Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1829-11-28
States which require the payment OF taxes ia nd.
don q ase and re.idepre = -

IL IL
NOW, sir lhave presented for your Grafton Ia
oates oil this Union in which the right Of suffrage is ex-
'ehed generally To all the tree white male citizens of II
oil age Some OF them, but not ALL have excluded
paupers soldiers and seamen;and have not even
Guided Tree negroes Six OF them, like Virginia. hold
slaves, and six do not. I have also presented YOU
with ten States, which require the payment of .xes In
addition to the qualifications of age and residencefonr
OF them slavc-hoding, and six not. South Carolina
Maryland, Massachusetts and New York. have chang,
Cd their former Constitutions in this particular and have
abandoned the freehold qualification except as to free
negroes, in New York The Constitution oil that State
free negroes being male citizens of that State
OIL iui age, who hold estates of freehold Of the value
500, clear OF debts and incumbrances and who shall
nave paid taxes on their estates to vote. But have
hesrd that the Legislature refused tax these free
Mods, and thereby deprived the owners Of voting
mere IS an express provision in the Constitution that nc
ree negros rca estate under the value of $3.50 shall
be taxed so that no man is taxed in that State without
representation L believe, Mr.. Chairman, from these
acts, may conclude that the freehold right OF
suffrage contrary TO the genius Of the people of the
present age and the republican institutions the United
IL any confidence be placed in the people OF the
united states, (and presume there be sonel so far
and precedent taken from then, have any
uehce on our deliberations, that influence Is i'm favor
oil an extension, even beyond the amendment OF nv
eoneaguc: The example Of these States ha. very
powerful influence on the people of Virginia, well
assured My residence Is Pennsylvania and Ohio;
ana see and know the influence Of those States and
he'r institutions over the people of the western part of
suffrage on societythey approve they desired change
nnc SIR look around you; and you find members on this
from the Tennessee line, round to that of Maryland
WAC advocate the same principles for which contend
but TO the south, the North Carolina line we meet
with opposition i''' We "e''
The gentleman over tho way, (Mr. Trezvant) has
ou us mat every republican government in the world
where universal suffrage instituted has gone ia r
IN and perdition. Now, sir would like the sentlem
20 name he government to which he refers us that we
may know the force Of his precedents. / shew him
q republican governments where suffrage, although
n run. NV ~ S's
| Here Mr. TREY ANT remarked that his rof.ren.o
was 10 the ancient republics of Greece and Rome where
suffrage became univcrsal1
:, lhen' MT Chairman. the gentlsmans cases are not
" po'n shh cannot, therefore, be considered as having
any influence ON the question. IL is not necessary In
",c"-s them They were either democratic or very
imperfect republics and their histsry .hes that ,b.
are not examples for us Sir we mus, oot IN or 800,
STATES whose history we know and whose exomol. We
'eeL ,hey sustain us: and are sustained i'm our
principles oy The opinions Of Of the hes, and Wi.
IN -. IN ~ o. our own country-men whose will go
uown 10 posery when many Of us will be forgotten .
Ne are nor contendng Tor a wild and un,ried scheme
NO ~ u one founded on the eternal principles of liner
" ana equality, which must characterize everv rood
can DO. 'e'
But there is another objection Tbo.. ,vb, . 80
,akes are unworthy OF the privilege of voting I, must
oe observed that taxes be sed in varou, 20.
" ',ees may be required instead of the payment Of
"Ion'y nr inc support Of government. Every thin,
contributed Tor the support any branch of the ar.
concerns OF government may be Ieyi,nateiy consi
uerea as part OF the taxes and il is curio, fact
the taxes and services imposed IN the ueopI, of VII
ga have been so ranged. that the burtb. n.
| nave oeen put upon tho'e who do not vote Yes sir
say That those who do not VOTE are burdened pre,v
beyond what is right, and more than Is ger eray
nsg,neu; on former occasion attempted to shsw
and did shew, that such is the fact
This scheme OF taxation 10 effected bv ,u,horix,
nose iVs 'te governments spread the whole ter
rory OF the State, (he county city and borough cor,
to levy taxes 10 any amount Ii is true ,he Lew ~
| who are but;t
uon TAX aud very frequently far exceeds the vhoIe 70
.en"e ved upon all the property OF the counties Look
an me Items OF county taxes and county services.
mih'ary duty-abour on the public roads-coun,y ie
vlet ior various purpo'es-poor levies be moor ann
porting hc poor and PATROLS in the counties Add an
these little items together and IL will he found that hs
make large sums-ihat they very important contr;
buttons TO the SUPERINTENDENT highly necessary for
,, sJoa oelns Inc voters pay in general the same
ou' he number Of those who do vote so far exceeds
hen, that the whole contribution of the yotsr. l.
even greater than that OF the voters.
wv "ays ago we were told that wealth and poli,i-
ea power could not he divorced-tha capital and Iabo,
could not be separatedand that labour must he renrs
ehen' YET SIR, on the present OCCASION we find tba,
amour IS only to be represented by the votes of
fd6ouTerS; and the whole power Of the eovsrn,n., =;
70 he placed at The control OF the capital of the connie,
possio'e 1t IS not for me, however to reconcile
'nese Inconsistencies IN gentlemen's arguments, he
state not TO say, tina those CO. or so 600 n.rsons A.
whom Is proposed TO extend the right of sutIcage co.
ue me great mass OF actual productive Iabour-rs of
me STATE. Mr. Chairman, believe IL cannot he o,I.r
wise. ~ 70 ''"o'-
We have been toll that we shall bay. F. war of n.
poor against the rchand that the right of ,ron.r v oil,
oe"esroyed' " the amendment be adopted In /, not
So and no man can or ought believe it, If Tie nee
PIE o. 'he East west or South, have given us exampI..
worthy OF our imitation, we can lear no .uch ,b,n
mere mas been no instance OF ar upon propertv In; an,
" our sister States. IL IL Just secure in then, n. IN
virginia. here IL more Of IL in the Nor,b-gte,ter
."'es-'no perhaps more OF them than here. There
greater distance between the rich and ,b. mo- -
ye the poor is in better condition than ,hev srs ,y;,t
u. or, we can ind nothing like physical ran;,e i,
me states where general suffrage has he en- aas,t.J
AN hVe IN peace happiness pr ospsrty and tan.n,iIi
", ana every mvn s secure in bis OWL person and ro
perry, under his own roof. p"
IL has been argued that general .ua.,.o h...,.,
cy 10 bring together the rich the poor and ,b,, a.
one VIII have means and be able 10 buy i'm ,h- o,h a.
'he prejudice OF the liberty of the peopls TIL. -,
menu always comes from thoss who sdvoe, N n,
o. ie ie" over the many. Yes, sir from the real ,ri.
10 81, IN u'1 country u an argument TO bs found
IN nearly all the treases of Theoretical writer. who sur
peri ari'tpcracies. The object is TO alarm The oeon
WIN iedr That The poor will be bought ard rnads en-
gbes OF their own ruin II is only for puroo,es If a.
arm and Is not true. II the Constitution shsI re,;r.
e'eciors' me payment OF a small tax lust before A.
na".n ,ere WIN be possibility Of an improper
ihHre can be candidates eorrupt euo,,r N
ouy' having the means 10 buy and voters base
70 eeiitheir votes But know OF no c,s. II corr,,
, =" a"y OF 'he STATES, having such ualifcatjon
oases OF mere suspicion, perhaps. have occurred II
NJ, P'y'".", VI 'afes' be made quali6c ton they
ough nov 70 De required Immediately be ore tAs sIc
non, but sonc one two wears preredn. a., -;
"hen h-y cannot be paid with view 10 snv ,,r,i.',
iT elect'on Bat, sir, would not tax m a. n..st
10 qnHhiy him to vote although NAV be pro,cr l.; az,
wdy require man justly aud honestly to nav nh, -
lie demands. NJ froe men ought II vs,s hs.S,, ~,
are free men Then they will act ioJsnsnJ.nI s Iy
men can never be purchased by The cash of Candidate
or TIE power Of dsmagogusS No the poor viii &. 90