New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1842-05-24
The Law Of Organic Changes in PoP"la'
Gsveruinents.

ne recent tfvutf- ~ IAupsf i-seAi.is 'spH -
happil, Gained and We trust soon 20 be perIna-
sen,ly adjus,od by the formation aud adoption Of
Popular Constitution, viii have done at leas; one
service 70 the Country in exciting general H.
auify into and discussion Of the fundamental Prin'
ciplcs on which our Political Institutions are based
Should thi, inquiry and discussion be conducted l.
. .pir Of calm carncs,nes. and sincere desire foT
truth. II vii have the good effect Of correcting
some existing errors and settling in tie pubic
mind important truths which have hitherto received
but a chaotic and vague recognition.
Down 70 the Declaration Of American indie
pendcnce, the governments Of the world had almost
uniformly rested upon the basis of Prescription or
paramount Force; they commanded re'pec, and
obedience because they had afforded Protection
for years before Consent could have bcen intel-
gently given, and because they were able 70 en-
force obedience. But, IN seyering the ties which
had bound them "a Colonista to Great Britain our
Father propoundcd and planted themselves upsn
the principles that Al men are created free and
equal and that Government derives all It's just
powers from the consent OF the Governed These
principles are among the bases OF Political In
siitu,ions and the practical questions now pre-
scn,ed are Are these principles subject to lin
itations . and What are the nature and extent Of
those limiia,ions7'
II is obvious, at frat sight, that such limitations
d. practically exist. The authority exercised by
Government over Minors-who form "A majority ol
our Populaton-s not based upon any express
consent on their part the laws 10 which they are
held arrenabc. SO of the same authority exer-
ciscd over Women. Here then, we find d, the
outset that hrec-iourths of those held amcnahie ~
authority have had and now have 10 hand in di-
rcc,ng it. Political power is restricted al once 10
fourth Of the communication there are still
farther exceptions universally recognized. Aliens
Except in lnois) not allowed to vote. Inn
migrants from abroad must have resided five year.
in the country, made formal application, abiured
all foreign allegiance and sworn fidelity TO our
Constitution. Native citizens of African lineage
either excluded from Political power entirely,
or their participation greatly restricted and guard
ed in most of the States. Here is another very
striking exception. (Slnvery exhibits it carried
much farther, and extending to Rights of Person
and Property also. A large proportion Of the
Signers Of the Declaration were and continued To
be holders Of Slaves) IN most Of the States.
somc qualification OF Taxation, or Freehold, OF al
least Residence, is required-in some far moro
rigid than others. The existing fact appears,
therefore, to be, that neither by the Union in its
Federal capacity, nor by any State for itself, have
the principles of the Declaration of Independence
been practically construed To imply that every hui
man being is entitled, from the circumstance thai;
he resides in a certain community and is amenabic
to It's laws, to an equal voice in the making and
altering OF these laws, nor even TO share in dircc
ting the Government, simply because he Is re-
quircd TO contribute to the support of that Govern
ment. But the contrary and uniform rule has been
that those in whom Political Power was vested at
the time of the Revolution have exercised the
right OF extending the Right of Suffrage, IA their
judgement, the diffusion of Political and Gene
raj knowledge. or the presumed cNgencc> of the
State have dictated. In other words-thc Pract
cal construction appears to haze been that the
Right of Suffrage should la gradually extended
farther and farther because new classes in the
community have either been created or have been
elevated TO such IA condition of Knowledge and
Virtue as readers the author;,ativea Of
their will public questions, in common with
thu, oi other citizens valued acquisition to the
community and an added security against misgo.
vcrnmen,. Suffrage. therefore. has been pract-
cally regarded much a Right to be &C.
knowledged Duty to he imposed, JUS, so fnl
as shall best couducc to the general well-being.
Let Us rccur to the case Of Rhode Island. Her
Charter when formed, was no,sriou,lv the most
Democratic frame 81 government in the world
(rhc humbug about King Chnrless Charter We
have alrraiy exploded; it was form of govern
msnt drawn up 10y the Republican Colouists, and
probably never even read by the indoleni yolurtu-
AIRY who gave it his ROYAL ,isnaturc) Whom
formed, it was well adapted TO the time and pco-
pie, IT not actually IN advance of them. 1t was
framed for an infant community, wholly asricullu-
raj with land cheap and abundant all around them
and in point If fact almost every adult male was
landsodcr There no hardship under and
no complain, against the landed qualification.
Bat 10 years have since passed. and the s,a,c
of things has entirely changed. Net one-third Of
the Citizens Of Rhode Island are now Landholders
OF engaged in Agriculture a, all and it is not too
much to say that full ha,t Of the intelligence po-
huca' capacity and moral worth are possessed by
those who own no soil. The non-Frceboldcrs
generally demspd admission To the Right of SUI.
fragc. Ti.-+-hs.cheri,hedr rejudiccs OF the Land
holders agains, organic change have welded a,
length 10 the demand aad IA Constitution wa.
formed and submitted by their representatives.
extending the Right Of Suffrage and abolishing the
Property qualification. The question actually pre-
scented in the late collision was o.,cusbly enc oi
iorni--'or both parties united the point of
extending the SuArs. o--but there was behind II
ono o: principle also; aud 1t Is ,hs-Shan the