Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-03-11

this subject They are in difficulty rom ~ winch they
will find it hard to eStricatc themselves iey seem 10
at the very first move to nave or .,'. aa,o.aS -
check. Ipu, i, home to gentlemen ~h" are oeso'ed 10
he principle that the majority ought % govern at All
tines anil under all circumstance i lhes can osihs
themselves supper: the plan OF 'e .slcu
will invite the attention ., s' I'm " Tue
main question under dscas-:oa rs S'ae' !. IN my
.o,nr ram,r. assert that there Is no prncp pie
in our bill Of rights that requires us 10 adopt the
suffrage basis or 10 reject thcnSeo basis IN the appor-
onaent Of repre- ;ontatio1 propose p.ichS 10 examine
ho clauses !, Inc bill Of rights which have been relied
80, :; al; J.,at. hy gentlemen On The other side
bo 4, 90 as briefly possible contentiHs myself where
- H. =, with ,stcc 10 The subject, with a simple
,, nf n,y views without n gtincn; For before i "a
,,sn,ien Of the committee Is wearied, wish 10 adj ras
.lr :, rho more practical branch Of the subj. :. III
iur some considerations of publ; liberty 81 safat,
,;;.h .e..iS IL ought 10 contrc' nc. ~, -.
.,i IRE ri arrangement shall comnen- - ,t ,
.r ia which they stand in The Il = ,;,.h, Tsro
"r Inc, caues upon which gent o,nn sl. !. = .nn,n
r,. remarkable that al thee .has - - ,s az
e3ce o prior to coa'i ,nal orga.;z,.;on While
: c,a,e which really does .cier to the subject under Dis
,s,o! HI, oee' overlooked shall refer to them
all before go ~ IS thciirst clause: al men are BY
Aa:rFc ela. ~ . 1 Independent, and have certain
Inherent i7 Of w..:ch when they enter safe ~ So
c.eiv NC. aanot 6y any compact deprive OF d'vest
tAef pos sru w this in its very terms apples 10
the t,r,, comb. OF mel, before they enter INTO
5: 40 Of safety Bat admitting that al men are or
- :
, sh,-. an :,l in the differences which these gentle.
me-, draw Il! N hat declaration Because all mea are
,7aa!v free men ought to exercise equal po.::'ca!
.ysr q,eor in. to lie reasoning OF these gentlemen
Power IS no: liberty and the exercise of power Is not
IL. e,,:o:!nent liberty. You conioand the means with
IN, ON, Power i, Tie means by which liberty Is pre-
sq-r.i and !! you - o:,si1e power IN the govera-
,,.a. - - nr.s.rve liberty, YOU accomplish All the pur-
.,e OF q free government Gentlemen associate with
sh ile, OF freedom Ike idea ct power and IN order to
make men free vc~ must give them power Were we
N that happy angelic coalition II Witch each OF his own
.ree vii! would respect Al hts OF others We might
s.olvo government, and locate power nowhere y" ~
Gentlemen tell ~ that men IN suci circumstances "onia
no: be free h-c;use ,ey We're net exercising power
ge here t.4 ri ,ht, would BE- protected tas; liberties
i,:c.crvel without IN, asct, {" theirs. ~. WY 40
:lenlel content themselves with claiming Upon this
principle equality Of poitca! power: iEni l." sie-
tia, limitation .. The terra ii, tie bill of rights Why
noi caim TOO al equality Of social power Wealth is
power--social power physic:! strength intellectual:
endowment, constitute bower. pom the int' rretaiion
which gen; enen give the bill! oil ri. hts MI iy
nature entitled equality il nj; these RESPECTS fu,
told thai without equa. OF power, there Is no
equa: OF freedom. Gentlemen impressed with thi,
view should not stcpat reorganization OF "nr political
system: they should r,orsaize t!e social system they
siculd lift their view ill higher ndad,res their
in, and evening suppicatols high heaven .hat the
system of nature -c!; siouli ,e Organized prnci-
pie derenr FROM ha, applied ii by infinite wisdom.
But !: mea who do 10. have equality o power. have
follow that those who exercise powes have free
dom that upou this theory. freedom IS confined the
qiaife. voters AID Ina, equality OF freedom asserted
tn bl Of rights and lis cunconitaut equality ct pow
er = the exclusive right al qualified, voters il this
party should prevail in this Convention. SHALL look l,,r
proposition ron them amend the ili OF rsA:s as
express their views precisely. Tie. o:: upon
this theory i make it read adj qualified voters ty
nature equally tree and independent Ii the r9c lot
qualification o Suffrage should prevail then Your bin
rights might ,Lat ali men WHO ;wcn,y iv,
dollars worth OF Land are naturally free and equal Ii
Is Well known that there party upon this ;loor
bracng gentlemen from both sides of the mountain w.c
wall endeavor 10 make the payment of State and county
taxes qualification Of suffrage Your biz O; rights il
the Interpretation am now combating be correct would
then declare that all men b. naturc equally free
provided, always, that they had paid the eoGatv levy.
Upon this theory if TO day chance 'iavt settled.
nv AK bills a,n not freeman entc,! caiay all the
,.G:a! rights If men, No, the steri! has liberties
IN Ii, sai.ie bags in the un;ai:y >ha,,e o TX i.
Tomorrow settle the acoIu:t, and Immediately III
ycs.t: with all TIE rg,l.s and privileges OF ircc!an
al by iciicn, like those of the law, these
ri,a:s re.ato back must suppose the da OF y birth
'or I'm now become b. nature equally free. The re-
ce, which ie sheriff! endorses upon the tax BID thus
constitutes the great charter of the liberties of the c
Ii such be the provision ought to be ma e by
iaw -. preserving in public custody and n public
p,Ie. those Interesting documents, those Invaluable
ntaeas of title 10 e.a freedom AMI the right Of
W.! now et follow these gentlemen through ano.
y -
acjio: They first infer from ;.c bill ot rights imrnn
'rly a | think that have shown, that every
ei 10 exercise equal share OF political wcr ald
;ro.a that by ccro,is Il s;cil c.@rdenan
amp the conclusion that the nl ori;y haze The
nj light exercise al! power AMI the minority have
right to exercise any power ii; all tritlc THAI
kali u the community thus invested with absp-
late power. and trihc ic,, than half t. b stripped
every srmb!slce Of power This i accomplished
y the advocates of the theory that man j. free TN
es IL exercises jus. much political power Il, am
other man in the commnity The Only po.iiicai o-sani-
ztoa that have heard or read Of in which th,
principle of equality in the OF power prac-
teailv admitted the old Polish constitution under
w"ch mo- majority but una;n,:iy was required in tie
passage OF Laws. There, under the pressure
sly. the sword overruled the Hber~m veto and the
Ste oi the cizcn sacrificed while his right To equal
political power respected Suppose We examine
the practical application which gentlemen 3ropc =.
IL" toths principe aud whether their pr
poses are ii any degree accomplished. | am not
gong 70 make any further criticism upon their report
IAN going to suppose for the moment that they have
'se Theoretically persct application OF ii.ir pinc;-
~" and that they have divided the Stat into election
s;f ct> each Of which embrace precisely the same
Number of votes conccdc this for he SAX Of arsu-
acat, though know that III practice i never b. ;c-
coapshed Ii you could arrange districts his ~ m
ing the equality o: the distribution would be :..,urb.,l
before the would 20 down tomorrow cvsa;nr. III,
in ,ha; imaginary condition vii you then cave hi,
desired equality Of political power " III ;rca-
degree os nilucnce which his will may exercise ,a,
he action Of the legislative departments Mos: a>sur
civ i: will Let give illustration that VIII
Clearly express Ut the time tina: il eaurccs III,
view. will take three OF your election districts ana
suppose that each includes thosan! voters, and cac.
~ct> delegate 10 the Legislature. proposition i.
before the Legislature and election, are lnade
with reference to that subject. One Of these election
districts i, unanimous against the propose. measure.
7l:ns majority il each OF the other two districts in
u. Il, n he i.rr,
districts there nearly thousand against
:a are and hui lit lie more than one thousand III
isro: q i; Yet the two thousand in consequence Of
's local si:n,t!oa elect delegate and the thoc-
'aa eject ,wo delegates! few than thousand
hcs exercising twice much legislative power
~ ie" less than two thousand voters That is ,oar
'toi F- plan or securing each voter precise equal.
- u i.~er' perceive that The committee COM
iaat ire View that am now presentn, Allow me
'i"Fee !: with another illustration. trust that 90
; ap-opcr in referring for illustration t" the pre-
. ,"F''on o, parties in the State. II is well known
a.. ".-i!,-t> uf the nov elected wi h