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

pines, aud safety" The second declares ethat all
potcer vested in, and Consequently derived from, tho
people, that ysracs their us,ees, and servants
and at all times amenabls to them" The third de.
cares the end aud object of government to be, tho
nation, or community, and affirh. The right OF MAORI
", ITO reform, alter. abolish H. insuch manner, ~
sha be "deemed most conducive to the public wesl.'
The sixth afrms that eiec,ions ou ght be free and
that all men, having sufficient evidence OF permanent
common interest wih and attachment 10, the c1mmun
ty, have the right Of suffrage"
Now. MIR Chairman. il were TO ask plain man who
were ented 10 vote under these provisions would hs
answer land owners only, or such persons a, HAYS
heretofore described, including the great BODY Of tina
people, majority at least? He certainly would ,,or
answer freeholders-,hers would be no doubt in hs
mind nless indeed, he should chance TO take the FL
vice OF counsel, who, like Doct Doubty, find doubts
in every ,hing-then perhaps doubt would b, sup
sesed-but TO understand the Bill OF Rights REQUIRES
not the aid o, counsel statesmen nor of wise n,r
learned mem II is ineligible, to the unin gent
above the grade OF non ronpos uepis-and wei,ii Il,
Mr. Chairman, that it i, SOL only the wise and tho
learned capable Of coipprc hcnding the iIndsm.n
tai rights OF free government, sach government,
could never have existed, and if il had, would nscs,,a
rily been oil short duration. Bat waen we quote tha
oii OF rights upon our opponents they do fatty de-
ny its orce aud authority but explain il away bv tn.
constitution They say their authors the same men
and that they have given ontempofaneou, anil pr,c
ca exposition in the Of what they meant by thu
other, in establishing freehold suffrage in the cons,itu-
uon.A conclusive answer to this has been furnished
by the arguments Of more thsn one gentleman that
mas preceded IN. IN the debate.
! The circumstances in which our forefaher, vera
placed, aud under which they acted woulJ Nav. 80
dered II very unwise and inpoltc TO carry out at
that time to their full results all the principle, e.t,h
i'hed by the Bill of Rights-Thcy had not the time
then more than problemacal what woulI bs H.
issue OF the struggle they had just embarked ir-
Why should they then create division at home by
disturbing the sete ordct Of things, WHEN harmony
was so essential 10 the Of their great entsr,
prHe?-They though, il vile TO leave The perfection
OF their work Tor more auspicious tines this arc
Il ~ IaIrar
ln'cr from the in'liumen, Itself IL this not proved
| by the ordinance of the Convention passed only
three days alter the Constitution by which adopt
ed for system OF distribuvc Justice the common
law Of England and the statutes made in aid thereof
up to III. IIh year Of James the IsR BY this we had
engraie ed upon cole the law of primor eniture
OF entails and the institutions of the hierarchv-
Might not the same reasons assigned for aaher-
ing 10 the freehold test have been urged against our
statute OF distributions, the sta ute Tor docking en-
tails and the act OF religious tolera,ion the work of
the immortal Je ferson?-ro the same can.es tb, ~,
assign for the adoption of freehold suffrage in part
want OF time for reflection and deberstion, must DO
ascrb,d another mperiecton or inconsistency in the
Consttutiona failure 10 prescribe any guafc alton
whatever Tor your Governor, your Judges, your Ma
gsrates, your Militia Officers, &c. Now, is il not
a5sur,! to ray, that Before man can vote for his
ncighbor, TO represent him in the Assembly, n,
must furnish test of his Independence or nat,;ot
ism. the possession OF his so acresi-ye, no tess'
either OF property, residence citizenship is reouir
cd OF your governor-for aught the Constitution
contains your highest executive your highest midi
cal, and your highes, military officers NAV be aliens
ms 'utsiy proves The imperfect character of the
Instrument aru III" cause of that imperfecIon, az
before assigned but il prov also another thinr-ft
proves the absurdity and nutiliiy Of tbs freehold
tes-lt you can trust your governor 10 execute vour
laws. and TO temper them by the high prerogstive Of
mercy in the exercise oil the pardoning power; il YOU
can trust your lives, liberty, and property your
The defence al your homes aud your fire sides to mi
lary commanders aud militia men, though, thew NOS
not Of land and thou I'll they be as ponr
Lazarus in the name of common sense WHY'S il thar
you cannot trust citizen without so acres of land f.
tn l,a n.Iz and tt,o
tionarcs.
Mr.. Chairman, il has been said by the gentlemao
from Chesterfield aud by other gentlemen that wa
derive rule from the law of nature and the Bin of
Rights, in relation TO suffrage, that is in lis term,
universal and That we ourselves abandon il, and
thereby prove its fallacy: the females including one
half Of the population, di>anchised at one fell
swoop-iI'inor convics. paupers, slaves, &c. which
together. compose large majority Of every commu-
NIFTY; aud hence they argue, that role. il carried
ont to its extreme results will not work well tba, il
must be erroneous.-For this argument, have short
answer--it will not DO TO test any rule by extreme
cases presume il cannot be necessary for me to
assign reason for the exceptions I'm this the gen
tleman and myself would doubtless sgree. H has
himself very happily assigned the reason for .xerud
INK females: and coul! assign a, satisfactory
for the other exceptions In the fore going oxceplions
we are all agreedI do not understand any of thoss
excepted classes, as nov complaining, nor that any
member oil the coHimitee wishes to include In = NJ
Why then lug their Claims into this debate For
what purpose do the gentlemen so generously stem
forward 10 their reef-who seek no relief and for
whom none Is intended by either party?--I can tell
you. Sir, the gentlemen seek by argument 10 ell yate
their rights, in order 10 di-parage ours.I object,
this change Of issue the question is now between
freebooter and non-ireeholder-to which conte,t
these others parties.-I insist upon compari-
son of our titles in This writ Of right If nav
be allowed to borrow figure from that profe s.on
OF which humble member In this for I'M M
action, and electmeut, neither narty can reIv
upon the week.-mrs., OF his adversarys tile provided
it BE better than his Ownt 10 simply as before stated
comparison of tiuos-ths | insist 10 be tba
law Of this cass.If the reehoder and non ire ehol.
der have usurpcd the rights Of other casaes il is M
reason in the month OF the reehode ainst an equal
division OF the spoil have always heard that honour
thought it necessary 10 this much to she that the
exclusion OF females, &c had legitimatey the
connection with this question: n il be a good ar gu-
ent, carried out 10 its results, il would Justify any m
to make slave Of his neighbour: provided that neigh
bour happened TO be the Of slaye-The are,,.
ment Of the kdnapper would he this 10 his en,Isvsd
capdve-you, sir, held fellow creature in bond, ge.
because YOU thought II expedient TO do have tho
same right TO ensave you and think il expedient TO a.,
50. juHiiy myself by your own example. try YOU
by your own rue-so wi h Tie freeeholders when
they are challenged 20 ahtw better tile THAI the nom
froehoder-hey resort to the plea Of expedcneythat
liz is expeticat they should have the power and that aS
females, &c. excluded by mutual consent erge we
1.-THE lreeholdof will exclude the non because
they concurreJ IN The excu sion Of emales minors &
In what does the case just supposed differ from this?
So we find that their arguments will abide the tsst
of being carried to their extreme resus-And this il
not the only argument Of the gentlemen, obnoxious to-
the criticism. In the discussion Of the ques-
lion Of representations they cOntended for the mix
ed basis: replied, that IL was nadmissibie, that
.