Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1830-03-23

cling as to lives, and trust i'm the author O.
all good that, as he has permitted them to tc
us untarnished will he permit us, the strength
Oh our manhood, to preserve them and transmit The
sacred legacy; the Legally without price untarnishes
and undiminished to our posterity AS citizens anc
freemen, we feel ourselves authorised and required
TO scrutlnlZe, and accept reject, this Fundamental
law; this new or amended Constitution which is of.
tered to our consideration and upon which we are to
pass vote of sanction rejection, the election to
be held IN this county for members to the General
Assembly, III April next We do not deem it our
Duty or necessary, to 60 INTO the merits of the
Vera parts OF this instrument: feel ourselves al
liberty 10 select those which strike forcibv
and upon them to make up our decision In accord
ance with this principle and right, we first take up
the manner in which the right OF suffrage has been
extended, and to this object; time, aud our limits
Will not permit US to set out fully the defects. The
Convention have deemed it fair TO extend this right
beyond the freehold qualification. And to whom
could it be more properly extended, than to those
who are citizens by the Bill of Rights, and upon
whom devolve the arduous duties of defence and pro-
lection III times OF disaster OF war, and of difficulty?
We would ask any man of virtue and integrity, if
you depart from freehold qualification, to whom can
this right be more safely entrusted both for indepen-
dent and viruous exercise, than to the of free
holders, of farmerss Yes, 10 the OF eeholders
of hrmers-those who are born on the SOIL and are
to inherit it; those who love it, and in the language
OF Bonaparte can recognize it by the very SMELL
y not the tenant the lease holder the mere objecb
of the great andholder:-No. jAlthough in the
chnste language and elevated opinion of a leading
member of the late Convention -she is a sooundrel
and puppy who would not vote as his father might
require him. not for one moment Will it be believed
that the son cannot give free and independent
vote. The principle has not yet fixed itself with u.s.
that the father will dare, daring would desire
to destroy In HIM who is his hope and stay, and from
whose IONS his blood and name to be perpetuated
through time, would wish to strike from his spirit
the love of independence and freedom of political
opinion and action. We assert then, that to this
class of citizens the right of suffrage should have
0d No cly .,kt1. 4
late what we have often heard, of the independent
exercise of the right of suffrage by tenants and lease
holders. In the adjoining county of Washington,
some twenty odd years since they held their cleo
tons free for all OF full age; large landholder of
the name of Thompson engrafted in all his leases
condition that the tenant to vote in all cleo
tons as he might require him, the lease was
forfeit. Perhaps the same spirit NAV again at.
| tempt to rule the people; and who SO likely to
counterval the undue influence of the large land
holder or the manufacturer the sons of the free
holders: tor 1t has never been understood that this
same Thompson threatened to curtail the patrimony
OF his sons for the full aud free exercise of this right
base as Was and IS the principle yet he felt the val
ue OF independence, and cultivated in his sons We
therefore assert that the right of suffrage has
been judiciousy extended. We are of onnion thai
the judiciary that may hereafter be elected are far
Their removed from the people, than under the Con
stitution which fathers left US. BY that Constitu
ton, aNlcies OF impeachment were had, and major
ity OF the triers might convict and remove; by thu
new constitution it is true that in some cases ari
cies of impeachment may be dispensed with, bu
even then, what is done? You are required, to give
twenty days notice, with copy of the ale
ged for removal, and two thirds of both houses Zone
of which is the tribunal for the trial of irnpeach
ments,) must concur; what is the object of notice
but that the Judge may array his friends, and defend
himself? The difficulty of approaching obnoxiou.
Judge, under the new constitution increased, it
| preposterous to say otherwise. The old Judges til
true, thrown overheard you send out the saet,
boat and save the favorites the remainder have wal
ked the pirate plank and are drowned. We shall Sc
Iect no other of the parts of this political edifce
this governmental halo of glory, but at once descent
to the foundation the basis of representation the Re
publican foundation TO the Virginia fundamental law
IT'S here we must bespeal the attention of Virgni;
men, Virginia Republicans Jefersonian Republicans
and the friends of liberty and equality, wherever
scattered or found to come to our aid, appeal tc
their sterling principles we call upon them in the
name of unborn millions whose rights and liberties
are in their keeping, to raise their voice, and with
protest, that this structure based upon nothing, fon
died on principle; this arbitrary basis of reprcsen
tatlon this odious "Gght house in the sky" shall nc
yer supercede the eternal principles of equal civil
right and liberty. Disguise it as you WILL the facts
the historic facts will bear out in the assertion
that the principle that in the people, or majority
free white population of the country, ought the pow
er alone 70 rest has been compromised, IN fixing thu
Il basis OF this Constitution. We feel and deeply d
we feel 1t, that sanction the principle which thi
bantlng of Gordons holds forth, and we take to on
bosom, and cherish the bastard foetus of Benjamin
watkins Lee. we are fearful, that much caDno
be doIie by those who will hold out with us thi
occasion, those who by their votes will reject thi
Aristocratic instrument; but, we feel ourselves q
liberty, and that it s bounden duty to coantry
our children, and the world, to enter our solemn
protest to the adoption of instrument, the yer
base of which, by not acknowledging, virtually deue
the glorious principle that all power is IN the people
and that no man, set of men, entitled to exclu
sive privileges. We feel that ancestors and coun
s trymen, of whom the father of the faith, Tboma
= Jefferson. n
light which they offered to the oppressed man of ever
cline; that when they left us, they placed IN our hand
the sacred beacon warning to cherish, guard ant
defend 1T, making it duty to hold it aoft to al
f admlrng world and charging at the peril of
historic Iauc, to transmit it unbiemshed to posterity
We feel the weight Of this bequest and obligation
we acknowledge It's worth, and dare not abuse it
We feel that let the conseq ences be what they may
is for us as men, fearlessly to approach the polls
and trusting in God, and the strength of cause
record our votes AGAINST its adoption. Having done