Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1848-02-04

uSwo copy from the N. Y. Express, the
conclusion of Mr. Webster's late argument he.
fore the u. S. Supreme Court, on suit grow.
ing out Of the Dorr rebellion:
now take leave Of this case. That il Is an
Interesting incident in the history of our institu
tons, ! freely admit That il has come hither
is a subject Of no regret to me- might have
said that | sec nothing TO complain Of in the
proceedings of what is called the Charter Gov.
ernment Of Rhode Island, except that It might
have discreetly taken measures at an earlier pe-
Rod for revising the Constitution. If in that de-
lay 1t erred, II was the error into which prudent
and cautions men would fall As to the enor-
nifty Of freehold suffrage, how long is it since
Virginia, the parent Of the States, gave up her
freehold suffrage? How long is il since nobody
voted for Governor in New York without free.
hold qualification There are now States in
which no man can vote for members of the up-
per branch Of the Legislature who does not own
fifty acres of land. Every State requires more
or less Of property qualification in its officers
and electors and il is for discreet Legislation 10
determine what its amount shall be- Even the
Dorr Constitution had property qualification.
According to its provisions, for officers of the
State, to be sure, any body could vote but its
authors remembered that taxation and represent
that no man, in any town, should vote to Law a
tax for town purposes, who had no, the means
to pay his portion. 1t said to him, you cannot
vote in the town Of Providence, to levy tax
for repairing the streets of Providence but
you may vote for Governor and for thirteen
representatives from the town of Providence
and send them to the Legislature, and there tax
the people of Rhode Island at their SOVEREIGN
will and pleasure.
believe that no harm can come of the Rhode
Island agitation in 1871, hut rather good Ii
will clear the political atmosphere from some Of
its noxious mists, and hope it will clear mems
minds from some uniounded notions and delu-
SONS. / hope it will bring them to look at the
regularity, the order with which VIC carry on
what, if thc word we're not so much abused, |
would call, our glorious representative system of
popular government Its principles will stand
the test Of this crisis as they have stood the test
and torture of others. They are exposed al
ways, and they always will be exposed to dan
gers There are dangers from the extremes of
too much and too little popular liberty.
The far seeing sagaeity of our fathers enables
us TO know where we are when VIC hear the
voices OF tumultuary assemblies, and see the tlir-
bulence created by numbers meeting and acting
without the restraints Of law; and has most
wisely provided constitutional means of escape
and security. The prudence Of the country,
the sober wisdom of the people has thus far en-
abled us to carry this Constitution, and all our
Constitutions, through the perils which have sur
rounded them, without running upon the rocks
on either side And trust that il will contin-
ne, and that our children after u.s. will exercise
n similar prudence, and wisdom, aud Justice, and
that under the Divine blessing they may contin-
nc to so on with equal prosperity, to the end of
time.