Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1829-02-27
Debate in the Senate on the Convention.
MIR. MORGAN'S SPEECH.
(CJuciu.Ic4 firm, I'm poo.

MT ~ sala there was one other proposition in his
amendment which it his dntv tn sustain as we'll
as he crud-c alluded to She section which declares
that all tree white male citizens of the age of II wears
WIN few exceptions, entitled to vote for the de-
Iegnt,3s to the proposed convention.
FMS proposition, he said, involves principle I'M
Stonab!y OF great Importance the people of this
commonwealth, and deserves tho r,at1,ra:t coreor,
ton OF the Senate. when ne vyrot. mis- op,on5,o,t
IL was Intended rs an amendment to the blk but :,
me gentleman rom Orange had offered his amend
mont hrs' ana as there was difference in the
TWO sections on That subject he had lhourht prorer IN
oer MS oho'e amendment without emitting anv par;
IL was not very material which Of the qcndn,rnte
on THIS part Of the subject, should meet the aDpro5a
non OF the Senutc, the main principla wa! aouay
involved to both The present restriction or - r,,bt
OF suffrage was one OF the principal causes which In
duced the people to call for convention-ii was 81
N his secton Of country, and he believed senern},
through the state: bat probably not so much 80 in the
east in the west.
Mr., NJ. said it would not b. inproper to Ioor. into
the history OF the introduction of the present
ted suffrage, by which great class ofour citizens
nave long been deprived c. voting for those yvlo 10
gsate Tor th"m IN all things and have powcr 20 con
tro. their persons and property at discretion
Mr. H. SAID that ailfee men nhabt ~ the Cc',nv
Of Virginia, allowed to vote for Ergessns fror;
the election OF the first House of Rurrasees in 1910
unh 1854 the term OF 80 year. when by an oct ot
;ha Assembly It vas declared, That all lousn-kccn
cTs, whether free hoiieys tense h9L}o,v or
u H. 81 at l.. Ai2] Eat this act beinr deemed an
cncroachment upon The rights Of the free men Of The
Colony, the Assembly at the next session in 165s
was compelled to repeal it. The rcpcainr act is
as follows: ''Wheroas we conceive il sonnet ,;no,
hard and unaTreuable TO reason that arr ncrs,SS
siIa pay equal taxes and vet have no votas in cIcc
tlohS Ine1cf'Tt is en1rted by this ;yese,f ,,aoJ
f3'emb'y That soc much ofthe act for choosino Hnr
@cS9es De fGp2a!cd as excludes free men from votes
Pt1@d aH'c4ys ti!at they fairly give their votes nv,
su0Scrip ION, and NOT III tuinultuons ,yoy." RI II
81 L JOB But i'll October 1870 in the q2d vc,r
OF Charles The H. - years afterwards it was onocta
by the Assembly, That but free holde,S & boyss
fecDe1S, who Oniv aUsworahIc 10 tho ,,,y limo g.
ieves shall hereafter have voice in tho oIcrto, ~
any Rurgcss." Re H. 81. l. 28O.1 What difference
thcn was in the Iovics during the tune of tho .ct ~
1922. ana OF TINS last act, cannot be asccrtained
with much certainty but, it. is more than probobIo
that the manner oticyyiUg taxes about the sn1o
ana THAT this change made undcr tbe Influence F
the crown and the arist0cratc part o. he Cn!o,v.
not on account Of c'Ianga in Zoe pac;pc Of tayatio
81 Ii VIII DC found that ycnTs afterwards in Jnna
1916, during the time of Racon's rebellion when In
aF'} began 20 raise her head Tor 81 least resistance
10 tho rcTa authority Ibis rcs'raton rns rcraolc1
and M FREE asnwcre ugai1 restored .hrr RIGHTS ard
privileged ~ vote in the election Of Huaroagns r.,
-. 81: L.. $50. Bet this enlargement of the priyi-
Iege Of voting Only continued % years when in ALL
1922, 10 t!'a Il;h year OF Nialn tn IL IL yyas O.
r1ctct by the Assembly. 'hat roac iuf C.oob1I7,,s
Stoud TOte jo5' D,T@nsSei. rs II. ~ t. j7l7 III;
act diknGt i.'n TIC n'tonIv of trc fTsclnlI eetoto
nor did The act of the 29d Of Charles the H. If r
sibie that majority OF he free men OF the Coiony
held irc"nois OF some Kind other; and rs it
object to Secure the power ofhe country in the b.rl
OF the rcehoI'crs, 1t necessary to have MAORI
ty OF tile people TO sustain it-th!s not effected tho
object. But the frO"holdrrs not brnr satisfied u.lb
this cncroachn nj anon tho rights Of the non groo
holders, soon commenced ciafrellno ninonC fbnp,.
selves The aristocrao" principles which induced
thmt exclude the uonroohol1rrs induced tl,or, 70
divide among Themselves and nar-ow the p.ivil,no Of
voting to still sTnaI'aT nulhe7 cr persons And ri
ye9rs after tie Pas+g~s Of Tie last act tie
assembly in Aurl,t 1855. Or the iO;h wear oF
G"'rgc tbr ~ enacted, md d1~'1rad that m f.cn
boife, 'tnf r,c jor 1tcyr NJ eeqeo5i. rnIees his
f"ebojd, 'o, ui1proroj a;.d raountad y 100 acres
OF Tinproyc3, %. z II. s. =. 175l Il is
matter ofion5t ~ q icnoh f.im, this net con
tIaned IN force /, hnwHr"i appears '.a' IN Novem
per 1902 j" the 81 yc!r 81 George the III an act of
Assembly P.s7r" uaan, provision ,or tho election of
b'!gossce "M.p r,'rcaj 81" crr,fi.,. or min
proved ian' Hoon winch Freebooter mint vote
from 100 o. - ac L.. tEss act c.rtaigsd II
provision, ,Hat jt yr,,.d a.; ~ j.. e-ce uuoI.
after the kina ;ioni vas @,au.c3 ,y.dcb nc
rent was never @rarf,t hudH Is dorl:fli e.iefieri
'aa "ai .. ~ .e -, '@' ..t@ r ...,zc... -.