Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1830-02-04


well as the law Aud il further provided, that "wben
sitting Tor that purpose, the Senate shall be h.
Affirmation; aud no per+on shalt he convicted wi hout
the concurrence OF Two thirds Of the members present"
Herein II with the provi on in .1riicie LIST Sec
lion 3. Clause 6. oil The Constitution of the United
States.
the person iinpeached.
The old Constitution provides. that "ii found guilty
he, or they, 'hal be either forever di ahed to hold
any office under government, removed from such Of
lice pro tempore subj ,cted TO such pains AMI penal
ties as the law shall Direct II il put in the aiternd
tive and leaves the Legislature the power oil
one or the o'her Of those judgments nv general law
The new Constitution copies The 7h clause Of the
3d section LIST article, of the Federal Con and
declares that Judgment in OF Impeachment sha
not extend further than 10 removal from office, and
disqualification 10 hold and enjoy any office of honor
trust profit, under the Commonwealth" farther an
this the tribunal for the trial OF impeachnents cannot
co. but as the party mpeached may be guilty Of some
high crime or msdemeanor murder, treason, felony
Tor which, IL he s exempt from pun-hnent an injury
VIII be done TO society he shall, like all oher Gull it's
be brought before the regular courts OF law and have
the benefit OF trial by jury; il, eors further pro-
vie-' but the party convicted shall nevertheless be
liable and subject Indictment trial Judgment and
punishment, according TO law
ARTICLE III.-S"c' lion IL
THE RIGHT OF SUFFRAGE
10 endeavouring to .rtan who will be entitled 10
exercise this great privilege, will distribute them into
ella asses.
1. Every white male citizen Of the Commonwe alth,
resident therein, aged twenty wears and upwards
being qualified TO exercise the Right of Suffrage ac
cording to the former Constitution aud laos shall
be qualified to vote for members OF the General Assem-
bly,.
1t will be observed, that the qualification. of ci,i.
zenship, color sex, residence in tie Comm onweal.h
and age, apply noonly to this class, but to all The others
The person offering TO vote must he citizen of the
Commonwealth; alien, citizen of any other State
unless by residence amongst us he becomes CITIZEN
here, can vote. He must be whi;e neg no or mu.
atto can vote. The person must be male; no WON IN
can vote. He mus, reside in the Common w ea h; even
citizen who resides in Maryland. the District of
Columbia, cannot exercise the privilege. Nor can
minor Tor he must be twenty Years of age up.
wards.
BY the old Constitution aud laws, FRKxuoLpEns be.
ing possessed (ether by themselves by heir tenant
Tor years at viii or at suerance) of twenty acres OF
land with house twelve feet square an plantation
thereon, fiiiy OF unnproved land or of Ioi mr.
part ola lot oil land in city or town established by law
having been so possessed Ter six months unless the III
tie came by devise descent marriage, marriage SET
clement lin which cases six months previous posses.
sion u not necessarily the only persons in eenero
who have the right TO vote. !siey must vote in tho
county, city, &c where the land lieih. II the so acres
or the 20 acres being in on. body, lie in several
counties, they must vote in q e first case where the
greater part of the land lies; in the second case where
the house stands In the of pArceners tenants in
common aud joint tenants, il there be land enoug the
may all vote; ii not, but vote can be given nv ali
the holders capable OF voting, who may be present and
agree on The person to be voted person holding
freehold in city town entitled representation
cannot vee Tor county delegate by virtue of his city
| IRE ehoJ.
said ,hat such Freeho1dtrs as are above described
are the only persons m general entitled the right of
suffrage by the old Constitution. There il, an ALWAYS
has been, erception in tae City Of Whamsburs and
Borough OF Norfolk. There, not only freeholders bu
house -keepers who shall have resided there six
months previously, and shall BE- possessed of vi.ibl.
estate of thu value of I66 and two thirds AZ leas, mr.
stall actually have served as apprentice 10 some
trade within the same for five years least and shall
have obtained certificate OF such srrvic- from the
court OF hutngs under the seal of the CITY mr.
borough, are qualified electors IL will he observed
that there j. considerable diff renee between these
/ -tnlk nd llIatna hr.r
whom the privilege is extended by the new Conslitu-
ton
The first class of persons then, who are to exercise
the right of suffrage under the order OF things
The above described rcehoiders and
who have heretofore exercised it,
think have perceived small incongruity in this
hr' paragraph OF h- II S.ctisn. II saws that IN.
ci'izen who votes must he resident in the Com
monwealth and II au HORSES all p rson. TO voc who
have that right under the existing laws. But by the
provso to the 81 Section OF the General Ee ction law
q Rev. Code, p. 1860 citizen Of Virginia who inha
bts within the dsrict oil Columbia or else where no,
within the iurdic,on of this Commonwealth toID is
employed m the service nj United S afes or 0r This
Commonwealth, and whose foreign residence is occa-
stoned ny such service, may vote in Vrsnia by yir.
tue OF his freehold. TLu, if citizen of Yiryoia he
the IRE den, or a Secretary OF of the Drpart-
mems, or Treasurer, Clerk. AMI reside in con,e
qucnce thereof in the District OF Columbia or il he he
commissioned officer in the army of the ui,eL S,,s
and reside in New York or Cincinnati he NAV vote
in Virgna,i he has freehold OF 50 or % acres accord
ing to the exi.Iing law. And he may do so under TN.
o. VI "'- oeCtoH pUt tDe Isl line he
'Tes'dchf therein" 1t is possible, however tina, the
distinction between permanent and temporary re
dence may explain the seeming incongruily Tn.
other classes OF those from whom IN. rich,
has been heretofore wi,ilhe!, but TO whom il i, now
expended
2nd Class. IL Is extended 10 ''every sucb citizen,
(thati Is, to every white male citizen OF the Common.
wealth, resident therein, aged tw-ny-one wears and
up"ards0 being possessed, "w hose tenant for wear
VIII or at susrance is possessed OF an state of
hold in land OF the value Of 25 dollars and so
10 ne any assessment thereof be required by law
The old law had a reference to the n brr of acres
without regard TO the vslu this has reference 10 The
lIe without regard TO the numb of acres If (ree
no der has an acre, or half in the country he
viii have rfsht 10 vote under this clause p,oviJed
his acre or hall acre Is OF the value OF % dollars and
so assessed This class will include many small lr,e
holder. who have been heretofore excluded.
81 Class. Ills extended 10 every such citizen be-
ing possessed az tenant in common. isnt tenant or
pdrcener OF interest ill., .hare Ct lauJ and having
an estate oil freehold therein, such interest share be
ing oil tie value Of rs dollars and So assessed 10 be- il
any assessment thereof he CURED by law" This is
another class OF small /TeehJiders stated that under
the present system parcencrs, s. could not all vote
unless thsre wa land enough ALLOW each to vote so
para'eIy Thus, il there be ihcee sons of deceased
puen', and there be $50 of unimproyed land or
20 acres with house H. aud 100 scres uniproved
&c they may all vote, but no. otherwise Ii,is cAus
IKE me second, has regard 10 the number of acres
ht u The interest," share OF each parcener SC he d
me specified value, each will have a rich, 10 vote il
The value IL insufficient to allow them all 10 voe the
shali together have macy votes as tie value of iI
land viii entle them to-
an Cldss Its extended 10 "every such ciz m bsirr