Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1830-02-25
For Ms .Martias5,rg Gazette.

For the .Hurtns5trg Gazette.
HE NEW CONSTITUTIONAL N
, the qualified votss under the ne,e Cou,t;,,,.
fion:
In my last number endeayored 70 60. ~
re You, IN the clearest manner that 7 co,l',
le difference between the old and the ~
nsttution, and the superiority of the latter
Ter the former in the distribution of political
wer, by the change in the Legislative
Panch. ! endeavored also to satisfy You bv
cws which appear to me unanswerable.
hst we shall have, in the event of its adon.
~ by the people, a much better chance
g. exsr, OF fixing the bass of representation
on fRe free tchate population Of the St,.te.
- Wa 5sll have If this constitution is rsiect.
- and Ne are thrown back into the old svs-
m of gross inequality, under which the
ice and claims of the large counties have
en- unheard and UNDECIDED. | endeavored
- point out to you the truth of an old pro-
orb, s'that IT is best to make haste sio,yly.r
AT II this be true in the common affair, OF
e, II is more strikingly so in great political
hanges; and that, therefore, il would be
uch the wiser plan to make fast what we
I'VE done, than to let all fall, and do all the
ork over again
omitted, however, to mention under that
vision OF my subject, provision in the new
Constitution, which have no doubt YOU will
pnsider an amendments is this, that meln-
ers OF the Senate must be thirty-tfue Years
age instead ofttoenty .jipe, as provided by
be old c0nshtution;-and in the House Of
delegates, the candidate for seat must have
tanned to the age of twenty-five instead Of
N1entytOfse, as ii has heretofore been. The
advantages which will result from having
ben OF mature age to make laws for us. are
DO obvious to need any comment.
ia now proceed to the consideration of the
cond grievance under the old constitution !,
nd the important changes made by the new
ne in the RIGHT OF SUFFRAGE:
81 On this head, may well address myself
alphabetically, "To the voters under the new
brm Of Government" with the reasonable
Expectation that those to whom the doors of
he political Temple have been at last OPEN,
ID, and against whom they have heretofore
been unkindly closed, will readily seize the
opportunity of securing to themselves their
high and honorable distinction of citizenship
wliich is now granted and rendered to them
Tor the first time. There is no reason, that
ban see, why they should not vote for the new
Constitution; and from my knowledge of the
NOV Of no motives which will IL ducs them to
Extension of this important right; because
such motives would imply want Of generos
ity and patriotic fellow feeling for the exclu-
ded class of their fellow citizens, which /
know to be foreign to their hearts -
UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE is 4 term in
common use, and kind Of suffrage that has
its advocates-and yet it is an absurdity in
terms; and its advocates make it mean any
mode of suffrage which may, to any individ-
uaf, seem Just and liberal. If suffrage is uni
Versal, every living person who can walk and
speak should have right to vote; and per-
haps, to carry it into full operation, infants.
unable to do either, ought to vote by proxy.
There Is no such thing as uaicersat suffrage, and
there cannot be. The most strenuous adyo
cate for it would not, presume. permit te-
males to vote; and yet there are some well An
formed accomplished women who have q
high stake In the country, because of their
which, as well as their personal
rights, IS subject to the law Nor would he
have men to vote under age; and yet how
many young men of Is, Is and 20 are there
IN the country who could vote with judgment
aud independence. Nor would he, suppose,
agree that free blacks, passpers, and ENLISTED
,otdiers should vote: yet still he would cali his
system universal suffrage. 1t is obvious that
there must be some limitation to this right IN
every government The only question is,
where should this line of restriction be
drawn? and this is question of policy to be
decided by the consideration Of many circum =
character Of the government
the nature Of the population--the past his
present state-the future prospects
6f the country. Still there may be, in free
government ike this, general rules laid down
as fair bases On which to esta blish the right.
should say that it, ought to be extended,
If practicable, to every white man OF fun age
who has a permanent common interest with
the rest of his fellow citizens in the welfare
of the Commonwealth; who has sufficient IN
telligence to appreciate this interest, AMI sui
fici ent independence to vote as he pleases.
This I take to be the desideratum. 1t is
not pretended that any general plan OF SUI
frage will not include some individuals VINO
ought not 10 vote, and exclude some who
could well exercise the franchise; but l, LOT
one. would never consent to introduce airs-
tocraey into the very icorking machinery Of a ;
free government, by extending the nght OF
.uffrare to those who would care nothing and
know nothing about our institutions, ana VINO
,vanla vote "A others would dictate to them
would never wish to see the votes OF those
.vho would think and act for themselves out
Numbered through the influence OF lew
meddling CIR ambitious individuals. Virtue
and talents viii have, and should have, Their
ant tOt