Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1849-10-15

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slltlI silaeklts and set them tree! Would to
God had the voice and eloquance OF iienrt,
! that night reach the mluds and hearts ol the
| people q fheliila, ard Hnpress upon lhem me
solemn tilths hat ali their Efforts al Internal
llnproyernensand the deyolupeulent Of the re-
co!rces q the State are but dust ashes unless
/ ny DO so,nelhng to cali into active opeialloii3
the heats, tbs s5mpathl S, the feelings aud tile
f1itis o. The hole V he population oi the ooh-
nolAseaiell; and 10 discard forever that lnlser-
BE aud ials4 doetIine that property alone co-
stitutes aniteles, II. Tie community. Virginia
nusi &c ...ersef from the doemas Of Hobbies aud
Burke, those celebrated defenders Of arlstocracy
and monarchy and OF Sir Robert FiIner, ho re-
galded the yc!ee OF The people as the voice OF
the devil" Cur governmental Institutions III
effect make The SAINT Proclamation.
The Argument OF the memorial OF the nom
frefhodels OF Richmond against the restriction
OF the free hold qualification, is so powerfully con-
elusive, and reviews the whole ground for which
reformeYs contend against The odiousness of the
property Qua ifeation that cannot refrain from
I il ssrtino it here i'll full. and asking YOU to pub
lsilit and direct the special attention of every
reader 10 it. In my Judgment your columns have
never been more useiully employed or bore upon
| its pages a more attractive piece OF eoquence.
It's truths are striking and to the Points elo-
quence soul-stlrrln9--lts argument unanswera-
be. 1t is as applicable to the present controver-
Sy as it was iii 1895 Bot is not only leveled
at the cid freehold, but ii cuts up by the roots
any and every de scription of property qua!dcc-
tion restitution upon his slightest preToa atiqe Of
freomen." Itboldly strikes for the rights of the
ireemen Of Eifoinia-Ireeholder and non-free-
holders slave holdeis and non-slavt holders
The rich ard the poor are proclaimed TO be free
men, and entitled to all the rights Of freenen.
Hear then theyoice all We who would be Just.
listen to its loud and ponderous blow catch up
the glad sounds, and with one loud acclaim let
them echo from the sea to the Chic. Freemen.
here is Your cause argued ponder it wel---cilll
Your children around you that they may hear
ard impress upon tleir youthful minds the sa-
cred doctrines oi the rights oftretinen, and that
they may bow their young hearts before the al
Tar here the yestal fires Of lihelty are burning
brightly. llere3s the paper presented BY Judge
Marshall to the Contention;
1he Ie,nof5e7 of the Nor Free1oTders ofthe Citqy
Of RithmoAd, respacjglly addressed to tie CoH-
usation, iloe ayse'ejisd 10 deliberate Oh, dmena-
'selts 10 he SiGte Constitution
Yenr memoralists, as their designation i'm
ports, belong to that class o citizens, Who, not
having the good fortune 70 possess a certain por-
tion OF land, are, for that cause only, deharYsi
from The enjoyment Of The lieht Of suffrage Tx
perience has tut tee clearly eyineed, hat, in
deed, reason he'd ALWAYS i0retold, by how irail
a tenure hey hold eve,y ether right, Who &c
denied this fhe hight rlerogative OF ireemell,
The want OF ii has afforded both the rretext and
the means OF excluding the entile class, to which
your menorialiss belong, fIom all participation
| in the recent election OF the body, they now le-
specially address. Conprising a very large
part, probably majority OF male citizens OF ma
lure age, they have been parsed by, like aliens
or slaves as il destitute OF interest, or unworthy
| OF voice, IN measures involving their future
political d stiny whilst the treeholders, sole
rosscssols nndeI the existing Constitution of the
elective franchise, have, upon the strength Of
that possession alone, asserted and maintained
in themselyes, the exclusive power of new mod
cling the fundamental laws of the State in other
words have stlZed apon the sovereign authority.
| 1t cannot be necessary, in addressing the
Convention now assembled. to eypatiate on the
inomentous importance OF the right of suffrage
OF to elitmerae tha evils consequent upon its MI
lust limitation. Were there no other than that
your memosiasts have brought to your alter
ton. and Which has made them feel with full
force their degraded. condition, we'll might it
Justify their best efforts to obtain the great privi
leee they row seek, as the only etfactua method
OF preventing lis recuircncc To that privilege
they respectfully contend, they are entitled e.
qualy with It's present Tossessols. Many are
bold enough todelIy their title. None can show
It letter. Ii res's upon 10 subtle or ahs,ruse
reasoning but upon grounds simple in their
character, ineligible 10 the paoat caracitv,
and such as appeal to The heart as well as the
understanding, OF adj who comprehend and duly
appreciate the principles of free Government.
Among the doctrines inculcated in the great
charter handed down 10 U.s. as declaration of
the rights pertaining 10 the good people of Wiz
Il ,l,,r 81, IL, -,
tatlon OF Governments" Weare taught:
THAT all men are by nature equally free and
Independent, aud have certain inherent rights,
OF which, when they enter into state of society,
they cannot, by any COMPACT, deprive or digest
lhelrEosterlty namely, the enjoyment of life
and Liberty, with The means of acquiring and
poss5 ssing property, and pursling and obtaining
haprint IS and safety
~ hat all power is vested in, and consequent
" derived ts8ni, the people
THAT d majority OF The community hath an
indubitable, uhalienable and indeieasible right
to reform, alter or abolish the Government.
II nat no man, nor set OF men, are entitled to
exclusive or separate emoloments or privileges
but in consideration OF public selvices
That ali men, having sufficient evidence OF
permanent common interest With, and attach
mentto the comnlunity, have right OF suffrage,
and cannot be taxed, ordepFiyed OF their proper
ty, without their consest, Or that of their repre-
sentative, nor bound by any law, to which they
have not, III Like manner, assented, for the public
good"
How do the principles thus proclaimed accord
with the existing regulation Of suffrage A regil-
lalion, which, instead OF lheequality nature or
dams, cre4tesan odious distinction between mem
bers OF the same community rohs Of all share, iii
the enactment of the laws, a large portion of the
clizens bound by them, and whose blood and
treasure are pledged TO maintain them, ant, vests
in tayoured class, not in consideration of their
public rvlces, but Of their private POSSESSIONS
The highest OF all privileges, one which, as is
now III lia@raht proof, if it does not constitute, at
least is held practically to confer, absolute sove-
reisnty. Lett not be urged, that the regulation
complained Of and the charter it violates, sprung
from the same honored sonIce. The conflict be-
tween lbein Is not on that account the less appa-
rent, Nor does ii deroeala from the faig fame OF