Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1850-07-15


Peace (whase ollie and Court with some cxrhanne in
It's organization. ought 10 be retairci) They have the
taxing power I'M county purposes which | wslnd not
take away. Now 10 me thst the non. resident
citizen Of county is Interested in he question m tfNa.
NJ and should therefore have voice tn The election u
3he rets lis who are 10 impose il, upon the plain prnc
pie which the germ Of our revouton that iasatnn
aud rePr'seniaon should 60 grther For anolher
reason, such non resident shodll have the right votes
the value OF his property in degree depends np
.rhe faithful administration at the laws in the county.
We ali know that farm situated in n country where
the laws ate steadily ard faithfully executed In euh,nc
lcd IN value, II aiac AID invites investments and settle
smenis. whist The clfafy al Illustration less its val
Tue Ii this be su. i. II right that the resident
ireehodes shall have IN The el, clun Of ali conn
lo1icer>?
The f,rcqenr enlargement Of the ris,t ofsuffsce
will in my opinion, adj greatly In the energies III the
ieaetora body; and that It's effect ard result will be-
healthful--that II will simplify the proceedings in our
'eetnns contests always easily and remove the
snhject from ,hn power OF ordinary legislation. which lI
ter cons Iteration you Will consider unmpurtani.
when tell You that within the last few years a pran-
sition made in Legislature, (and II mistake
moi Passed one branch) TO impose sort OF rcsuary tax
of ten cents without spec iicilinn. enlarge the
class OF II all house keepers and heads of families
whether they had any Of the common usual aul
lmeuted subjects ut taxation, bad nothing To lax
This would have been distasieiu 10 ifit could
have been ex,e nded The tanners and planters suns.
the merchants clerks and 10 tiadesmen without families.
Bot that, the cnrsti'u1n did not permit.
You see. ther fno, that am not among those who,
lat this day. fear to enlarge the elective franchise, on The
contrary. desire to see il extended because see or
think see classes deprived Of IT, rs well II mol
better qualified. than possessing IT, Is not doubt
Jed by me- that Revolutionary fathers. IN framing the
first Constitution wisely based it. at that time land
But that day. il was but untrird expermeni,he
,capacy of man for self government is no longer such
,cxpermen'; it is problem satisfactorily solved. II IS
fixed fact. pr claimed from the captn!s of 30 distinct
iSacS-Sat each sovereign IN its alutrd sphere and
bound ng ther by General GuveInment. sovereign
within IT'S spheres the cit zens of NIL and each, owing
;doube allegiance yet wisely framed that hng
each keeps within lis prescribed orbit, conflict is imros
lsbe At that time, the ropulat on OF the Old Thirteen
about three millions ut sousnnw, upwards Of wen
iy millions. Then feeble Cuniederary, seeking aid
to achieve lis Independence, now, nation, great and
ipoweru with flag that floats and respected in
every wlh character for valnr on sea and land
acknowledged every where, constituting us the pride
Hand hope Of th god and grca The oppressed and dawn
rudden, in every civilized country. on, Mtssrs I'D
ltos, will rccoIcc, that in publication made in the
preett century in the Edingbureh Review, IT
fully asked, .'who reads American Book?' W.
may answer his name, is Legion, Tor IT IS known
hat many of The productions OF American authors ar,
now lhe text books in their own schools.
II has been admitted, that our Revolutionary fathers
rightly fixed the right Of suffrage for their day and time
Fiat is sui my opinion because the people OF mat
'd1y generally did not the same amount Of know
elIe. book learning, which the mas now possess
land moreover, with out practical knowledge on
The subject No argument is necessary esabls this
- William and Mary College the only publc'nsi
luton where collegiate education could, al that day, be
obtained in Agiula Now. aud Tor many years past,
have had MANY and the least oil servant, whilst he must
adm that at present have nj amongst MS such disn
puslpd men rs jefferson Madison. and others who might
he mentioned yet there far greater aggregate 'uat
.o knowledge aud learning, even bookearnng, than was
'cuioycd at tn day. fuu, MesSrs T. tors viii M doubt
'rccolecl that ne and tr very many years after
he adoption of he constitutional County Surveyor ulJ
not upon the dui.s OF his Office, until he had per
Il rmed journey to Williamsburg, aud was lhefc eX
mined by Professor. WIN certified to his due qnah
lea ion. Now, we know thlt this branch Of learning IS
jso common, that the certificate OF Surveyor OF an
adjoining comfy is all that is necessary Nou, or one
!o YOU whose profession is he my own. will testify that
lin many counties OF the State at period long after the
'adoton of our first Constitution important trials al the
'rnmmon laws, aud before ures were had without any de-
icara ion. Now, in Of the counties, vi h the pro
scer dinrs Of whose Courts am acquainted w You find
II caese hui there i'll also be found Counsel fully ca
;ranable 10 prosecute defend H. with all the technical
les Of sp,l pleading. say Therefore, that yur agrl
culture, your internal Improvements, the proceedings N
svonr Counts, the founding Of your colleges aud schao's Ut
all Sorts aud charitable Institutions, and last, though not
least the improved style and matter OF tho public press.
both literary and political, all show Thai Virginia. al
hongh she cannot point 10 the distinguished men she
fl time had (with regard to the great mass eeva
.vatd sghuess distance ahead OF lhe OF LOO, and
lis of progress instead oil decline. Let me not
here be misunderstood. | am drawing no comparison
between the patriotism Of the OF that day and 0i this
Patriotism is that intense aid nnsalish love Of country
Thai bIanches not and qnas not under the fiery odeal
of war battle. and bondshtdthat is eXlingulshed only
with life Our ancestors gorousy passed that ordeal
land left precious 'gacy The sons OF such far
thers will bslleyc When their day trial comes, sheW
themselves true If the oneand deserving OF the 9th
er The only comparison that seek II institute Is be
tween the aggregate Of intelligence OF the men OF
/ that day and the present.
There is view of this subject, moi yet prominently
presented. Il is insisted. thai Government is practl
Zeal subject and that the ri The present day have not
lony more general Intelligence but greater practical
Of The workings of our system; and they have
he advantage Of the experience of our sister States many
whom since the days Of the Rev luton. and since the
Hast Convention. have improved heir systems. and we
smay be benefited by their example, adopting what W.
sdeem good aud suitable for our people and rejecting all
selsr.
The abave is The Gts portion of the address OF John
Thompson 1r. The Inclusion will be in our next
Eds. QfMe IUginan.