The Hawk-eye and Iowa patriot. (Burlington, Iowa) 1839-1843, 1839-12-26
paupers, should be permitted to vote for

any Office of the government, from the
highest TO the lowest---far outvieing IN
this particular, the other states Of the
Union, and Uergiag from the extreme of
restricted to that Of universal suffrage"
And this proposition originated with
ERAsrus Roof (now Wing State Sena-
tor in New York, the gentleman who ac.
cording to the Gazette voted with MAR
Pin FIRST, on Ill important ques,ions) in
that convention. We doubt not, howev-
er, with this damning proof to the con.
t'ary, that the Gazette would call this
ERAsTus Roof rank blue-ligh. federaiist.
an enemy of the people and one who had
no confidence in them, although at the
late election in New York State one third
of the votes giv.n were admitted in con-
sequence f the engraftment of tina, lac
cording to V. B. outrageous provision on
the constitution Of the State.
Oh! what mockery is it, and what SER
vile adulation does it evince. TO claim for
a political leader exclusive perfection, to
deny, in despite of truth, that he has ever
erred! But let US proceed in our dissec-
ton.
The Gazette, in pursuing its history of
the proceedings of the Convention, says,
Dedicated in this, their darling object,
some Of the .federalists, aoiM uie,o of
making the ne,O constitution sufficiently
oaious TO procureits defeat by the people,
ran into the other extreme, and avo.oed
themselves against placing a,ay restric-
ton avhateuer atpoo the electric franchise
in other words, in favor of maiversal
su6rage.''
1t is . sufficient answer to this baselcss
assertion that MIR. Van Buren's friend
! Mr. Root introduced that resolution as be-
| fore mentioned.
Having met the Ga cite in all his twist
ings and doublings, let us see what Van
Buren, thought Of universal suffrage, and
we must take for our idea of universal
suffrage that his proposition whose pas
sage he endeavoured to prevent. for which
he called an unfortunats democrat from
Washington county, to account in the fol-
lowing terms:
The Question then required, shall an
attempt be made TO add that of household
: er, to the hig lway qualification, and run
the ha ard of the re-introduction Of the
proposition of the gentleman from Wash
ing,on, abandoning all qualifications and
throwing open the ballot boces TO eUery
body demolishing, at one blow, the dis
tinclive character of an elector. the proud
est and most invaluable attribute OF free
men.'
He,e it will be seen that his idea was
to restrict the exercise of the elective
franchise to householders and that he de.
sisted from that attempt, only because he
would thereby run the hazard of throw
ing the polls open to every body"
This proposition of the gentleman from
Washington was no more or less than the
present qualification, and V. idea o
that can be ascertained by the following
extracts from his speeches which every
one will see evince an inordinate love O
and confidence in the sovereign people.
He says : First, i, would give the city
Of New York 1000 more votes thai
she then had--and that the characte
! of the increased number of votes woult
be such as to rend r the elections Ours.
rather than a blessing -aUhich ,coult
drive from the polls all sober mi',de.
people. '-p. 267.
: The editor of the Gazette, last week
triurnphantly pointed to the city of New
York, as having by its firm course durin
e the late election done honor to the caus
of democracy by its endorsement. of a
n Buren's measures. We are confident tina
4 his satisfaction would have been NOR
h sparingly expressed had those poor fel
/ lows the Buttenders, Bali-rollers, &c
u ahead-ers, Albany Basin Rattlers, @c.&e
y who were the main spokes of his par,
there this last year been deprived b
! Van Buren, policy, as exhibited in thi
quotation, Of the privilege of voting. B,
: again v. Z. says
y The door would be closed again
o retreat, whatever might be our after col
II viction founded on experience as 10 Il
j. evil tendency Of this extended suffrage.
70 s'Frhe just equilibrium between the RICH
y, Of those who have and those who have i
). interest in the government could whe
IN once thus surrendered never be regalne
n tercept by the sacord."
f. He fears he shall have to fight the pc
Of pie to get away from them this glorio'
III privilege which it was proposed to gi,
~ them. And yet he believed that they we
m worthy of its exercise. as says the G