Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-10-31

the CONCLUSION to which gentlemen arrive il that,
therefore, all men are possessed of equal political
power. With all due submission, this conclusion
from this premise, he could not but regard in
consequent one. He would suppose that all men
by nature equally free and independent. What con-
motion has this with the social principles growing out
Of government Was it necessary foF hun to remind
the gentleman, that in entering into the social cou
pact, oil men surrender u portion Of their natural
rights; and that they derive from the provisions OF
that social compact, according To its formation,
cial rights IN the room OF those which they have
surrendered Is it not therefore a solccisn 10 say
that the rights " hch exist among n consequence
of government, and which ima rtcd by 60
vcfnmcnt, are to be considered having any thing
TO do with those which existed precedent state
Of government, and on which government could have
no sort of bearnQs
Taking the question Of the right of suffrage, and
the effect which 1t ought To have upon representation
his mind was conducted from suffrage to election
Election implies and involves the idea of constituent
and representative The relation of constituent and
representative, were established by Government
They did not exist before there government, W,
principles which existed before thcse relations did
exist, are caodi in by genilcmen to regulate duties
growing out of these relations. He only stated th:
for the purpose of showing by illustration, that nc
class oil rights which existed before government
could be properly called in regulate those which
have had their exclusive origin III government.
| But he would take the other ground tie would
suppose it conceded that man had rights in state u
nature, anterior to government, and that the rights
eNistnI ana the rules upplcd III the natural comb
ton, might BE- adduced in relation TO rights subse
quently obtained. He would ask even then. If III,
argument Of gentlemen is consistent with itself a
j the very Threshold they Obliged admit tina
there numerous classes OF citizens. who must b
excluded from tho exercise of political rights.
they carry their idcs Its full extent, wLs SAID b.
the eloquent gentleman FROM Northampton, females
infants paupers, convcts and free coourcd persons
have all an equal right. How &C me they 10 be cxclu
dcd The laws OF nature, and the rights posscsse,
under them in siatc. of nature, If any such thor,
were, uniform IN their operLtinn and confer In,
same privileges upon all Thcy must always DC thC
same. They belong to oll persons. and extend q
all times, and exist under oil circumstances. How
'thcn could gentlemen limit, system of rules 70,
& any particular class of mcn, rights which arr il
themselves, uniform and unvaryng'
\ BE would tako an example. Among the right:
enjoyed b. 10 state of nature arc life liberty
and the proceeds of their labor Is there any man
state of nature, WHO'S not entitled 10 bis EfS Sc
you may GO on. Is there any man who Is not cni
tied to the rights which common 20 all, The
moment gentlemen ask that men shall have their nat
ursl rights they must feel that they place a hume
class OF men. who have been existing entirely
of the pale OF political right in situation TO de.
mand that they shall have their influence in the rcD.
RESERVATION. The gentleman from Northanlpton had
forcibly stated. that those cXcu from political
rights. constitute vast majority of the whole. The
female part of society, amounts TO full Inoicty.
Yet they all excluded what is called princi
pie of nature, although II will not be denied that
nature deals IN uniform rules, and makes disinc-
HONS either OF age or OF sex. All the
TO which women and children can at any time be
subject, are hose merely winch arise out OF dumes-
tic relations. 1t Is said that they be excluded
from political power, because they subject TO the
dominion of men. From the language Of that prop
osition he dIssented; and he would ask those who
used it, TO shew him any single authority which oud
down. Al minors and females arc eyciudeJ 20
want of free agency, and due portion of int ELI
gcncc, d because thev subject dominion TIe-e
IS ono difficulty TO which gentlemen here expose
themselves. We read of nation of antiquity where
there we're no men-whcre they were exclusively f.
males How would gentlemen apply their proposf
ton there: Ii would be seen that he had reference
to the Amazons. But taking society as it is formed
of men and women, he asked gentlemen, to. shew
him any precedent, which justified tue assertion that
woman is necessarily subject to the dominion of man
after she becomes of age where her own will was NOT
her guide and controulvr and where IL can bn
demonstrated tnat by the law OF nature she is sub
jet to the dominion of man. To what fountains the
gentleman had gone for their infornation he could moi
divine. His idea of female rights was this,-,bat ,,o
entitled tn all the rights which beonp To cv
cry human being, until they surrender portion of
/ them by entering into the matrimonial state. Pc.
males and minors, he admitted were subject 10 the
dominion of man, when the former submitted herself
to the controul OF a husbaud and while the hitter
were dependent for support and education In these
cases, the domestic relations Of husband and wiIe
and parent and child, in conflict with tho r;nh,s
which would other" ise belong TO those cosses of So
cicty. But when minors arrive at proper age, ac.
ldWs Ol bOClSLys lDCy are no longer
der restraints. While educated and supported. tbcv
may be CONTROLLED but when arrived at an arc
when they are no longer indebted to others for cd,
cation and support, they at that moment free.
Nature has not prescribed, by specific Limitation Of
days and years, at what age, education and nurture
shall terminate, and when those who have been IFS
subjects shall become free from control
| The dominion belonging to man over females and
minors ls exclusively bounded by domestic relations:
and it would puzzle the gentlemen with oil their re-
search to rcute the proposition that if wife or child
were unwilling to remain under a despotic goyern.
ment, even although the husband or father were
desirous that they should remain they would not be
at liberty to fellow their incinntions and retire 10
some other countryside control which belon0s to
man, being bounded by the domestic relations exs.
ting between him and the minor or female. Il is i'm
possible to admit for moment, that, in reference To
either class that dominion is the result Of nny defec
tiveness of Intelligence, which renders il NECESSARY
that they shall be excluded from self control.
Without fatIguing the Committee with the nuno-
rons examples which he might be able TO quote, in
rcfntaon of this last proposition no might content