Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-11-30
TRrroRrrp ron Tnr RicHMo>p WING. |
VIRGINIA CONVENTION
.VR. TIYO.NPSO.YS SPEECH
SArranlY. Nov. ~.

4
Committee, whilst endcavour, in my poor manner.
,o discharge Obligation duty, which owe to the
constituents IN part represented by me In this Con-
vrniion 1t Is, you well know from personal en-
peronce, Mr.. Chairman, n painful and embarrassing
duty. would 20 God II had been committed To other
and abcr hands When consider the time, place. /
aud circumstances that surround me, the
IN cTests involved IA deliberations and the weigh
~ responsibility that rests on each and every cf
", IN connection with the humility Of my own pm
Cnsions, almost shrink frvr the task that lies be-
fore but the other hand. whes | call - rcinl
tha, am the representative IN part Of many IhsSrl
free men. who spontaneously aud without Any ScNSN
ta,ion OF minc, have clothed With this hS,A> 49,
and responsible trust all personal ccsa4JSSas,,
vanish, aud resolve tesressy 20 speak sA,te 49,
this foor, regardless % ST. th9 sa-assi 60
rd,cule and even derts,on, with vhch ss.si,ue .>.
hold dear and sacred have hee0 lsSaiied "a DC ~
CreSs OF the debates OF this Convention, taai t,>
impcvscus duty, IN my humble eeh,0 tiul. ,ot.t1s ~
ssce, NY bps had been ssa.ei lorni, ecalis ~ss,e
curing the session OF this august isSsut0ip 81,
should forever despse nirs,f II Wi,,iSs Al, IN, -,
srssen alive Of treeme, cOutd al 1y ssiec. Atl
hour The sacred anu unacu8bie sghs III man ieff,4
sud siiouia tainey SHRINK iuu tlvr de4e,iC,, 4nIo,
enc influence If any unn,iny tear 81 rttiCS.n n !,
alv Personal Consequences whatever.
teei that shall neHu inuc,i ciia o,.', itte,,,I,
slu kirn indulgence oi tins COMMITTEES 10 saslan as
IN the TASK have imposed ~ myself an, me ,,uis..
- uagnaiiiintiy anu couTtosy 0irsaie ,sssn,c,V
m sure, sil always acvortt L 10 a letnps, "a -
BODY, 81 vRg As that uleuioer snail i ~ ,sur-
tcsy arc cecoruI. 1is part. -Iks al ivsfutette
,,
tins Convention. TOO may dsciam any intention ii,
entering t1e lists % break lance. wit re r,,eun,.
able kDIghts who have ccctetre tor vicrr.y lf, ,,s
arena. | have ccither she prvvpsS e, r,r,sI he
strength to sustain. nor the 11noply ctsct ne m
sn unequal conflict. In common vlth TINS Con-
mttee, have participated II he delight Of Gsseulu-
TO the luminous and eloquent arguments OF -eu,c-
men that have addressed you this and other cuss-
tons. And after long rio,nr on the rlch ba n,-
they have spread before US but the more rret that
have nothing but the homeles fair 10 offer IN ~
tirn lament inability 10 reciprocate ErIt for
light have the consolation however, 10 know that
the sane spirit which prompted the offering of The
MEOW mite has dictated this poor attempt Of mine
s9d therefore trust that my offering, however hum
- vi meet similar fate, from the benpuIty of his
Co-oII,;c-- Nh CbsirInsn. somewhat rcurp, tla,
- IL order q debate Il my lot to follow the talen
81 1Dc ec5ueni gentleman from Chesterfield Ihaye
20 ss vanity 20 suppose, under the most ausncious
ErzzS:sDces, that could interest this euIgbrsred
Co1El;iee by any view l could present of a suboct
: 9o1 -es Ehen presided IL the debate by that zen
;za Besieye ne, SIR, have not the vanity 10 Co,
- WITH nm the palm Of victory in the fields Of rbeto
o. Q: eEUoItt0u. or of wit No sir AS To tb,,, 90
~ a an concerned leave him the undisoutaJ 90
81 o. the ned. do mean however, in the course
Q n! rcaTAs 10 question many of his facts or rathor
assumptions and the conclusions he has adducpd from
t2e facts assumed.
Nj Chsirmsn, scrupc not N Hurine to ,vovv tb,,
an one Of those ciSoaGry politicians who advoc.t
general suffrage, what gentleman arc pleasoS - |
t1s-eTsdI sufrsge and in this avoval bej,eva
SPEAK the sentiments of large minority of nv comet;
L c tha
extension OF that inestinabie right of voting in the
election OF all public functionaries, made ELIGIBLE nv
the people to all white freemen of the ace Of 81
ana upwards, who are citizens by birth or residence
for certain time, and who have discharged ali the
onrhens personal, including militia duties and pecu
mary SUCH as taxes, imposed upon them by the Ia
OF The land and excluding such as are rendered infs
nous by the commission of crime. In other words
wish to establish qualification that ia personal oJ
respects age and residence and abolish forever the
eeh"id quahhcation which to me has always appear
en- an nvidlous and anti-republican test. Like the
gentleman from Charlotte, Mr.. RandolphA l did not
come here to vote for the Acknowledgement ofone hu
man being qualified to vote under the old Constitu
ton, but to aid in the acknowledgements of ali ,bo
come within the foregoing description came here
20 contribute my feeble aid in the great GAUGE NJ nm
freehold emancipation, but to initiate exampl 90,
us elsewhere OF dIsranchsng the 10 shilling freehol-
uers' am therefore Numerically opposed To the
amendment proposed by the gentleman from Chester
Held as am TO all amendments that 90 TO rnstyic,
the right OF suffrage, and upon this question will
meet and take issue wit the friends ofreehob ouaf
cation, amongst the most strenuous of uhon tbo 49,
ueinan from Chesterfield, has proved himself bv The
argument which he yesterday addressed 10 this fon,
.tee: elh VIKING TO rest this argument upon the
SutnoTiy OF reason and common sense the Bill of
hlghts' upon the doctrine Of expediency or upon ox
pefienCe' which, o1stondTy as am, consider more
valuable THAN volumes Of speculation and theory II
Is win me perfectly Indifferent, whether this yiGb, he
Regarded as natural, a social, civil or n poitic,i
one the conclusion at which arrive satlsactorily
at least to myself is the snme.
P'OStCu Win my argument, | must trouble
the Committee witha few general observotions
ted by the course Of this debate cannot orbesI 10
express my surprise and regret some Of the princi
pres 1VoWed Oy gentlemen on this floor and the change
Whlch pubic sentiment seems 20 have UNDERGONE In
tnls ancient Commonwealth. In the opinion of some
gentlemen, government has no principles The iJoa
OF patriotism aud virtue even arc exploded and sif
ove ana sen interest are The only springs of human
acuon. The rights ofman mere ciinera of dis
tempered lmaginations and in this debate bnvo h.
MADE the theme of rIdcue and dersion, rather than
euloey' Against this solcnnly protest TLcro
vas time when this would not have been ond,,roJ
"hen such language would hive been offensive r. re-
uoGun eaIs r., In the whole progress of this debate
ih.,,,, e OF THOMAS Jefferson the groat Apostle of
Hoer mas never once been invoked nor hos ono ar
PJaI neen made to the author of the Rights Of Map
whose immortal work 10 the darkest DAYS of onr rs
VoIutlGn served as political docaloque aud operatcd
asa taisman to lead our armies 10 victory FTboro
was time when 1t was honorable TO proeSa Tho ~
y. ancle great Iathers OF the church, wben il was
TriIous to be sceptic. when the name Of Foy 49,
yenGroted and the principles of Burke abhorred-bnt
the Lain quoted in this debate is but too true cn
III Rfr .rs-