The Illinois free trader. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1840-1841, 1840-10-09


stituted majority of the voters of the
state! The farmers. Who had called
for and insisted upon the Convention !!
Farmers and freeholders. Who passed
the law admitting those who were not
electors to free participation in the de.
cision Of the question of convention or no
convention, and also in the choice of de-
legates to that body! A Legislature, a
majority of whom were farmers, and
i probably every one of them freeholders Of
the value of two hundred and fifty dollars
and upwards. The farmers of this state
had, he said, by an overwhelming MAORI
ty, admitted those who were not free
holders to a full participation with them
selves in every stage of this great effort
to amend our Constitution, and to amelio-
rate the condition of the people. Could
he, then, ought he to be told, that they
would be disappointed in their expecta-
tons, when they found that by the pro-
visions of the Constitution, as amended,
great proportion of their fellow-citizens
were enfranchized, and released from
letters which they themselves had done
all in their power to loosen! He did not
believe it."
"Whatever ravages the possession of
power might have made in the breasts Of
others, they at least had shown that they
could 'feel power without forgetting right
If any thing, (said Mr.. Van Buren, could
render this invaluable class of men dearer
and more estimable than they were, it
was this magnanimous sacrifice which
they had made on the altar of principle,
by c0nsenting TO admit those of their
fellow citizens. who, though not so high
ly favored as themselves by fortune, had
still enough to bind them to their country,
to an equal participation in the blessings
of free government. Thus, Mr.. Van
Buren, said, he understood their wishes,
and he would govern himself accordingly,
having the consolation to know that if he
should have misunderstood them, they
would have the power of rescuing them
selves from the effects of such misapprc-
hension, by rejecting the amendments
which should be proposed for their adop-
tion."
"When the people of this state shall
have so far degeneraled when the prin-
ciples of order or of good government
which now characterize our people, and
afford security to our institutions, shall
have so far given way to those of anarchy
or violence as to lead to an attack on pri-
vate property, or an agrarlan law, to
which allusion had been made by the
gentleman from Albany, (Mr. kent;) or
by an attempt to throw all the public bur-
dens on any particular class of men, then
all constitutional provisions will be idle
and unavailing, because they have lost
all their force and influence. In answer
to the apprehension SO frequently express
sed, that unless this amendment prevails,
there is nothing to prevent all the taxes
being laid on the real estate, it is only
necessary to state that there is no more in
the Constitution of the United States,
than there will be in ours, if the amend
ment fails, to prevent all the revenues of
the Union from being raised by direct
taxation. And was such fear ever en-
tertained for the General Government
How is it possible for gentlemen to sup
pose, that in a constitutional regulation,
under which all the states are enjoying
the most ample security for property, an
individual state would be exposed to dan
ger!
ut is only, said Mr.. V. b. to protect
property against property, that provi-
sion in the Constitution, basing the repre-
scntation on property, is or ought to be
desired in one branch of the Government.
1t is when improvements are contemplate
ed at the public expense, and when, for
those and for other objects, new imposi-
tons are to be put upon property, then it
is that the interests of different sections Of
the state come in contact and then it is
that their respective weight in the Legis-
lature becomes important to them.
"Under the present Constitution, as it
now stands, said Mr.. " b., that inequa-
lily must and would continue and he
would ask whether it was derrable to
retain this distinction as it now existed,
and whether il was productive of one
solitary advantage! lie thoughtpot, and
so he believed all rejecting men, on ex-
animation, would likewise think.
"And what, he inquired, had been its
practical effects Had they been such
as TO afford any additional security to
nrnneriy Had the members of the