Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-10-09

double VollnS, Dy winch man can vote ID
every county where he has landed qualifca.
ton. These evils are more prevalent in the Eas
than in the West Such a system of making
votes 10 dis(ranchise whole county by foreign
voters and double voting, is truly alarming ano
calls aloud for a Convention. The right of yo.
ting at all elections should be a personal right
and should belong TO all citizens who have per.
manent interest in and attachment 10 the commu.
nifty, actual residence, taxation, labor and militia
ry duty. We should purify and enlarge the oun
tain OF liberty by giving TO each free male citizen
OF age, resident OF The county IL months, and paid
his taxes, or done service required in the militia
and worked ON the roads, the right of voting al all
elections. In this view OF the subject am sup
ported by the great apostle Of liberty, Thos. Jet
ferson He says: However nature by menta
or physical disqualifcalions, has marked infants
and The weaker sex for the protection rather thar
the direction of government yet among men, who
either pay or fight for their country, no line o.
distinction can be drawn. The exclusion OF a
majority OF our lreemen from the right of repre-
senta,ion, is merely arbitrary and an usurpaion
of The minority over the majority"
oBreathes there n man with soul so dead
Who never TO himself hath said,
This IL my own, my native land 20
There is not true Virgnian present, who
can hear these beautiful lines, without harbor-
ing in his heart some endearing thoughts oil
the land that gave him birth. The words inspire
the noble sentiments Just suited 10 themselves.
want Imagination 10 conceive them, discrimina
ton to arrange, fancy 10 decorate, and language
to express them. love Virginia. was raised
here; | was educated here. II was here first in
hailed The breath Of liberty. Nor is there want
ing proof OF my attachment 10 Virginia, as my
acts have tested in her behalf in the hour OF dan
ger. Who can behold with silence and calmness
the inequality which exists among the citizens Of
Virginia, when we reflect that many OF the free
men who bear arms and pay taxes are excluded
from voice in the election of representatives
who make laws TO bind their persons and pro
perly7 So much for the boosted theory Of liberty,
supplanIed in practice by The foulssI arisocracy.
Some argue, that man who has mol freehold in
the SOIL should be deprived OF a voice in The State
which gave him birth, and which birthplace he is
proud in calling "his own, his native land, Tor
whose safely, many who, during the late war, e.
pended their property, and risksd their lives in
defence of the country, are now excluded from a
voice in sending representatives 10 the Legisla-
tuIe-a right neslimable, and The boast OF free
men.
Liberty and equality in voting and representa-
ton were The main objects Of the people when
they threw off the yoke Of foreigners. Nor was
it contemplated al that day, nor is it fairly exer
cised now, that certain amour! otpropsrty shall
give freedom and those who do not come up 10
that standard, shall have no voice in the Lesis-
laturc the man who, while fighting The enc
mics Of his native State had lost his slave and
horse in The bale, returns home and loses his Vote
because his properly is gone He gains The battle,
but loses his political rights. Who composed The
army in the late war; They were mostly non-tree-
holders, both officers and soldiers. Many OF them
died in defending their native Stale, or Tell vic
Tins to The sickly climate they were exposed 10.
vt they had no voice in the Assembly that told
them TO go forth, drive out the enemies oihe coun.
try-go forth and she'd your blood in The field
bnl you shall have no voice in the councils; and
when you return home, with scars OF honor re-
ceived while fighting in the field, with blood yet
gushing airesh from wounds inflicted in defend
ing The land of your fathers, you shall be told
BY the Sheriff, while surrounding the poll OF cleo
lions, "Stand back, you have no yo,e--give way
for The gentlemen reeholders." Thus does con-
siderable portion of our militia, the bulwark oi
this nation, stand silent spectators al our elec-
tons, looking around with wonder and astonish
ment, e1claiming in tones OF murmur, "An
stranger2 Am an alien, in this my own, my
native landp
Let me say to those who are opposed TO my
doctrine, that Constitutions are formed not only
for The safely and protection of those now living.
but for the protection Of millions yet unborn
Many Of your estates may take wings and flee
away, leaving your children without property,
without education, and thereby disfranchised.-
call upon YOU 10 vote for Convention, in or
der that such a Constitution may be formed as
will give equal political rights 10 our white male
citizens, "without regard 10 The disparity OF for
tune" The DISTINGUISHED sons OF Virginia, sub
iec 10 the call Of their country have but lew more
privileges Than al alien who has just landed on
orr shores They are permitted 10 serve on a
peiiy Jury TO muster iI the militia, 10 serve on
patrols 10 work on the roads, but they are capa-
be OF filling few stations OF honor or profit
They are disqualified from aching on grand lu-
ries, or 10 vote for Representatives To the Lessla.
ture or TO Congress, or 10 BIZ a member OF either
House, or 10 vote Tor President or Vice President
of the United States. Thus are numerous class
OF our ireemen excluded from privileges exer-
cised by the humbeSt cizsns in other States.
Oh, my fathers who she'd your blood in Inc
war Of The Revolution, 10 give freedom and equal
rights 10 your poserily, lille did you imagine you
were wasting your blood and treasure 10 give IL
berry TO favored part, and disiranchisemsnt 10
The rest, and that the surviving sons, whose fathers
sacrificed their property and their lives 10 establish
the freedom oil our country, should, when il was
established, be excluded from vote in this "theii
own, their native land"
Mr.. Speaker, the, c can be no danger in extend.
ing the right OF suffrage 10 all free white male Gill
zens and residents OF the county, 81 years DID, who
either pay or who are liable to fight Tor their coun
try ask, who are now excluded from the right
OF suffrage2 A vast number of our ia mers' sons,
many OF them the most sprightly and intelligent
in our land. Another portion are the ingenious,
f,,I and fhoc
hard-hsled, but homes. laborer who tolls in your
field. To these may be added host of young
schoolmasiers, clerks merchants, oyerseers, doc
Tors and lawyers, numbering upwards of 10000,
now excluded from The right OF voting under the
present Constitution of Virginia.
Who will hazard an opinion that it would be
unsafe 10 extend the right OF suffrage 10 such
men as have enumerated | hope none such
will be found.
The experience of the las, few years has salts
fed thousands in Virginia, who once had doubts,
that the right of suffrage can now be extended
with safety and benefit 10 the Stale. Those eX-
cluded are trusted with muskel and bayonet,
with ball and cartridge, and the time is now close
at hand when they will no longer be prevented
from vote al the polls-and when another war
shall come, | tell you, MIR. Speaker, you will
find those brave mtn ready and amongst IN. fore
most 10 use the musket and bayonet, ball and car
fridge, in destroying The enemies OF our country.
Mr.. Speaker, the Governor is now elected by
the Legislature, and sometimes by caucus OF
one party Of The Legislature. Experience has
convinced me that this is another defect in our
Constitution. This power ofelecting The Governor
should be given 10 the people. am sure they
are quite as competent 10 elect Governor as the
Legislature. l. occasionally happens, when eli
lher party has but a small political majority, iha,
some six or seven members control The caucus,
and the mountain has to come 10 the mouse 10
secure an election; and upon more than one coca
sion our Legislature failed TO elect Governor, Sc
tina, we had no Governor in Virginia tor two
years together. The capacity OF Virginians is
certainly equal 10 any Of The citizens OF other
States; and several States have discovered M ,he,r
wisdom in elecling Governors. There was New
York which elected Van Buren, and Wright, and
Tennessee which elected James K. Polk. Two
out Of these three have become Presidents OF the
IJncd States. Most OF The States elect their Go.
vernoIs by the people, and have no doubt large
majority Of the voters in Virginia are in favor OF
taking 10 themselves the power OF elecling The