The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1845-04-25

l
sink into oblivion, il they can live out a
sort of vegetable existence, in idleness and so,h
Talk TO such OF . new constitution. and they
launch forth iato . rhapsody upon Thomas JEFF
ferson and Patrick Henry poias out the neces-
sity of reform in their Counsy Coort system,
and they overwhelm you with eulogies upon the
glorious doctrines of '9S and '99.
When we took up our residence In that proud
old common wealth we determined TO wage an
uncompromisng war with the iniquitous provi-
| sions OF her anli-republican constitution, we
determined that she should have one that should
recognise the rights of man, as well as the power
of money; which should allow men 10 vote as
well as properly; one thar should recognise the
human intellect superior TO inanmale heaps Of
yellow dross. OF the pictured promises Of soul
less bank We have the vanity TO believe that
our labors have not been wholly spent in vain I;
at any rate we shall persevere in them until
every white man in that State shall be recog-
Missed as an American citizen.
The more we reflect upon the matter the
greater is our establishment that a constitution
containing so many Of the odious features of
monarchy and aristocracy, could ever have been
adopted by the people of Virginia. Under lis
banelul provisions, mulutudes Of American citi-
gems are utterly acknowledgement of all
their political rights, aud reduced, SO far as the
right 10 vote is concerned, TO the condition Of
not because they are ignorant, not because they
are vicious, but because they happen TO be poor!
| The sages who framed thar inglorious inslru-
ment, made honest poverty the greatest OF polin-
cal crimes-sufhcienr, indeed, 10 deprive the
unfortunate OF all the privileges Of an American
| freeman.
| We have more than once remarked, that our
| fathers waged seven years war with England,
to rid themselves Of the inrolerable oppression Of
taxation without representation aud yet the
trainers of the Virginia Constitution, adopted
| the very principle that made the government Of
England so abhorrent to the free minds which
set in motion the American Revolution. Is the
burden less onerous, is the principle less obi
Gus, because adopted by American aw.ma-
kers, than that which our high spirited fathers
4
Federal maxim that property is the test of
merit" continue TO be the rule of action for Re
publican Virginia
It's most impertinent libel, as false as it is
nlamous-lo say that poor men aie necessarily
ignorant, and therefore should be prevented
from having any voice in eectng their own
rulers The wisest men who have ever lived,
those most distinguished for their genius and ex :
tensive requirements, roere poor merr-who, had
they lived in Virginia, would have been virtual
" told that they had no more political rights,
privileges, or immunites, than Guinea negro,
or wandering Cafree. And yet the people Of
that State fancy that they live under Republi-
can Govemment-they talk about having equal
rights guaranteed by equal iaws! Was there
ever greater mockery Of the name of Repub-
lcan Freedom than lhis2
, In the name of the down-trodden and the OPP
pressed, we protest against the longer continu-
ance OF this arisocratic usurpation--this heart
less tyranny. We demand equal burdens and
equal benefits; if the poor man is to be consi.
dered by our modern sages as but one remove
from beast of burden; if those who toll In
honest poverty are to be deprived of all their
political rights justice requires that they should
bear no political burdens. They should be re-
leased at once and forever from all duties TO the
State, which has proved herself a heartless step
mother, so far as they are concerned. If the
poor man is to have no political rights, let him
no more be called upon TO defend the Preside
from invasion, or the dwelling from the devour-
ing conaagration; let the wealthy voter, who
alone has rights, alone defend them.