of war were necessary, and provs-
ions, and these could only be obtained by money. He
advorted 10 the difficulties in which Wilkinson and
Hampton were placed during the war, for want OF
supplies. Want Of provisions compelled our armies
TO fall buck, which is the IN all times of war,
that the freeholder had fight by the side of the
roCholdCr and has also 10 pay for the support of
tho armies. When they arc drawn out IN tlmo OF
profound peace, To move in solemn procession with
out runs, exposed to the sun IA the summer, and to
the cold in the winter, for q few hours, they may
complain lltts, but 1t IS no great hardship tor them
To- endure, and is nothing IN comparison with the tax
which rs Impored upon property in time Of war.