Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1829-11-24
; sTnunsra IA. NoY. 1o.s
MR. TREzvANT's SPEECH.

Tuvasrsx,N Nov. 10. 4
MR. sTREZVANTS SPEECHs
Mr.. T. said that he had intended to have said any
thing upon the subject under te,consdcrat,on OF the
nor had be expected TO have said any
thing upon any other subject which might be dis
cussed the Convention bnt the proposed amend
ment the question under debate, Notwithstanding its
was about to- be submitted without any
other discussion than that which it received yester-
day, he telt rynwf unpellsd tossnb.nissa few re-
marks-reu,arlss of course which could not be thu
result OF any previous preparations mud which neces-
sariy nust he desultory in their character. w haiti
was the quest ion under considerations The ob,eet
Of the unlenitrent was to- abesfith present nioti
cation OF the right of suffrage, and to substitute in
It's places one 'entireiy u.s. When a people
undertake. to make cfangein their political instu
lions, affecting the fonndation of governments it, be-
hves them 10 proceed with re utmost caution g. CIR
cumspection We should recollei that wye are abo,,
TO int reduce an expermeut@ef is to operate upon
tie affections, prjndees. aud long tablished habits
of the community, and the cquences cannot bo
distinctly iorcseen or foretold. A numerous popu-
linton, filling not much short OF million, cannot at
fonce throw of their, old usages and customs. and
laccomodate themselves TO rely new order OF
aiicay different from that Under which they
had lived III peace and tranquility. without icurrnp
the rieaiie of many and great evils This govern
meat had existed for than ftY yeure and I'M,
der-l the people giad ettved happiness and cog
here were, 1t is true, occusonai clarnors
aFsiDg from local causes and preiudices and not
real defects nj the form or y,,verprnent and
he hoped this amendment would not be adopted to
aay snch complaints Inthats part of tho State in
which lIcsresided, he had not heard IF a ser;o,,s
comphipt touching the gt of suffrage The 1yeople
there, in this respect at least, we're satisfied; wfy
then adopt this qualiicatonof the rirht of SUI
tGage winch isais poor opinion would put to hazard
eae pest OF The country ard even euGanoer
the the peoe? We are called upo to
substitute tor the freehold snffra that if be
not universal suffrage falls but little short oft It is
proposed that those who wears ofu1e who hear
arms, & have resided 10 months iii the count in ,
yproPose tovote, should have this right 81 the e
ton OF the principle amounted effect to what he
GATED universal suffrage was told bysone rer-
ttfenan ito tue correctness whose statistics he did
not however feel himself bound to subscribe y
aqotlo this measure would add the nun,er of
! voters IN tue State more than so thosand the pre-
sent number being somewhat more than 40 thousand
Thus the power ofthe government is to be transfer
red from the hands Of the 10 thousand who hive the
deepest interest at stake tlle 60 thousand who
but Interest. 1t no idle
ohnera OF the brains the possession ofIan fur
nishes The strongest evidence of permanent
llnterest with, and attachment to the nuil
/ siuch mad been already said by gentlemen on both
sides, the powerful influence of local
alta chHent upon the conduct Of IIan aud i .otild
not made to comprehend how that passiol, fld
DE mere efectuay brought into acficxS than nv n
CONSCIOUSNESS oftbe fact, that he was tic owner f
the spot winch he could enphatIcalycan his home
! IL was upon this olrd.tisa he wished to n,ce the
right OF sutiragps Tls was the best general STAN
dlrd inel could be fesorted to for the purpose of
determining whether tep eroiis to be ,;tb
the right OF Suffrage such persons as eo,ld he
consistently wi h the safety ard well beinn of fl,e
ceinmunity entrusted with he exercise Of that riol
Much had been sart in the discussion v,ssfeyil, ~
oppression and impolicy resulting from an adf,e
renee to tee present retricSes1tfr ge which, he pre-
stunned was ireisded to produce sonle t,,,
1ic opsmen Tor he could not suppose twas intended
as a seElons argument addressed 10 thus Committee
q tlang other things had been seriously told nv
one gentleman that many of the citizens oI
fnehWeaitii non freehelers, labofng under a sense
81 me Great INJUSTICE done them in withholding
wEra Enfa
native State, and TO ernigrate to other States tha
Union where suffrage was UNIVERSAL that tI,er5y
sney might ENJOY that most Invaluable right This
was a mere hgmeHt oftie fancy &c syad6ljftsd IN
all sides, that TO obtain the qualification sof a vot
The expenditure of trifc in anlolt ,yould no MI
i that was necessary. Yet we are toIdthat
saa OF ts commonwealth migra
ing to- other parts of the onion TO avoid This
odous principle, and doine this ;rt ,,,sr.
too, tacA bes9u'l ha would required 10 r, 5
deal in fascdui Suggestions He ,eei
sennset 70 iszafd ss opinion is eys l;,s -
VA portion OF the aver
" To avoid that other kind of
Cal oppression The idea oiie AM, he 5neI &
setups rom ne aatfp of genicii,aas et
90 ~ asces, inquire of such Yifeiniss
as 7es tolss States what Opinions
upon tls sc2Jsc " they be- found syie with
curses Secase While Citizens hef iey etiiSed moi ,j ~
OF sutrsgcs sSc fhey would hold a vce
,yttd - or Tyranny and oppression, they
leIins OF the psotosddsst veneraioB of her
tonSal Virginia had so eoInoietefv flef,
represent, aad Is She bads,isret any
SO ch ifonl nef councils froBI those OF
pr RI.
Is Y because she, common with ti,e oiler
= ioourlDg undefa depnrabe connie scia de
Pls o. things and look Tor improvement Of cur
uoh fon the future councils Of State
- ay pc" Gown this government under this YAM
Jsj e.e tasa serious aPPFehensions that could not
til ~ ~",ch cosd long endure No. Sir the condi
non 10 winch we find ourselves, has hot arisen fn nor Gu
m @ Dy e policy Of the State government in the eg
on 81 ne internal aud domestic concerns 1t could MOI %
cu oy ts Introduction of universal suffrage as intc,s
% proposition Of the gentleman Monougalia for s,nce
"oulu Ge excluded he felt himself Justified In calling
o,'seisa' Tic nduised sanguine hope that lbe Co,e
was h1t prepared to adopt t bold innOpation-be vo,l
2 Us S dangerous experiment., faugft in hrs opinion win
'1r HcofceIya6e tie said that had listened ,yi h
C' aeH'ioh 10 tie gentleman from LOudoun Mir feder
@ udt gentleman would baye furnished some srong aud
arguments IN support of that side of this Question
uch nc had espOusedh he had been much disapnoini 90
me gentleman did not possess the requisite talents and