The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1840-07-07

/ ere the only indication Of his federalism--but il
I mot Whatever of error and anti american poll
| d the federalIsts ever advocated Mr. Van Buren,
| is adobed and Incorporated into his admnstra-
on. lie is in practice what the Hartford Convon
ionis;s were IN theory. But | will not now be
lrawn aside from the present question.
1 Why would not Mr. Van Barren extend the right
bi suffrage to tie whole people? Was it because
they were poor? Poverty is no. n certain indicG-
iIon of either ignorance or vice. Both these quail
ties, and especially the latter, resides frequently
with tho rich as the poor. Suppose to-day man
owns n house, and in consequence has right to
vote; TO morrow his house is reduced 10 ashes, and
he is not a freeman. But has this misfortune,
which has DISTINGUISHED him rendered him less
valuable as a citizen, or less intelligent and vrtu-
Gus. Dr.. Franklin once met this question with
one oil his peculiar arguments Suppose, said he,
a man owns a iackass to-day and is qualified to
vote. Tomorrow the animal dies, and he cannot
vote II follows that the qualifications OF the free
man resided in the jackass and not in the man.
Butt ask again why does Nh. Van Buren, object
to universal suffrage! The State Paper gives the
ans wer. II asks {. Who are The federaits,s? and
answers, Those who derde the intelligence Of
the people-those who deny that tho people are ca
pabie of eifgovernment.
If Mr. Van Buren, had confidence in the inteI
sence Of the people, and believed them capable OF
SELF government, would he dsfranchse them? Ia
he not willing that every person Of sufficient intelli
gence and capacity for selfgovernment should vote?
Undoubtedly. He must, then, regard the people
with contempt, and believe them incapable of man
ageng their own concerns That he does So that
portion Of his speech that have quoted shows a
bundantly. But | will give another extract in
which these sentiments stand out in still stronger
relief.
'We have, J" said he, ''already reached the verge
Of un Iversal suffrage. There is but step be-
yond. And are gentleman prepared 10 take that
step? We are cheapenng this Invaluable right"
This is the language Of complaint and disapprov
al eve have gone too far already" We have
"reachcd the verge OF universal suffrage" owe
are cheaPening this invaluable right" What Ian
guage would be expressive of n belicftha the
people IRE incapable ofgoverning themselves In
what terms could he have expressed his contempt
of the intelligence of the people strongly He
would withdraw this ''inva liable right from the
hands to which IL had already been intrused. Ger
rainly he would go no further in extending it,
what say the people of Vermont? Now you possess
! the right of suffrage untrammeled by property
qualifications. How many Of you wish to part with
that right because you may he poor? Let every
mnn who would do so, let "Those who would lin
it the right suffrage stthose who deride the in
intelligence Of the people, '''thoso who deny that
The people capable Of seiEgnvernmen,. I'm
short, let those who would support Federalism in
its odious and anti.democralic form, for MIR
Van Buren,. But let every who would main,
tain the doctrine of jefferson, and wond "let eve
ry man who fights pays exercise his just and o
quail right IN the elections, refuse 10 do
| So. .. tNORTHhAN