Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-07-01
rr.;,,,.,l IRON, Tourti Page

N any quarter ~ .fre Il..a, :. is obvious that thu
nyons- mode II putting the question Is 40: . CON-
have been discussing anA ahS"s rias. .ta 80,
- ,-e apparer: than that that Is not tue Prcfe.
.; If nroIe.nLiug tie question, 4ni Ee must ''' q
Il. object among constituency so te.!gen'' 50 CO...
nateat to 1dye as tue constituency .! thls oSi...
1rho puts tie question to them IN TINS iTit: :.
= +, them IL the ether ani practieai icrtn VIZ ne
hs,ber tbay will have the basis Of representation -
.ah:isbed among them for themselves not whether Ie
will have property represented and DC entitled 10 s
10 the polls giving each OF them na equal So's, "a.
whether they will give n vote equal to thelF o"i "
the man who. resulting III another par; OF inc
has no interest in th.ir property winch Is 10 % aAeu
The question is, whether you will couse'l' .n"'
not interested u the question IL WHICH 70" "'' ":'
hs.re the power to ou!-rote yoi. 70 s1A w. ~ 49,"
In..ey out Of you, and cxpenu lhaS ni:nes Nv te
Measure in Quarters and sections AMI divisions III "iS
nr l r,t dwell and have 10 intee est THAI II sait u
vnar;sl Are YOU willing 50 tn apportloa the repre-
sai,aon that the west shall have the power TO somr
t-, and ou 1vte YOU and lax you IL Gf PLEASURE e.
,hnr will and ans Your viii, an4 Tor tstr own p'ir
osas Pint he question host WIN have been SpJkei
=; ia Ibis bolr rs Woodworking, Industrious hon 81 IN
<alizent mechanic>-put the question TO thes il tn&
firm Let escil T., tia, little home which Il,
has already ACQUIRE r his ha- industry and the swea
of his own brow Let him g. bact i'll Ms inas!na:ir'
TO tlat little domicil which, for the taa ske!tcrs q"
that Is most dear him in -: and put i.e question 1
him. will you retain the power in this section OF the sou
try - that home preserve 1t Is s the ay
to destroy it to the people On the other SIDE n the |
tl:as bg taxing you they please! PIt the queso'
thus. and have sad bet,re for every one who VII
answer in the affirmative. will vuuc 70. ten Who VII
answer 10 tie Negative viii vouch for 1t upon n!
knowledge CT their intelligence, upon my Knowledge
their conservative character, However 1t may peas
gentlemen TO say that son respects, Ike mysei
they are radicals They are IN fac. conservative al
because they desire quiet government they desire
secure gocelnnen they desire free government Al
Il h.,
secure and cannot and secure uness propert
ami persons are equally protected oy It. They ue'h
government. whcn shall insure to them the rlSht III
power 70 project their property against UNJUST al
Unequal and improper, and burdensone TAXATION Inc
have the intelligence 20 know that when they traisse
that power to other hands hsn their own ther no longer
have it Put the question to them, and my lie upon
the sober. sedate, Industrious men among tne!n VII
answer as l do here for theul-however 1t La!
be with the lazr, the loahng, and speni.hrlt an
am sorry to hear it so often said upon this floor tina
there arc 50 many Of the people Of Virginia who har
no property, very little and therefore they VII
lug place this power in the hands OF those who l:
NO Interest in property to rob the treasury and to Ia!
the property OF others without the owners consent
Sir wish all hal property, and hope that those VIII
have it not now, will have It. and my word Tor II
those who have or from their habits expect to has'
property will, at the polls, resist this demand O.
the west as do.
But it has been urged that advocate basis whci
does not protect our property" Irepiy if this basis
not protect property what basis will Some gentcne,
cay the suffrage basis One portion Uf the remarks vi M
gentleman from Berkeley Mr.. FArLKSER) were deSi
to prove that this protection to be iouul in the rgh
Of suffrage But it is proposed make the rig .
Suffrage universal If this is done where the pt1tsc
ton property in the right OF suffrage, since sal
fnge afford NO protection 10 property unies' III
right to exercise it BE- limited property holders T
peopio v-n3n have the honor, in part TO represent,
Tue people Of Richnoud-have erincel their opn
ion upon this subject and ii you take heir standard
suffrage basis would afford protection, for they har
declared that shall vote for their council, tac
city legislature VIII is NOT worth property one hun
dred pounds in value. Will YOU pat that limitation
the right. and will gentlemen who against
to the standard Of the city uf kich noad! Will tbs.
psople do what pc ,pe have douct VIII they
that no man in this Commonwealth who is not worth
hundred pounds shall exercise the right OF suitru.-
40, s. aprreheni you will not hni single Que su
vii. do il. fe 90 tor uni, ersi: suffrage aud yet the
appeal to the people Of Richmond who have repre.
the doctrine Of universal suffrage. to a!i them in thu
assaults upon the rights OF the east. They rxpec: IL
People to surrender al practical safety ab,tr.c
notion Of equality. AMI trlst to the fortearaace c
others regardless of circumstances: or they uls
taken as they will find
But say our friends there is another safeguard an,
what ID i'll Allow read in the beautiful auy&ag
OF my friend from Berkeley Mr. FACLESEKl what his de
is Speaking, haze doubt, in just Of the poo
pie of the Valley Of that portion Of the Ealie,
which he so ably represents upon this floor, he says
"They believe that the highest security which pro
perty can have in any community IS to be found in gov
based upon the will and affections Of virlu
and patriotic people, which every Just and wlle
sorae limitation is imposed upon the agents Of govern
nent-in which wise AID beueiceus system Of law,
administered by pure, upright and Independent iu9
ciary government under which all left at lihe;
to indulge the Instincts of their nature in the honest
QUESTION Of property, aud where, equently al mus
feel mutual interest in preserving it from violence
aggression. Sir, these people not merely prac;ca
mea-they arc practical republicans. They regard til
people as the true and fountain of power an,
governments. only far legitimate, and free from III
dangers Of abuse, they rest upon their WILL AMI de
rive their authority from their Con ent"
Now the essence of this definition consists in the pro
posed basng Of government, the love and affection
Of the people, and in the great confidence in their virtue
intelligence and patriotism for IN all other respects thai
definition is applicable to the government and ii
tuition of the United States to the State Government
md beg leave to ask how many of the people OF Vr
ginia any other southern State would now he willis:
f. rust their safety the love and Affection and >-s
of justice OF the people of Massachusetts New York
and it may be used moreover by aud every gent
who advocates any basis whatever matter w. is
for all love the dear people very much and in Il!
sincerity repose great confidence in their virtue and il
telligence. Certainly DO But have too much r.
apect for them and for myself who am one Of t.rn I
profess that think them perfect to propose love ant
affection rs q basis Of government. The people .av
too much believe me if did use such auguag
and would only dspise my hypocrisy This arguluen
OF love and affection used the Federal Cunren
tion and let what James Madison said in reply
toit.
Mr.. Madison was like my friend from Berkele, (Alr
FAuLxNrR) in favor Of limitation upon the people an,
the agents of the people, for judiciary, fo
protection to property and for republican government
which he could not have without these qualities Blu
what said he when the argument pressed upo, him,
whether property shall be represented and whether thai
kind Of property, peculiar to the SOUTH should be rep
resented' While he expressed great confidence in til.
justice and in the integrity Of the people, what said he
that profound virtuous and venerable statesman Heal
while read his reply.
Mr.. Madison was not little surprised to hear thi:
implicit confidence urged By member Who on nj! oc
cason had inculcatedso strongly the political eprav
ty of and the necessities Of checking vice .c
interest by opposing to them another vice and interest
If the Representatives Of the people would he bound BY
the ties he had mentioned what need was there of
senatc2 What OF revisory poweri But his reason
ing not ouy inconsistent with his former reasoning
but inconsistent with itself At the time that h,
recommended this implicit confidence to the souther,
States in the northern majority he still zeal
in exhorting them all to Jealousy of western ma
jori.y To reconcile the gentleman with himself it must
be imagined that he determined the human character by
the points of the compass The truth vas TINT All ,n.