Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-07-25
REMARKS OF MR.. KNOTE, OF WHEELING, in
- CONVENTION

ycnron am myself however SO thoroughly convinced
its poprely that should feel taa haa not iuly as
currri nv duty il did offer il. move To strike
Out this section after the words rra roce Inc %ords ano
nor by ballot and insert until otherwise ordered by le
genera assembly 80
II will b. seen at once BY the members Of this Convention
that the fleet amendment is not 10 proyla for voIlng
hv ballot but merely makes provision that II the general
as nhv a any time during the existence III the c0nsu'
n, shud become convinced that it would be best tu dis
continue The mode Of voting and substitute io
The ballot mode, they may have The power to do 50. a
we'll convinced. and presume every otber member Is
also that Virginia General Assembly will never change
he rra mode of voting for the ballot unless there is an
necessity for H. As lur myself am oeclueuly III
favor Of The ballot vote
have drawn oil some remarks made by the Hon. Bena-
min Watkins Leigh not in favor of the balOt vote, not
against t r,ra vote but against the extension of the
right OF sragc and which, in my opinun bear more d.
ccy against This mode vi voting Than against
extension vi OF suffrage ask the privilege oil
reading them:
"Waf will be the condition of the tenant at will who is
indebted o"uny Of his landlord for the shelter
that his head Or Vi the tenant from wear 70 year.
Of five years lense rendering rent quar-
ery half yearly yearly equal II The iu annual value vi
land.
lis pxneced really believed that men in this stu,
atin sill v"e without any regard 10 The wishes 81
Dl their landlords? that tenant, wnen he goes To give
VOTE w have cuncatc the nvor, Or 10 avoid
man, who may issue his distress war
rant never The in snd take lhe bed On
which his lying. the cradle from under his new
bun cnliG? Sir The lan,Jrd holds such by the
~ strings ct his He has The p'wer with the
slightest twltch, drug him 10 the pulls, and dictate his
Not The pusilsnimty only but the vry virtues Of the
man. may ser, his dependence, and implicit obe
1ierice IL lhr master power which constants hls VIII
II he andl be induscn and kihd-ii with power 10
exact due oy process u! dlsliess, he yet Tor
cas to do 81 kind regard 10 the interest ui the
tenant or generous 81 parhy with any misfortune which
may b-iacn him. ne binds The tenant 10 HIM ~ favor;
gratitude III tile human heart, such tenant VIII
respect Of SUCH lindurd and the case will DC
rare indeed which lie ~" hesitate 10 give his ve al the
the
slightest hint
"On the other hand the hard and rigorous landlord may
address his dctavn the distress fears of his enani
nna may in general command his vote, ny the terror Of
constable his door, win distress warrant in his hand
ine pour man, who loves his wife aud Children will
look welfare and comfort as The hrSi object {" his
care and Will ud pride Vt political Independence no
consolation vr misery in which II muy involve them
Now these were made against the extension
OF the ruh al su.ge but In my apprehension They are
the in.i powerful have ever read against the
rru roce mode ui voting desire 10 know what nIsmocr
of Inns Convention lndlud md the employ
manufacturing cs.aD hmlrn's should have The rt
~ strings heart o their t:nhntS and worknen pla
in hands !whU desires 1hI they should have The
power win the slightest twtch 10 drug them (hn) To The
uu. and dictate their whu wishes that the
uau, my Ia ensure his independence
and mp obedience Ia the maStcr poeer which cohstr"ns
his WILL r. presume there Then why nnt II IN
rir power DO by fixing permanently this rtra roc
vote
THIS argument made against the right OF suffrage
But sight suffrage has been extended and fixed and
God extended and fired jOrercr Ii there was urce
in TIL, argument against the extension VI
hight of Suffrage think II has Infinitely m"re "rce when
applied against the rica But there other
which might he presented. 1t said in this Convenun bv
understand This sun.ct that one halt OF The male
twenty years u! ngc IN this State have new
CT l:'! the right oil voting Every s"ch ,n'viua hoMesei
Will have that right, and trust will continue I" have II
IN That increases the difficulty OF the r'ra
mode ri voting which has heretofore existed IN tins
STATE and which has frequently required three days III winch
totes o the qualified voters restricted us The!
bern merely for representatives senator's ana members
Congress Hereafter there will be nearly double The NUM-
Der voters who viii have not tor TWO Or three Of
ices o:v but eigh, twelve fourteen different Off
GERS some for district Tor township for county, some
for circuit Congressional and some for State u
And ASK how many "t these men VII" are engaged
not az clccouucrng attending politics, but IT their
work day day and from week Ia week. when ey come
up before the Judges of The election can remember
u the different for whom they desire IT, vote!
presume all will admit that very few couiG do It, Besides
yuu ,si have large OF clerks, ana then apprc
ncnd will be iounu difficult N the large districts at
the take tl' vote in less Than three days
appeal Of this Convention whether II Is not
likely that will tie frauds committed where those
elections kept open long Tn" subject, arprehc3d
y !!t BIZ considered By The Convention
have examined The different STATE constitutions OF tins
country and have drawn ri" from every one their conStl-
tu,lunI provisions ini upon this subject in wen!yonc
the States OF this Union here may DC more, but did
find them in my cxamnaon) tho following provisions,
q wit:
Rhode I<land-By ballot.
Cvnnec,icuIn all elections Of officers OF The State for
:ers o tie general ASSEMBLY the votes OF the electors
shall be- By bIHot.
Ntr Yort-.l elections by the citizens shall be by bal
iot except s"ch officers may BY law be directed 10 be
Otherwise chosen
h<- by persons their representative capacity, who snail
vote rira
MARYLAND -(Oh constitution, RIGA rocs,) New ennsitn-
all elections the vote shall be taken 6y ballot
North Curoina-lS That the Senate shall be conpoScd
Of representatives. !y chosen by ballot one Tor each
county Stale 2 That the house Of commons shai
be composed OF representatives lily chosen by ballot dc
Georgia-In all eccIi"ns BY the people, the electors SHALL
mill The legislature shuA otherwise direct
4. hp r,aH,h he fhs rr1j
issenbv The members thereof shall rira and
sIl entered the Journal Al other elections
shall he by ballot.
Ouo-(Acw consrituticn) All elections shall be by bal
IadiunaA cIrc,ns BY the people shall be by ballot
and all cectius by The General ASSEMBLY, or ny either
branch thereof, shall hr rird rocc.
LDusanu-ln all l-c.ns By the people the vote shall be
dniio: all LEGION. by The SrnaI" and House "i
epr snnutves Jointly or separately Inc vote s" DC given
rira ,
the people. shall DC regulated by tu'r
I7os All shall be given rsrd roce unIIi uttered by
he t;"ncra Assembly.
alabama al, ,errons bv the penrle III" electors shall
oy bao sn the General Assembly shall 0taer~se d.
rect.
flo-da-In all elections by The General Assembly, the
BE- in all elections oy The people, the vote
fchi.un All votes shall be given by ballot except for
ruwnsnp officers mny by Law be directed 10 oe OH
-r: rh
irfuasas. AL general elections sha De rtra rocc Rn'u
0tlerrLse directed by tJ,c.
1etus In al ,Ic,ns BY tho people, the shnlI be BY
5aN until the Legislature >hI otherwise direct, nnI in all
Lotions hy Senate House of Representatives lint
or separately shall be given rira except in
the ,.c. ~ 81 their officers
Irrd ALI elections ty The people shall be by ballot
sco All shall be given by bllot except for
such officers law be directed allowed to be 9TH
efwisr chosen.
In summing the whole NATTER find tina. in seventeen
these twenty States The elections positively by
ballot and in w.t. Mississippi and Tcxns by ballot I'M
altered by law; and in three, wit Georgia Illinois, ana
kansas is 10 De rira But all Of them hare
this prorisinu which nrnprse wiz that shall remain
until altered by The leg iSlaturc.
The constitution If the State of Virginia nj this time
among all tine -itutnns OF the Country stands soi
tary and This ncroralc and unaerobte ritd roce
mod. If voting in her constitution. There is new
con -rirutnn in which the provision for rirI roce vo-
ling inserted II has long been Of the bo1Sis al
Virginia her have hccomr, by their intel.
Ii cnrr their virtues and thr public spirit leading states
men in all The States South and West Of this State carrying
her and the spirit o her institutions VIII them wherev.
er they went And il is They are taught, from their
cradle tn heir manOpd that nothing is good or great that
Firqinan and when they leave their homes AMI their
native State very natural that they should look back
,ha ola sOE