Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1841-06-03
EXTENSION OF SUFFRAGE.
(Conciu,led

have an interest in lis welfare and are
friends 10 their country and It's free gov
erDment. Unfortunately, il is much east
er, To define the necessary Qualifications,
than TO ascertain how far they are pos
sessed by individuals But, on the side
Of strict qualific alton there is no danger
None ever flowed from that source
Those who are to exercise that power
from which all other powers are derived,
and by whose votes the whoIe community
are to be affected cannot be too hig hly
qualified, nor their qualifications too
strictly examined aud exacted And, as
II IL impossible TO contrlve any rule, by
which 10 ascertain the moral and civil
qualifications Of men we must be cnn-
tented with adopting such general one
as will be mos, likely to insure the great.
EST snIety, with the iewest exclusions.
/ IL Is well expressed, in The bill of rights
Of one Of or sister States, that " all men
having sufficient evidence of permanent
common interest with, and attachment 10
the community hate right of suffrage u
This Is sound as general principle /; but
is not sufficiently definite fot rule o
practice. A permanent interest is, in all
cases, the surest, and in most, the only
evidence Of attachment to the commu.
nifty. for although u citizen born, un-
less he IS an unworthy and an unnatural
one, will be likely, under any circum-
tances, TO feel some attachment to his ma
tive State yet from others we may moi
expect such attachmenis unless they have
a permanent interest at stake in the State;
and have adopted it as permanent,
place of residence. And then, their at
lachment is but a secondary one, and is
generally measured by their interest, and
not much TO be counted upon until after n
long residence and trial. We know
therefore, Of no better general ,ue by
which to regulate the right of suffrage +,
than the rule which requires that most
probable evidence Of perInane nj interest
and attachment, which is iurnis by
ownership Of property, and by actual
permanent citizenship. Let us pnrlicu-
larly consider each Of these qualifica-
tons, that We may satisfy ourselves whe-
iher either Of them can be dispensed &
with. The ground on which property
qualification appears TO be founded, is,
that the right Of property is one of our
great, natural, and absolute rights. We
have, individually, u personal light to de-
lend It and claim upon society for its
protection against the encroachment OF
others. Those therefore who have ac-
qured property and possess this right,
and have an interest IN its protection by
wholesome laws and good government
ought to have a voice and influence IL
the enactment Of those laws, and in the
government. 1t is usual to speak of pro-
pery rs of little value, compared to life
or liberty and this, no doubt is true, il
we amuse ourselves with such compari-
sons. Ii may be Of little conse quencs To
others hat amount Of property is posses
sed by an individual. To society it is Of
vastly more importance that every man
should he secure in the posse of
single foot Of land or single dollar, than
that he should be the owner of a town
ship. But To weigh our great natural
rights against each other, in order to as
certain their relative value, is mere spec
ula,ion. They cannot be SO weighed,
for they cannot be separated. Where
there is no security for the right of pro-
peIty, there can be none for any of oul
other rights. Nay, it is only through At
tempts against this right, that our other
rights can be assailcd So far is IT from
being true, that the right of property is Of
minor Importance. Break down The bar
rIer by which that ri ght is protected, and
all will be rapiDe, violence and blood
shed.
Thus the whole science Of legislation
and jurisprudence is exercised in appl-
cation to the rights of property. All the
acts OF government; nearly all the pro-
visions even Of our small penal code, are
reicrrable To the same source:-The pro-
lection of the rights of property. Nor
can the Liberties OF the people ever be in
danger where the rights of property are
perfectly secure. For it is power over
the territories, wealth aud resources of n
State, which at once form the tenpia alton
and furnish the means of usurpaton. So
long, land only 50 long, as any govern
ment can efiHctually be restrained from
touching any more OF the private proper
ty of a cilzen, than is necessary for its
faithful administration, it will never be
en,bolden I'd to become careless OF lis de-
pendance upon the responsibility to them:
Since II Will moi have II ~ lis power 10
surround itself 10 any alarming extent
with those hosts of mercenaries, civil rs
well as military ;-(csPecialIy The form
er, always the most unprlncipled and dan.
gerousl which can only exist upon the
spois Of the peoule.
BY security in the rights Of private pro-
perry is not meant merely "thc impartial
administration OF equal and expedlent
laws :" which is said TO lie a good def
milton for civil ibeny. For such laws
may he made, and So administered, by a
despoIlc government But the citizen,
or rather, the subject ol such q govern
meni, has no security for the continuance @
OF the blessing lie holds il not az his
right but al the suirernnce of his ruler
The only security Tor the preservation Of
this right, Is, thai ,hose Who possess The
right should possess the power To protect
II.
l To remind US that the possession OF
nronctty ia no cctIain ptOof of the Dos4es-