Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1838-08-14
DEMoCRACY-WilATl Is IT.


, n, same nerind os well ne Tor souie years proceed.
mo va. siisms,izcd as = Federal State, IN
scnsc obirh imohes by Federalism something IN.
ioronist to Democracy. And yet 90 greater con.
lrast can be presented than exists between The 60
,o,np,ont Of these two S'ates--bui 1t Is m n ID.
rcc,ion precisely opposite from that indicated By
TIA. classihcaiion Vermont - 10 all lu'cnls and
purooscs Democracy the Drmocraclc ptidclPIc
is The element no, only of her Constitution bot ot
her whole being. She may be denied the name,
bnt she csnnot he diyestec OF the substance until
the blood of fifty thousand ifcemen shall reddcn
her streams and their bodies shall cumbcr the sides
Of her vet unconpuercd and unconquerable noun
tans. Her form Of Government is pure Dem
ocracy as far as human government has ever yet
been her manners AID habits Of society are De
moctntic her provision for the Education Of her
youth (thouph she has no School Fund, and mus,
provide wholly BY direct iax0tiou) is the best, we
believe, that The Union affords. Her rule prescr;b
ing the Qualification of Voters is n correct index
10 her Whole political system Any male citizen
of the United States, twenty -one years of age,
who has been well behaved resident Of the state
for the year preceding the election, is entitled to
exercise the Right Of Suffrage. 1t would puzzle
the most lynx-eyed dsfamer of the land Of War
ner and Ethan Allen Ia discover stain of Arts
locracy her escucheon.
Very different is the case with Rhode Island
The nucleus Of her political system is not Con-
stltuion framed by the representatives OF her PEG.
pie, but Charter granted by British King which
she resolutely refuses to change or supercede.
There is nothing reprehersible IN this if the form
of government imposed thereby were not at least
half century behind the age in which we live.
But here lies the evil. 1t might be uncourteous
to denounce the system Of another state as short
sighted, narrow, absurd and aristocratic we will
merely say that it is radically opposed to what we
understand and esteem as True Democracy. No
man is allow ed to vote who does not free
hold within the State worth at least $134.-No
provision is made for the support of popular E6u-
cation. The rest is like unto this. During the
last few years, while what is in party parlance
termed Democracy was largely in the ascendant
strenuous efforts have been made to form popu-
lar and republican constitution. 1t was all in vain,
however. Not one fifth of the voters could be in.
duced to vote Reform ticket. A year ago. such
a ticket was formed, when there was no party con-
test to SIEVE as protext for casting votes against
it. The ticket received some tive hundred votes,
in State, that can cast eight thousand. Since
then, the hope Of reform seems to have yielded
to despair. A revolution in The attitude of parties
has taken place, however, opd Rhode Island has
ia consequence been read out OF the Democratic
fold. That we may presume, is dspensation
not so very utfcting but that il may be borne with
Christian forttude. If she had ever been in any
proper sense Democralic--in any sense but the
binding nonsense and argon of party-her lapse
would be alike lamenabe and marvellous. But
in truth she is just as Democratic uow as ever she
was-that is, not at all.-Iler party attitude is
one dictated by sense of her own or the Nation
al interests. L. has nothing to do with the funda-
mental principles of Government.
Another case Massachusetts and Vrginia have
been regarded as the especial representatives. re-
spectvely of Federal and Democratic principles
the flag ships of the rival armadas. SO far as re-
CARDS the party divisions of the first thirty years
existence Of our Federal Constitution, they I'M
donbtedly were so. Times have changed since
then and States have changed with them bu,
our remarks apply 10 the time when they stood at
The head OF the two great contending parties That
vitality important question divided them is undoubt.
ed. But was abstract Democracy at the bottom
of this difference Neither of them is or ever
was so Democratic as Vermont, which in the strife
OF parties was found sometimes with the one. and
then with the other. Turn to the Constitution of
Virginia Not only is Slavery there recognized
and esabIlshed-and Slavery, whether right or
ree-holds instead Of free souls land instead of
he arm to sOodue and the heart 10 deferd it's
made The basis Of the Right of Suffrage. How
democratic this is, the reader will Judge and
where this principle prevails there are always more
Ike 1t. AT least, it is so in Virginia. A man is |
allowed to vote for Delegates in Us many Counties (
Is he owns real estate in while he who owns
zone cannot vote a; all. We speak Of Vrginla
IS she was during he thirty years that she was re-
arded the standard bearer Of Democracy. Her
ew Constitution hos greatly modified some iea-
ufcs of her system, though the last named stlIl
xiss. The light of prlmogeni,ure, or unequal
estowment Of property and other advantages up
on the Oldest son-a rule fatally inconsistent with
or at least was, established by the
Constitution of Virginia. And the natural conse.
uence Of these regulations Of fundamental law
re plainly to be seen. Whoever has mingled,
oweyer slightly, in Virginia society will have
cen struck by IT'S orlstoctatic temperament and
caring. Ideas that he had thought bs nshed from
mems minds, or al leas: from this con,inent--deas
f birth, aud blood and f.mily descent and dignity,
which sound oddly TO republican ears, but worse
han oddly to the republican ps.wlli have conyiuc-
ID him that if Virginia be the pattern Of true De
nocfaoy, then II Is heh time We had new suthori-
ies for tie meaning Of languages.
- We @,ll pursue the subject no farther. If
ye have sUggqstpl Ia nDV rla.,e, 10, 81 -, +