Rhode-Island constitutionalist. [volume] (Providence [R.I.]) 1834-1834, 1834-04-07


their original sovereign capacity The constitutions of
all the States proceeded from the great majoriiy vi the
peepe, fairly represented Ia Convention. These con
situations laid before them for acceptance or ieec
tion They could aud did define, limit and settle their
own rights rs they ft The fact above stated 80
lar then from proving any thing against the rights OF the
people, proves another thing concusvely IN favor of
the people, namely that In manesing much solic-
tude that all places trust should be filled with those
most competent Ia discharge their dues aud IN thus
foregoing AN equal ciain 10 the1 all the voters, they
have shown themselves the safe osiory Of political
p"wer and s@men,iy worthy republican freedom
We do not ask for Rhange ikTe, ,mereIy because
strction like has been abok shed in other States =
but because such change Is right Still the fact that
twenty-five, out of twenty three, of the other states,
have no such exclusive landed qualification that now
Insisted upon IN this, ought To go far IN overcoming any
doubts scuples the subIecbbf extension oi SUI
rage Aie not the people of the other states our bret
we not all bound together people, under
the glorious Constitution OF the United Statgs! Can the
people of this State be expected 10 entertain any less
Liberal ideas OF Republican freedom and government
than the vast majority o their brethren elsewhere, who
united them In interest and feeling. and separated
only by tho outline of state boundaries? Such
pcctation Ia unreasonable aud contradcted by all OBJ
servation and experience Are not the people Of other
States who have adopted the plan OF extension, as en-
ghIeDed capable OF understanding the greatest good
OF the whole, us much best with sound laws and the
wise execution OF them as ourselves! Arc we Indebted
to landed suffrage for any deceed superiority In
civil and social condition Have we gone farther than
all others, in propou bn to means in providing for
o No. to eSss ,
part of our subject any farther ut presented any man
point to any one practical result In this State, which
gives an advantage to landed qualification for voters
over that OF the payment of taxes and we shall be happy
10 give IL fair considerations and allow 10 II all the
weight to which il may be entitled
One Of the offered in favor OF freehold quail
ihcation Is that il lends to greater division OF land,
aud to check the of great landed estates Even
admitting this to be true The remedy s not wanted for
ii has already been supplied by the statute of dstrbu
lions The right of prmoeenure as II respects prop
eny has been done away An equal division most
commonly takes place at the death Of parent and 1t
is perfectly well known that the third, fourth genera
tO nost in this country scaters the greatest
mutation that the industry and economy ofthe ancestor
Is ever able to make Poperty Is divided and equaliz
ed In our country To an extent never known In any 9th
err And the interest in property, OF some kind other,
thus ceatet the majority Of the people is one reason
and strong se for believing that our form Of govern
ment will be permanent. In no State, which has ex
changed the landed for qualification has there
been the slightest complaint of too great accumula
tion of land IN few hands from this The argu
ment is evidently for the benefit OF the present
! suffrage law, than for the benefit of the people,.
hat then is the Inject Of any property qualification
at all for voer The only Just object Is TO raise pre-
sumption Of his honesty aud Intelligence. Where this
honesty and Intelligence can be ascerained, indepen-
IDENTITY Of particular qualification there the necessity
OF II ceases. Men Of all opinions readily say in the
discussion of the question Of fsage We should be per-
fectly willing 10 let In all honest and integcn
To voie whether they have property or not If we could
only ascertain them The man of substance 10 not ad
miied to vote, upon any property qualification which
may be adopted because he Is OF substance, but
becanse his qualification raises the necessary presu
tion in his favor II the law merely regarded the vot
cts substance, then the more substantial he might be,
the power should he have a voter. lfths were
the spirit of law relating 10 the elective right then, to
he consistent, ought to back To the plan adopted
by one 'f the kings Of ancient Rome, who divided the
voters into classes and centuries in such way that
though each had but vote, yet the Of sub
stance had the most centuries and controlled the cleo
tions. But how does property, or the ability TO pay
tax which implies property and amounts to the
Thing, raise inference OF mans honesty and intel
ligence! Only in this way u man inherit property.
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