The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1843-11-27

4 POWER OF GREAT BRTTAIN-SMALI
/ NUMBER OF HER ELECTORS-EXTEND.
ED CHARACTER OF OUR OWN RIGHT
OF SUFFRAGE.
| In Great Britain and her colonies, and posses
sions abroad, there are more than one hundred
and forty millions Of people. OF these, the
number directly represented in the Imperial
Parliament does not exceed one million Of the
male population, or six millions of every age
millions unrepresented. 1t is certainly desira-
bic that the right of suffrage should be extended
as far as practicable; and in tracing, historical
ly, the example of the British Government in
this respect, am not to be considered as taking
ground against all safe and practicable extern
sion of the right of suffrage. But when Great
Britain boasts of her superior philanthropy, and
love OF universal freedom, wish 10 show what
her example, and, therefore, what her thoughts
really are on the subject, by proving the extent
| to which she excludes all the freedom connect
ed with the right of suffrage; and the power of
being directly represented in the legislative ap-
plicalion of the taxing power. On this topic
have no need Of any elaborate disquis,ion, the
facts being readily acknowleds, d. and openly
/ justified by her own writer's and Journalists,
whether Wing or Tory. A very recent in
stance presents itself in the London Times, the
leading organ Of the Tory aristocracy Of Eng
land, paper of singular ability, and, il is said,
Of The largest circulation in the world. That
journal of the 7;h October last, in lis editorial,
discussing the affairs Of Ireland and the West
Indies, denies utterly the propriely or utility Of
any further extension Of the right of sufl. age to
either beyond the present limitations. But one
would think that, in a Government so disinte-
rested and phanbropic as that of Great Br-
tain is repr, stned to be in its efforts TO abolish
slavery, The denial of the right of suffrage TO
one hundred aud thirty five out Of one hundred
ADD forty one millions, is rather TOO extensive to
be compatible with It's exuberan, benevolence.
! Why: This is multitude
Like which the populous North pour'd never
From his frozen lons, to pass Rhenc or the Da-
| naw"-
all denied the right of outrage by the most lux.
uriantiy compassionate and benevolen, Govern
ment upon earth We certainly do not emu
de this model in our acts and dongs with re-
spec to the right of suiliage. Such a proper
lion of our population is not denied il; in al
most all the States, if a negro becomes free, we
invest him with the right of suffrage, and in
some without any conditions distinct from the
white population. And of our population, those
enjoying the right of suffrage are as fourteen
and half millions TO three and half 1t
would be Strange, indeed, if riskng our lives,
our fortunes, and our sacred honor, in the Revo-
lutonary contest, because we would not suffer
ourselves TO be taxed without direct representa-
ton; and, successfully ending the conflict we
should have made war on this great principle BY
restrictive constitutional provisions. On the
contrary, we have followed it up in our organic
! laws as fast and far as circumstances y ould
permit. Claiming TO exercise an unlimited
power TO "bnd US in all cases whatsoever" Of
course to tax US without our being represented
Great Britain wsged upon US a cruel war for
seven years. We had other allegations of IN
| justice other reasons Of compIaint-but this
absorbed the rest; this began the great revou-
tionary movement
/ Ohc night az feG, began plea,
Within America, man,
Then up they cat the maskin pat"
And to the did thraw, man"
| A very able and disnterested writer OF tsose
memorable times, fully exhibits The great ground
of our hostility to British measures at that peri
cd, our prescriptve liberty of sefIaxation inbe-
rited from Christian and British ancestry. the
Uerscverng obstinacy Of the Tory aris,ocracy
I q gladly exempt the Wings at least. from per-
slstance in it) in their altemps to destroy this,
our right, the vrtuous energies of patient and
brave resistance with which we met and bataled
il, truly and 'mpha,cally for the good of man
| kind as well as our own. I shall close this
article by an extended but pertinent quota
ton from his rare work. But one rema rk
more; that we have followed out in organic
laws, the great principle which we then
asserted, as fast and rs far 90 eirU,m