Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1849-03-20

| Zsn HlsBSei!. Ihu>e mat possess lie property
according 10 our Constitution, should a'so pos.
sess The power ana control OF thr government =
oir, never can bring my mind 10 assent 10 doc.
uihes like these. cannot assent Ia syS cm ina
diSlrauchises man because u his poverty. Il
citizen can be as loyal II his State without pro.
perry as with H. as yirlnous, as inleistnl and as
pa'noic. Holding these views uprn The sutlccl,
AN prepared cheerully 10 support the propose.
lion under discussion.
II does not aford iu and adequate relief, bu,
Il tssens and nlodifrs he .fe;ance 10 a very
considerable extent II vii not exi, nd >uffa q
dS i"T as We ceslIe 10 eYeld il uui 10 TIC fullest
eAeat consistent With our Constitution. THIS
| restricted suffrage cumbIReG uun other causes.
mas haa most powerful eftct in diminishing
our population.
Our section Of he State bordering upon The
STATES oil Ohio, Tennessee and Kenlucliy, and
accessible 10 States farmer Mes,, by an
easy anu cheap waer comnur Ca ION, s,fris
| more perhaps from this restricted suffrage INA
| o'hcI Portions II Virginia In Two Of lErse State
inc only Qualifications !cGniei OF electors !
age ana fe>Eeh cci ~ The Ihir', age residence and
| payment 81 lrilIng tax. In conseqn, nee her.-
ioe ol he super vr advantages offered 10 citi.
ems OF these Sta!es and II, Sc west oi lhrin IN
cheap lands, IN out!es and iricis 10 market N
The Tree and foil Participation IN The b.neti Of
lesisauon be direc;ioa aud administrator oi
government, there l. Constant and continual
drain upon population. Cut n lhcn as they are
from market By what they regard as tie missul-
del anc unwise policy Of Iris Legislature, dis.
ifanchsed, !axed, and bound BY laws without
their Consent, many OF orr mos, mefi,uruus CHI.
zens are reluctantly bur necessarily driven from
u.s. Adopt This amendment and you will have
done mech towards siayirg his tide IL em;gra
1'oh from our midst, and bnfing 10 our
s'Ii an humble but homes, and ndnsu-
GUS portion Of our population. Many c-
tIzens in Western Virginia live on lands
to which they have not yet fee simple right,
owing TO tho defect in Western land titles -
Many live on rented lands, and eire The v r.
best evidence Of permanent common interest
IN an attachment to The community In which
they live, as required By the bill Of rights. bu,
IRE not assessed with airy portion Of Tie revenue
oil The State, and are exc uded from the polls,
whilst you suffer another class to vote on free
holds, imaginary, short ived and vanishing
with The paper that gave them birth. There is
also class Of enterprising and industrious me.
chancs and laborers who may own neither
horse, watch or clock: the 6rsl they may not
need, the latter stern necessity may withhold, or
lear Of imposition and depreciation may deter ,
from purchasing-a all Of these classes will be
provided for by the proposed amendment and
qualihed to vote. No act Of this body ever met |
more hearty sanction of the people than that
imposing tax upon clocks and watches II |
brings about S26UOO to the treasury, and con-
fers the risht Of suffrage upon $500 persons
Al least five thousand more will be embraced
~ the pr posed tax on furniture, aud al Sec
lions OF The State viii hal it as an act of Jus.
lice to class OF citizens emineu ly worth, Of
lie right conferred Gentlemen may lax their
ingenuity to find in the Constitution some pro-
hloilion TO such enactment, but it will be in
van II IS nowhere prohibited hy that instru-
ment aid IS clearly sanctioned by its letter and
spirit.
cannot realize The frce OF The objection made
By The member from Halifax. In his Judgment
IS partIal and discriminating lax, and, II 10 be
imposed al all, he asks why uol impose j, upon
all cl. sses alike. The reason is manifest, and,
in my apprehension, conclusive. We 60 mol de-
sire, because We deem II unjust iotax any p rtlon
)t The cuple against their consent Those that
10 desire mol 10 he taxed Tor those thai do MOI
now exercise The right OF suffrage, willis! they
already pay sufficiently Tor the privilege they en-
Joy, do mol object TO like privilege being
conferred upon others upon The same conditions
aud he persons laI"d will not complain because
he worthy chairman o the commune on finance
hat his revenue bill though pIoicssedly upon
The true al vaure N principle, is nohine Short oil
a bundle Of determinations. Yon impose The
same tax upon all horses and yet they range IN
value from SIS 10 $50; The same tax upon meal
clocks the minimum value oi which may be So
and The MAXIMUM $50; on Inc wooden clocks,
watches, merchants license, and various other
items, you make like palpable discrimination.
The argument, then, 10 lwo.edsed and applies
with much more force for than against our pro-
position.
On the other hand, how glazing and unjust a
do you commit by refusing 10 |
ADOPT This amendment. The Bill Of Rights, oil |
higher authority Than the Constitution, declares |
that all men giving sufficient evidence Of pcrma- |
nenlcommcn interest with and attachment 10 The |
community have he right of suffrage. and can
mol be taxed or deprived Of their properly, ioi
public uses, without their own consent, or mat q
their REPRESENTATIVES 50 elected-nor bound
by any law 10 which they have not in like maii
ner assented Tor the public good Now, ! desire
To know how much stronger evidence Of attach
ment 10, and interest in the community, he man
gives, who pays Ten cents un horse, Than ne
who is willing 10 pay ten cents on furniture =
D. you mol, then, discriminate, and most unwaf-
raniatly, TOO, BY refusing 10 acoPl the amend
menl2 Do YOU no, tax cuizans having like qua
ltca lions, the one with, and The o'hrr "i'h'u'
lhei. CONSENT Are YOU mol, according - you
own promises, intcrdictins and prescribing
polion Of cur citizens? | hope, 81. me am"ri'
mcnt will rot he withdrawn, IS ! ehcnh '"ei y
my duly to renew i!--bn that !. may DC passed
in Justice 10 mos, worthy c.ass 81 our 'ei'o"-
ciiiZens.