Wheeling compiler. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [i.e. W. Va.]) 1829-1831, 1829-12-02

- ol nroving this previous resoehcs,
m ,. 5isputed. to be prescribed BY iaw'l
land shall possess, moreover some cue -
more of the qualifications above e'''l''''
ted" - .,-;L.
ina ont al after the words "Resolyed that
land inserting the following as su's'''
tute: -, C.unon.
wealth resident therein, (other than Tree
NEGROES or mulattoes } aged q years ana
upwards. qualified to exercise the right Of
suffrage by the existing Constitution anO
laws ,o.od
And every such citizen being possessed
or whose tenant for years, at VIII, or a'
suferance, is possessed Of land OF Inc as
sessed value Of dollars, and having an
estate of freehold therein
And every such citizen being posses
sed. as tenant in common, JOINT tenant or !.
conarcener, of an interest IN or share OF
land. and having an estate OF iFeenoid
therein. such interest or share beng OF the
value Of dollars 81,
Aud every such citizen, being entitled
to a yeversion, or vested remainder IN iee'
expectancy, or any estate for hie or hVes'
in land of the assessed value OF dol
lars
And every such citizen being possessed
ola leasehold estate in land, claiming un'
dor p lease, renewable at the option OF the
lessee. absolutely, or upon payment OF a
fine. or performance Of other condition. the
yearly value of such land being DOL
lars,-
Each and every such citizen3 unless his
title shall have come to him by des-
cent, devise, marriage, or marriage settle,
ment, having been so possessed or entitled
for six months,-
And no other peTsons,-
Shall be qualified to vote for members OF
the General Assembly lnthe County, CITY,
or Borough, respectively, wherein the land
leth:--
Procidea, That no person shall be en-
titled TO vote more than once, or at more
places than one, in any elechon:--
And Provided, That non-commIssIoned
officers. soldiers, and marines, IN the land
or naval service ofth United States, shall
not be qualified to yote;--
lind Ir0vided, That the Legislature
may by law, deprive any persons the Right
Of Suffrage, for crimes, whereof they shall
or may be convicted"
la support OF the resolution, Mr.. Leigh
went into a long 81 animated speech which
occupied the Committee tlIl the hour OF ad-
jou nnent
After again pointing out the Inconsistent
.cy which would result from the resolution
as presented, VIZ: the refusal Of the right Of
suffrage to a freebooter whose freehold did
not amount to a certain value mot yet fixed
while 1t is granted TO his tenants, ifhe pays
hut cents tax on a horse; and declaring
his own strong prediction IN favor Of
landed qualification for voters, he went at
large into an explanation Of the several
features of the amendment he had pFopos-
I ed He expressed his unwIlhngness to
take away the right OF suffrage from any
who ENJOY 1t. The effect ofhIs amendment
would be to ertend It TO three additional
classes of persons who were deprived of 1t
in the resolution. His wish would be
that small freeholders, whose freehold tho
less than % acres might amount to the
value. say 30 dollars, should be permitted
to vote. lie would also admit teuanis
who had il in their own option to renew
their leases without the consent Of the land
lord. These could exercise some Inde-
pendenee in voting against his will, and
might therefore, be safely inlrusted with
1.-The privilege. But tenants at will, and
from year to year were, to say the least OF
Iit. exposed to violent temptation; and in
case OF future deprivation Of the moral
feelings nowyery generally existing IN the
community, the admission Of such tenants
TO the polls, would lead to corruption, and
thus increase, rather than diminish the
power Of the rich: And though Mr. H..
ayowed himself very DESTROYS Of strength
ening the guards around property, he Ut
terly disclamed any scheme which would
effect this by corrupt means. He secuted
the idea that the freehold suffrage was to
lie rejected as a remnant of colonial times,
and derived from the British Crown. The
same thing might be urged against the
Habeas Corpus, against the trial by jury,
aud even against the representative govern
ment itself
They had all derived their origin from
England, and come to US from colonial
7 times; but the establishment Of the Freehold
suffrage IN tins colony, was not the work