Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1829-11-19

appear. saw this msaeiire in the Jegi,laiive Com.
mit,ee. and ,hought saw, what l think now zee,
(iere Mr.. X. pointed with his fnger) snake in the
grass will never consent be the agen, in taking
away from any man the Right Of Suffrage he
joys:
chageabie upon the advocates Of the Convention hsv-
ing been moved in the Legislative Committee BY
gentleman. (Mr. Gie~n,) who had always opposed IL
be en- the prev. n'icn Of ira but thought uuneccs.
sary. a. by subsequent clause, psupers xclui-
ed rom tie POLLS and Fraudulent svascns Of the Ccns,i.
tuition must be lrf To he renedied by the Iegsa u-e
Mr. I.EIGH consented 10 Withdraw the snp en-! en-,
he had ofrred-but announced his Intention to he, az
ter the resolution should have been made peri ct a.
wac in the power Of is friends, strike out
the whole, aud substitute another, which he read in
s r'cr (and which went, in his view, 10 extend the
right OF suffrage 10 such tenants, were in circum
stances TO vote Independently Of their Iandloris -
Mr.. MERcrR moved 10 strike out the whole Pro-
vi'o, liking value to the Freehold.
On this motion debate arose, in which Mes,rs.
Green aud S,anard opposed, and Messs Mccoy, Leigh
Mercer, and Summers advocated the striking the
Proviso. "a sI Hh
The debate turned chiefly ON difference as 10 facts:
the genemsn side aiming that large q,ian-
titles Of land TO the West Of no value whatever
from their remote, sterile, aud noun character;
snd that being held In large quantities, they CAV. to
tia. this was common Practice and had been carried
TO the extent OF creating. in one Instance four htu,e
voters on the morning Of an election.
This ebrese ntaion treh,iousiy denied by gen.
tlemeh On the other side; who went into description
Of the land. which the general alu,ion wa. made
and sheed their value being rich in minerals and
timber, destined TO supply materials for the uure
ternal rade OF that portion OF the State.
Mr. SUMMERS stated. in reply TO a call upon him
from the gentleman OF Spotsyvsnis, that he had
yer known but one instance Of u deed made in his
country, in the wav pointed ont by that gentleman
and In that case the attempt had been promptly nut
down by the honor Of The Inspectors of the POLLS Had
such abuses prevailed, he would certainly have
Of them For bis own part he opposed in the Lee.
gisiave COMMITTEES TO this proviso. and hoped here
to see Il struck "u. He had no lie, Of making war
upon the poor fre-hoder He oppos ed to any lin
ta'on OF the right Of freehold suit age; but he would
prefer rather extension Of it TO classes. who
d-plived ofi'.-He was opposed to filing the blank
with the average value OF OF the land in bis
coiin,ry being 80 odd csnts per acre.
Mr. mccoy stated that most of these Of uu-
pro nc'ive lsnd, which had not paid the taxes. were
forfeited to the Literary Fluid. and thu. could b.
cut up. He went Into bis own views Of the Right oil
Suffrage, stating that in hi, country there
many lease hoers, who had not .eds from their f.,
Tiers perhaps and who ought to have the right Of su
lraRe. There also many mechlncs who he ais o.
| families. and deserved TO have the right He said. he
waspsrfecy willing 10 give the right Of suffrage to al
those who had it at present. and to head, Of families
aad house.keeper'. This his idea Of the limitation
OF suffrage. I'd
The question being put on striking out tho Provi.o
was carried, ayes g.
So the provision which went to restrict the righ
OF freehold election 10 eebods OF certain value
luton renorted by the Legislative Committee.
The Committee then rose, and moiion Of Mr. Leigh
oil Chesisrheld the Convention adjourned.
WrDNEsDAf. Nov. IS.
The Convention met at 10 O'clock, and one N I'd
with prayer by the Rev. Mr. Taylor Of the Baptis,
Church.
Mr.. MAs.Ix of Nrl',n, presented the following
Memorial from the Citizens OF that County which on
hi, motion, was referred to the Committee of the
Whole on the Constitution
To the Convention of Pircinin!
Your nemoriass beg leave to represent to your hon
Durable body, thatt with deep contrrn they rs
ceived the intelligence that proposition 10 make
change In the mode OF sppoinng Magistrates va,
rejected by the Judicial Committee. Your memorial.
i't do consider the present mode OF those sppoint-
nents to be aristocrac in its Gestures, and tending to
The establishment OF privileged order in this Com
monwea'th' that body should be established in this
commonwealth, with celebrating powers appear. Ia
them an anomaly Of most alarming tendency, md il
practice well calculated to de,hrone the supremacy
the peoples mil!-l must be known to yosr honor
able '5iy as il is known to your memorialiss, tina
lie present mode OF appointing those officers, i.
we'll calculated TO place the Judicial powers of the
Country. as well as the destnies :nd well being
oil the Counties. into the hands Of q few families-
1t Is known, that the County Courts have been in
vested, in this State. with the extraordinary powers Of
appointing Militia Officcrs-o of supplying vacsncie, In
their own body,-of the appointment Of Over,errs OF
the Poor,-of establishing and changing Road-of lie.
vying COUNTY Taxes at their discre and OF
managing the whole County Police, according TO their
own will and pleasure. without consulting the supre me
will OF the peope;-,her powers arc great and often
improperly exercise because the Courts no way
responsible 10 the people; in fact, they are DOW
without responsibility .-Y memorialsts have thoug h
proper TO make this very brief statement in order IA
call the attention Of your honorable body
to this suhee-They therefore, pray that some mode
may be adopted by YOU which will take away a self
creating power from the County Courts-and they will
ever pray, &c.
(HptJolIOD the Sgnafures)
The House then went into Committee of the Whole
Mr. Pow ELL. in the Chair
And the question still being on the 81 Revolution o.
the Legislative Committee which reIaies TO the RIGHT
oil SuFyaAGE,-sre proceedings OF yesterday
Mr. WILSON Of Monongali offered the following
amendment by way Of substitute for that Of the Leg,-
Istve Committee
" Resoipsd That every free white male c zen of
This Commonwealth Of the age OF twenty .one YEAR,,
and upw ards, who shall have resided in the State two
years, and in the county where he propose, to vote
one year. next eding the time Of ing such voe
who shall have been enrolled in the militia IL suffice
taxes assessed upon him, his property for the
preceding that in which he offers otrshsiI have
right 10 vote for members Of the General Assembly
PTouidfd, That person shall be permitted exeIc.s
The Right OF SUhrsge. who is pauper{ who IL of I'M
sound ,nind who has been convicted Of any infamous
crimf or who engaged in the land naval service
OF The United States; and The L. Ei-Iaure shall prcscrbs
the mode OF trying and determining disputes conce rn-
ing the 'ad qualifications Of voters whenever the right
OF person TO vote shall be que STONED"
MIR. WILSON went at large into an explanation and
defence ofthe Resolution which he considered as cal
culaed to meet and obvise all the objections
urged against the original solution and 40 furnishing
convenient basis which TO erect aDy further huali.
hcatons OF the Right Of Suffrage, by gehtIsnen who
should consider this going far lie considered the
question how far natural rights 10 be limited and
controlled by those OF Socety-and considered the fes,.
luton as marking out the ju't limit between them. lie
H. Ia