The Northern star, and constitutionalist. [volume] (Warren, R.I.) 1834-1837, 1834-09-27
NEW SERIES VOL. 1..-NO. =.

l should like TO know from the gentlem
from Newport, why the eldest sons
freemen, and IrlshInen who have resid,
here no longer than is necessary to b
come naturalized, are better entitled
vote than our native born citizens wh
do not happen to have certain amour
of real estate.
A single remark in answer to the ger
leman from South Kingsiown, who con
siders it to be doing something in tn
nature Of forming new constitution l.
determine and fix opon the qualification
Of voters for members Of the propose
convention. Now, if either the gentle
i.ian rom Newport or the gentlemanfrnr
South kingstowD, will give u reason VIII
the same power which has altered tn
qualifications Of voters has not right {
determine the same for the election O
members to this convention, should b,
happy to hear them. ain not going int
nn argument on the abstract que stion o
right. l think the qualification shoul6
be so limited as TO include a majority o.
the white male citizens over twenty-one
years Of age. do not know how far the
proposition between those admitted upon
the plan contains in the amendment, and
those allowed to vote by the bill, as it
now stands, would be altered by the ex-
clusion Of foreigners and the eldest sons
Of lreemen witout property, both of which
classes are included in the proposition OF
the gentleman from Newport. should
state the sum Of 500 dollars personal
property as one upon which those who
have paid taxes might also be allowed to
vote for the choice Of delegates to the
Convention.
Mr. HAzARD-We propose to call
convention. The gentleman from Prov
idence calls upon the Legislature TO dis
card entirely the institutions Of our fore
fathers, to discard the qualifications which
are now established, and to let in all
white male citizens over the age Of twen-
ty-one years, who pay certain tax
This is his proposition, and it would seem
that those who are in favor of II should
offer something in its support, instead of
which the gentleman from North Provi-
dence calls upon Us for reasons why the
eldest sons Of freemen are allowed to
vote. He (Mr II, was not tenacious of
retaining that qualification though he
thought the reasons generally given a
gainst il had little or no weight in them.
The convention, if called, would do what
they thought best about it. Has the
gentleman from Providence shown any
good ground for adopting his amend
ment! He has no. offered single rea-
son in its favor. Now here is the gen.
leman from Providence asserting in the
address to the people of Rhode Island
adopted by a convention of the constitu-
ionsl party that "No form of cons.tu-
ion can be worth much which leaves to
he representative servants of the people
he power Of dctermipg the rights Of the
people as voters" And here is prop
,si,ion from the same gentleman for this
G egisature to alter the qualification Of
,oters and that i'm no limited MEASURE
The gentleman contradicts himself again.
N his 5th Resolution adopted by the same
he says that the land quail
ication was the original qualification IN
his State, and he gives his reason for it,
hat il was landed company. Now he
chooses to date the land qualification from
1914. But this is all immaterial.
Has the gentleman shewn that the pre-
ent qualification Of voters is injurious or
hardship, or has he shewn that the one
,roposed by him is fair one and ought
O be adopted? will shew that he has
,ot done either. Here is his book OF
ixty pages. l will begin at the Goth,
here is nothing before that but general
emarks abusing our institution and our
.ncestors, after having first betrayed his
that he was going to abuse
hem by protesting the greatest respect
md yeneraton for them, blaming them
or excluding the pnpists, and abusing the
legislature and government very unsPar-
ngIy throughout all their existence, and
,ith this kind of matter the book is made
. to the 2Gth page: (: AT page 2sth, he
avs that the number Of white male citi-
ems over twenty one years OF age ex-
eeds 10000. The gentleman IN this
,istakee the fact. take the number
ontained in the census presented to the
Redwood Library. don't know where
he gentleman gets his statement, tor the
eusus of the United States 10 we'll known
oes not give the number over 81 years,
1T give the number between 20 and ~
md 40 and so on. Now ] find the num-
,er of all those above 20 } ears to be a.
,73. From this amount we are to de-
luct all be tween the age Of 20 and II:
Also aliens not naturallEed, VINO, IN ="
mount to ITO. Deduct also all the
persons and temporary residents
n various parts of the State, Z, eat num-
,ers of whom, probable several thousands,
rc included in the census oil laborers
rom other States who come here to be
Employed, for time, in our numerous
,,,n,lac,or;cs and other establishments,