Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1850-10-01
SUPPLEMENT- TO THE
RICHMOND INQUIRER.
,rrEspAr MoRNINGp OCTOBER l. 1850.


l,,s work Of Lamar,ine IN the "Past, Present and
,f me Republic" of Frame, contains many valuable
cxnressed in the vivid syle for which the best pro-
"a. his brilliant genius ae distinguished The fol-
,,r,e,s on universal suffrage will be read with in
.hs crisis in Virginia. though do not entirely
700. al his views we dosM them well worthy atten-
+. gerasa'
'ss,ry tina, people stoald at least thoroughly COM
,,sn; its name.
N,.t IS Democracy
- sq ..l in me d,llberatn the laws and in the
,,',.r, Of he nation
,, method 20 the cizers all participate with equal
>! wa VA. ,y4-nul nj and the laws?
u. '"V which all place with equa! title in the urn,
~ ',s ,cees under their hands the national repre-
n the sovereignty of thy people embodied in THEN
:. 's ~. ,S5s mehod Universal suliagc.
Wa 81 suffrage Is them Democracy itself
f,rf,;it Republican AMI universal suffrage are,
u" n,,,,,g sane thing Suppress universal suffrage,
o. ops win The same word Equality, Democracy, The
,s'fi yu slcnate the sovereignty OF the people, either
-'' Man. Of a single class, that is 10 say. you be-
"s -j.,,sr,cv; or OF a single sovereign family, that is
~ 49, $780,, a, com, monarchy; oi OF single man with alb
! ~ '.,,,sr ihatis 10 say, you tscome oespotsm.
,hse j. no election every man is slave or sert.
, n, election is limited ID small number oil citi-
,r,s are scysleignS o,tersare SUBJECTS
M election pertains 10 AL no one is subject, no one
Wa a, one is siavs all are ree. and more than ree all
,i,.ns and more than citizens all are Kings
-,i. = ihr heIuSlc
IL" ,cx OF THE RIGHT 70 UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE.
- ,h.n Democracy, the consequence OF Christian
r As.,,n lis first attempts earth 10 establish gov
MS to cad upon the citizens 10 exercise their right.
mon their will in election, this imperfect Democra
80, - our own day. has almost every where preserved
,rtlces oil the ancient division into castles races or
ms and of the ancient exceptions TO sovcrelguty.
syrr, IN f. ance after the French Revolution, the De-
~ .yculsd the proietaries the nonpossessors, those
III ro, nav a TAX equal TO certain number o days
ani men OF the so.called seryile conditions, does-
,xam.lc; precisely the persons who participate the
-, me property the manners the familiarity, the cu-
atc;.ons, the virtues, The spI!!t vi conversation o
v,.l the electoral law Of these timid dsmocrncieS
ri no sign of electoral capacity jut property. Pro-
material gross accidental sign, not inherent Ill the
ION which he might lose by such virtues aS generoS
..,teSiedness prooiry; sign winch he might acquire
, ~ cupidiiv, avarice, usnTy iieit!
- mis- system which has hitherto prevailed, Socrates
not have been voter Athens, Rousseau in France,
Il. primitive Christians at Jerusalem HaTpason, LII
Nandrn, would have been voters every where
-. rror of this Democracy arose rom Two causes
r.: il i sufficiently respect the sign OF all ssns'
Id d; Ill titles the sign Of intelligence The Title OF hu-
H. the fnssrot God Oh the forehead oi every creature
i. called man.
,rily j, sought asuarantee which il had right 10
,ij,s Given by the citizen the State, L. Society,
R,I7le before con:diug 10 him the exercise vi his
an If so,lreignty in sg!age; and instead OF seeking
a.gan,ee this pledge IN man h!Iase;, sought II ii
~. Ike tn. ChaTon OF ancient table, VINO ieiileu Tie
- mo The Elvs.an Fields but who instead oi seeing
als ouy c3tn;.! The !arthngs which were placed ~
.a> o: The dead.
Fs all aeriaislns il deceived the election giving IN
eyl,ae except l. the single element of social int
.,n.r,y gave no pledge either 10 morality, which
IA n. elevated in poverty 20 intelligence, whlch is Us
~ commentaries; az 10 probi,y. which is com
,ona ,.e arolearies and domestic classes or 10 ge-
IN, .I Of God which is widely ditiused by Provi-
among HE children o: nd!gen, families Us among The
.nl d. tie r.c'i
H., r-l.r IN Advancing toward perfection, must nera-
-yr 4, the point whrn it VIII seek this title and this
an order of higher and spiritual ideas. IL took TINS
n ,h 2;: Of February lS4S. II passed. with the GER
.rplus.s o! pose;i'y, from the nateraiisEi "f ii'e
s !,m1crae!eS The spilituai!Sm " the future De.
-,c.s |, rendered the homage due 10 the Creator In
ea,ac II said 10 every FrenchInan OF mature age IN
ss,sle condition o intelligence and morality ~ on
g.y;cqate in The night, IN The exercise OF the socia
no. tecause YOU possess but because you are! de-
,,o; YOU NJ material con:i,ion; make you ctzsn
N e.c,or because rod has made you man. our
ri sovereignty is your sou it is your field your
your csane; and this sign is as inalienabe as your
u a raG .qg.! 10 myself"
s9n ,t,, lime society has been sprualist instead of
,o,pan The :raterna inspiration has been ooeyed.-
races u ancient divisions, Of old servi,udes, OF odous
,;,.s. haze been abolished Human nature has been
Hated not by gold but by the spirit. his resou-
/, u!' ioreye. bear The name Of universal suffrage.
:FricrL-IEs oF THE TAX REQUIRED By THE ANCIENT
ycsAclEs FOR THE EXERCISE OF THE ELECTORAL RIGHT
cne difficulties is that which we nave Just
e! 10 Ii malerialized human society, making OF u
.,les tomnanv instead of what II ought 10 be, ci-
ipg action II defined the crown ana degraded Tue
second o: these difficulties that the electoral sys-
erected an arbitrary element, thus revo!ted puollc opn-
M oed.Sposed the people !" constant internal ihsuF
yU sgainSt their governments
r, M llw said: This man. who paws tax OF two num-
:ssss an IDIOT: perhaps debauchee, an dier an gno-
.s :iunkad shall BE- an eiec,or and sovereign; whiie
ibor an honest man, an industrious, moral. an EN-
.tst man, model perhaps for the citizens OF his
a. shall ENJOY the privilege, because lie pays on
aunGred and nlnety nine francs II the collectors
=, mere chance fraction, a window taxed. tree
ss pace IN The field additional centime, es'ab-
ae .ht ur one OF deciding the fate OF his country,
tiae other OF preserving silence OF obeying, ana oi
M In his there perpetual scandal an injustice,
shame which cried Tor vengeance. sense Oi tiss
Size Of the treasury OF chlnce, converted by society
lax, constantly excited Indignation in every SOUND
l1d found .'lon for government Is : aneal. II
y respect in those vino obey, and dignity In those VINO
4 alnt.
gro was still another difficulty namely that the tax,
true ar!Socracv, and which constituted true
re, divided the nation into two nations majority,
o5eyet ana minority, which governed. Every ma
: thus divided instead OF forming complete and homo,
us ua.y, also divided in opinion and interest, aud
Hhei %!. combating and breaking up lis government
have seen this in 1880. You saw il the gath OF Feb
n; There is nothing solid but that which is of tie same
c. The unity OF the people, which constitutes tntif
against foreign enemy also constitutes all It's soai
: III ans: factions.
sally the tx demanded for the right of suffrage had
). enc Difficulty under form OF government which was
representative, in The fact that this name OF represent
n goynm-n, a falsehood and that property, ana,
ov' ge aac medium properties, alone was represent
'w to nothing Of the need OF representing all the
,d property in the Assembly which makes out the
"a, there not a moral need OF representing not only
IN ety. ~. all other conditions professions, iacues ahI
= d liz nation in the Assembly which makes the laws.
'1-I' hen the only interest of men united IN socetvt
III, = ~ interest taken any thing else! WIN you tear
he Constitution every page not relating exclusively -
sh d. r-.fer;y? l. man nothing but tax pavet! Is
= aaar! Do the AVS touch only his field! Do they
- his whole being he does not own iu'ro" or
,s Has the proleary much need OF these laws,
: aeresi in these laws, the taxpayer or the pro-
% VI l. h religious being and has he no interest
avs for Tie regulation OF worship! Is ne NOT son,
~ husband and has he interest IN the laws on the
G. q aUi,! Is lie not capable OF improvement, Oh
20 ~ a0G has he interest in the laws concern
'.A l. he not laborer agrlcultnrls ana his ne
s'ss IN the laws lahorl Is he not chid OF .ie
az interest in the laws for the conservation
eel sean,y i he not liable conscrption ana mas ne
l te. in the laws on recruiting? Does ne not give MS
!" h!s country and has he right in the laws con
y, Peace aud war? Il he not nhrm, INDECENT, SICK,
q cna old man, and has ne no interest IN
'aiing to assistance support, to the hospital 10
dd 's'l'ions o! human fraternity!
caa not DENY this without making OF MN heiot.-
W oon. 10 him as much If he had paid tax OF ten
$40 ancs His life, his blood, his intelligence, MS ia
Els Country are involved in them He has, then, tne
mis enr,sen,ed like yourselves. in those councils
you made the laws before, without him, and often
:, a!m. Otherwise he will be injured forgotten, OPP
'' fe w.i complain, and his just murmurs will inces
Use ioln the foundation OF your society, and VIII as
@e social harmony A society thus troubled by the