Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-05-09

10 'cslric"i or destroyed. And the attempt Is now
i';'EihS by means of representation proportional Il
the extent of wealth. to give the power. Of the gov
eminent into the hands OF the wealth. an! To give l.,
.neh! votes or The weight of sulErag. corresponding
thc value of their property As already said suffrage
uoeS not coSIs; III merely rccordiu, the vote the
PohS' nnt That vote must BE- counted AMI counted
cqa' with the vote Of every other voter; otherwise
!hc suffrage is destroyed To give Ia man with one
hundred dollars worth OF property one vote ;ni count
one, and tnrn CIV" 10 another, with ten thousand dol
'aF' worth OF property one vote and it two il,
representation The vote OF the i: DESTROYED hv the
double power OF the vote Of the other Ii i swanwc!
up ny 1t, Tor IS rs two against Ole If these gentle
men intend To protect properly by means of double
power I" the wealthy sHifragan- demand Of them 10
do II openly and wilhoG disguise bv iyn- 10 them n,
one" votes ut the polls corresponding in number to the
Sa'i" OF their property ] demand of them to do it
openly 50 that the people may il plainly and then
determine for themselves whether they will oppose
c"ndc'nn this atc:nrt Of Tie property hocrs I" mo-
nopoizc all the powers Of the government to them.
sc"cs ask then, in ju>tic" to the outraged rights of
The people TO str of al! its disguise, and open it fully
to the pnbc gaze; or The people Of The east have been
w'Eed long enough with the idea t;!at il is mere
sectional question between the east ana the west; bv
"h!rl I" protect themselves from being taxed when in
truth, taxes and the sub Get of taxation have nothing in
the world 70 do with IT, 1t is an attempt Of the money
Pwer I'll the east To ln"n"pozc the power, of the gov
enict by which the ni-s: uf the east are b. de-
the people of the west rich and poor.
II has been sad by many gentlemen in this discus
SON. That majority oi Interest and not of numbers
:houl, govern. | have had my mind ut work upon
Ills subject, |" see 1t could understand what gentle
men mean by ma GRITTY oi interest above that of nun
ocFS Aud Confess that, after weeks OF Luxurious in.
Vesga;lon, am totally Unable to comprehend it. All
oar people have rights o person, ana rights oE things
IN which they have interest But how one man c;,,
nave more interest i'll hl> person property than
"'ncr, rIn"i understand. One have more
property to be Interested in tan another; but the M.
'icf!cai Y'";"D Of interest ,an has in his property
docs not depend upon the cxcnt Of his farm, or the
E'!E"i oi lis herds. For, whether his be- great or
small, lie has bu, one Interest in IT, And ii YOU are to
c1u:nerae interest in his prcpcv b: the extent
-: III, wealth, You mast adopt the rule in
l'aiilS his Interest in his persona; rights Mems rights
.: pcgs"n arc The n sh Of life liberty. Ike Now can
You tel Inc what greater interest man twenty -ivc
years old has III his life than ghty years Of aye
DO gentlemen that the youn., Inci have majority
OF ntcrc, u" lie, arl dat take away the life of
Young is greater crime than take that OF the
old one because it would be taking greater interest
from The than the other. Do they mean tina. il
would he ONLY half tie crime to take the lie Of IN old
that it would he to take that OF the volIng one /.
have never heard OF such an opinion existing any
where in the world cxccp; in the Fciec islands lc.
linvc it does exist there, bt:t nope nowhere else How
then YOU to ascertain the majority Of interests .!
The ghts OF person, except By ;h nrv Of persons
There difference iii the right of life nor is thcr.
any in the RICH; OF limb The poor n;n has a. mucl.
the right OF limb : the millionaire who rolls in hi,
chariot with guided livery And il is rs rauch the
duty of government to protect the the other
The law knows difference. A-s:l the humh!cst
citizen and destroy his life i- limb and the law OF
IN" country steps in, with its punishment Of the often
der in his behalf much IL j; does in behalf of the
prnudest or wcalthlrs.
So too with the right Of religious privileges Men
.iipnp lur,
privileges than those with but little. All have the
right worship God according 20 their conaicncr-
The law secures that right to much another
How then YOU Io;-;ertain this supposed majority u
interest III Personal rights. except by majority II ihr
persons possessing them: AMI the principle is Tie
same when applied I" the rights Of things. There j. in
the country citizen with ms li!tic lrorcrtT
lor-, and his little household furniture Near him is
his wealthy n-i.hOr, with his hundreds Of thousands
worth Of property. Tell me, pray .,;, what .;r'tcr
interest tho OF wealth has III hi, rNr:l>:" posses
u. ;IaM his poor nci@hDor has III lis little All! None
whatever The rich l:..n has one interest in his VAST
estate ad tie poor man also has one interest III his
snail one. How then III regard to the RI lit q" things
can yu, ascertain tie crit" al Interest except b. the
majority ii pr,oi+ i'll whom the interest resides 1t
!; no; the weight ni gold and silver in pounds sng-
and ntrcc it is lOi the number OF dollars Tor which
,-,iitirrru contend that which constitutes their ie,
ii the jus mqjor;. but the ory Of interest apart
from ti.. al nial"r> chat has tn. light ~ govern y
majority oi interest. a>certan-l by majority of the
persons possessing .nrr.,t is that upon which al
governments "atlt Ia base the poc; powers ni In,
sac For Inc. who nave Interest IL he protected
by the government will feel IN interest in the plrscrv
Jon an; prosperity nf that government. Tic INA iurty
ri that interest c,nnut Dc a4cc!tned b. the ;inun
.: thing. possessed, hut only b: the number oi those
Interested III them.
Int desire t" say something more upon this subject
Of III. j jor% II has been assaulted AMI >;f"u Il
o.s,i. Uy those from whom ld not expected such
.sar!t II agent il constitutes. t. represent a. wort!
an, THOUSAND conrs and i. worth ten tiou>a, what
does that agent represent: ii" rcitr,-"nt. "r u :
-.,icr alnu,Tt ii property than he does i,f y, and r'
Numerically, he represents bu one lie represents InS
sill iudel,:lt and desires al hi rnc iEtlle ""n"'
If that property. And whether ii amounts to r:i'
uol,ani or ten Thousand dar> NE Is bat tue r"pcSc
atirc o the constituent and not the rrrs"!!:v W.
Of the property: for that Is the thing acted upon w IN
representation lie represent. the will o the c"is
ut CONCERNING those things upon which IL Is executed
think therefore. there is Ii" such thing as majority
ni interest apart from the mn ory ot numbers AM
whilst the minority of the people may Possess mtc'
larger amount of property: still the majority OF Interest
in the property of the whole people Is III the ni"rit:
If those people + it proper then that majority :"
the ctlzc.s -!uL aid control the government III The enact
nr Of laws for the protection of the rights OF proper
Is rs we'll the rights "f persons: HE S'htieh'i
from Norfolk COUNTY tMr WATTS asked, with mdci
apparent confidence upon what principle or by VIII"
right should The majority govern: lie inca Sti" '
WAS no such principle, and that the majority had II" -nci
RIGHT lie next inquired upon what principle the III
nori.y should govern and then again he ='i thrrc wa
no s,ic principle Then upon what principle shall IN,
Government be organized, TO accomplish -, sF'
.;:s for which government l. instituted /" accom-
III that object, he co"ict:e ihat r'l'e;'' ,''
sioli,! liz lalssl upon hr rights 81 the people. IN!
propositions III the gentleman If |; l. brought Forward u
Il nr;t.arc q" com promise shall receive my ls''E S"l
port Aud he intended 10 Indicate IL com ".'>'
;ropo.ition ak him +" bring II forward; an, thh'
hazard nothing in va; ing il viii receive the 't"" sup
n.r 81 Tx. entire west. lie ri-his q! the Pc"."s
h,rII Ia. dcri.tcG 10 haze such basis ufon "''ch u
place The legislative power ol liie government ~
ri.. OF tie people NJ heart lcai'ee WIN JOY ",S
Il, 4 lcun was drstn!It;ag 80 c1queh;lE upon tlt
beanie, al his proposed lss Ard "nS ;h,""' ready
- .;c,in with him, there i land ahead bi' Ii VI
aJort that gentleman suggestion ihe CUES ION WI ihei
ais; how are We 70 ascertain tie g'hntH1 0! thoS'
;,,btst Whenever vi enter INTO IN investigation o
,L, rbts Of the people is divided INTO the rights o
n,. and The RIGHTS OF things. We Will necessarily tine
h, couair divided anon. the Whole people, and vii
,h, ~ last be- brought to the Question ~ 10 whcthe
ia maturity or tie minority OF those rights shout,
,;.,i the controlling power. And a. tina: gentleman
. moi concede the right of either the majority or III
,nnr;ty 10 rule think he is fairly ut sea without com
R,, This right Of the majority 10 govern assaet
; r,uch more than ordinary ingenuity by TIE gentle
w., from Halifax (Mr. EpIrHns.) He said that tn
;,v principle Iii! ami cod not operate il Eir
- lang as representatives elected in cuIntie
,b,t h ipauuality If nup.har. II