Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1829-03-31

OF the chief constituents of murder-malice and do
liberation. We hope and we believe, that it was
result unexpected and undesired by himself-and
as such, as much to be pitied as to be punished.
TO THE NON-FREEHOLDERS.
Fellow Citizens-How shall we sufficiently at
tract your attention to the subject of your riphtse
How convince you of the magnitude of the question
now at issue? Will you tanlely surrender your ma
tive and inalicnable right of particpatipr in tho
change of the Government under which Won live,
Will you be dsfranchised by the Legislature. and
put into the ranks of the women ard children Or
will you like freemen, conscious of your rights and
determined to maintain them, GO TO THE POLLS
and assert your equality?
'Hcrsdiiary bondsn,sr, kncay aou not
'pho aooud De free, themselves strike The bEo,ga
you VIII act like. free men, your course is plainly
marked out ID the annexed communication. The
LAW is on your side. tits the opinion and the advice
OF larger, and freehoder. The Sherifs must and
will, receive your votes. They have no other al
Tentative. Non-Freeholders of Louion Louisa
Frederick, Rockingham, Lynchburg, Petersbure,-
we pray you reconsider your course; and let us act
with concert and unanimity.
For THE W.uG.
TO THE NON-FREEHOLDERS ofVIRGINiA.
WILL YOU VOT,E?
One who knows and values your rights and who
holds you In the highest respect, asks your calm and
dIspasslonate answer to the foregoing INQUIRY
Will you vote for delegates to the conventions IF
the law authorlses you to do Soft duty to your own
long dlsregarded rights calls for t-fyou oblieaons
OF public duty demands lt-why should you not vote?
That all these unite, think is demonstrate.
Does the law authorize you to vote? By the act of
the last General Assembly, among other things, it is
required, substantially, that in conductinp tie cleo
tons, the Shers shall be governed by the general
w md fboo
non-freeholder vote under that law answer that
at every election OF members either both branch
es OF the General Assembly, the right to vote Isl given
by the Goth section of the general law of elections
page go of the LIST volume of the Revised C,,da.
The preceding section of this law forbids any eector
from voting, unless he shall take an oath therein pre-
scrbed that he believes himself duly qualified to vote;
and whether he is so qualified or not unon his =, @
the oath, the officer is bound to receive and ep;sfer
his vote, and to note the poll opposite his name
that the voter has made such oath. The next and
the goth section provides for the cases of those who
present themselves VOTE and who refuse TAKING the
oath required by the 18th section. It's language is
plain, and no one can misunderstood it.
1t declares" The names of Electors Offering TO
be poed, but refusing TO make such oath or airma-
ton, shall be entered the poll ;oks in SEPARATE
lists, with the names of the candidates for whom thew
voted and shall be added to the poll if upon scrtny
the votes be justified"
Here then, the Legislature has bestowed by law
the privilege upon all to have their votes reco,;,e,I
and shew clearly, that was never their intention IN
bestow on the Sheriff or any else, the arbitrary
power OF receiving or rejecting such votes as he
might determine legal or illegal.
On the contrary, it it expressly declared such
votes are to ''be added to the poll If upon scr,uy
the votes be justified" Evidencing that such scril-
tiny justification, is to be had not before The She
Fl 9ut ut some subsequent period, and before some
other more appropriate tribunal. And has not often
happened IN Virginia, that the right to vote under
this section has been acknowledged and MANY votes
gwen under II, nave IN the after scrutiny, been held
valid and been counted'
NO sheriff will dare, fellow citizens, to turn Won
from the polls, with this statute staring him in the
lace. Iii his duty, his high and sworn duty to re-
cord your votes separately it is true from that priv
leged Glass; called among Frechoders. Yet yourI
votes will be recorded-that gives YOU the victory
the record is made by the officer Of the law-and by
the requirements ofthe law, it is made openly and
peacefully and it will carry with it the death knell
TO the governing arisocracy of Virginia. Be no lon
ger then, my Friends, distracted with the conflict
ing propositions before you; to the polls attend
ed yyour firrnest and most enlightened advocates
carry with you the law OF the land, and demand the
registration OF your votes. Let those clothed will,
little brief authority, refuse to place your names
among the freehoders they are vet bound IN rocord
your votes Let these polls be copied and forwarded
10 the Conventlon-clalm there for your candidates
inc right to count your votesand let it be decided in
the Hall of the Convention, before and bv such mon
as Madison, Marshall and Monroe whether Won me
10 De treated as outcasts and aliens the land Of your
ma ONE OF THE PEOPLE.
u i nc following correspondence Will be read with
lnterest-and we congratulate the State upon Gen.
Marshaifs consent to serve in the Convention, which
in conjunction with Mr.. Madison's consent, will DIFF
fuse universal satisfaction.
The first letter of the committee is a circular adj
dressed to Messers Marshall, Robertson, Cloptcn,