Richmond semi-weekly times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 184?-1853, 1851-07-29
For THE TINE.
FOR THE lines
To the Voters Of the Congressional District COM
posed Of the Counties Of Chesterfield, Powha-
tan, Goochland, Louisa, Hanorer, Henrico and
o.. &c pseLa,aa..L .-----.

In the monh Of July o the last year. fellow. ct.
zens, received communication signed by between
zone and two hundred persons, asking that would de-
clare myself a candidate for the Convention then
about to be elected, to amend the Constitution of the
State, and at the same time requesting to urni h
them with my views in regard to the various measures
OF reform proposed. The first proposition declined
not only because thought the people ought to be left
to select their own agents, for important trust,
irrespective OF their personal influence and popularity,
but because really had desire TO be in the Conven
tlon-whe did not feel myself at liberty to withhold
any service that my friends might call upon to per-
form. Efr NJ
The second request complied with, and sent them
letter embracing my general views on the leading
Questions of reform then spoken ofwhch letter
published in all the leading papers OF this city be-
teoe eDerg one and it il was not read the FAULT was
not mine; every voter in the district was furnished
with the opportunity of ascerainng my views before
| he voted .tt.-
In that letter | sad-"I am clearly in favor of ex-
tending the right of suffrage TO make it as near
ly universal as may be practicable and expedent My
observation and experience has long since satisfied
that there is no Intermediate ground to be occupied
| between freehold and universal suffrage for many
| reasons not necessary here to enter into."
Thus it will be seen that clearly in favor of
extending the right OF suffrage to atl and by conse-
quence OF suhecng the property of the country 10
some extent to the CONTROL of the property hold
ders, who in the sense which it is here employed would
constitute large majority OF the voting population in
perhaps every county of the State, and who would
therefore control the selection of to the
Legislature. Twas in favor of this, becauaeI was not
and all the intelligence of the State, was lodged by
nature with those whom fortune had favored with an
| abundance of worldly goods; or in other words / be
eyed tha the experience OF seventy FIVE years had set
tied what at the time OF the adoption of our first cons
tuition was an unsolved problsmto wit: the capacity of
man Tor self government which was honestly and ear
| nesty doubted by some OF the best and wisest men
OF that day-and which had large share of influence
In the deliberations OF the Convention of 1e29-con-
troed as was in great degree, by those whose pre-
udIces and early conceived opinions on this subject had
u nr dIaa tod
! When declared myselfan advocate for Universal
Suffrage it was because not only believed in the ca
pacy OF man ao'th2ut as well as in the pith pro-
perty for selEgovernment; but because thought the
| poor quite incapable of approprating the means
OF the rich TO their purposes, the rich could be OF ap
Propratng the scany pttance of the poor their uses
because tho ught the virtue ct quite as trust wor
thy as that OF he other; because estimated men by
the qualities of the head aud ofthe heart and not by
the depths OF their pockets the length of their purses
because believed this to be governne Mt of men, and
not government of property because believed that
man was made to control property, and that property
was MOI made 10 control man; because believed that
OF nature, mind was made to control matter, and that
mater was not made to control mind; because be-
lieved that wealth and arstocracy had quite enough
land to my taste far muchj influence and extraneons
Importance attached it, without ENGRAVING it upon
the OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES was anxious to establish
as far as could, political equality among all men from
inc ordest astocrat to the humbest and the poorest
peasant; because believed that men who were called
upon to fight the battles of the country should have
voice in determining the question of peace or war: be-
cause believed the right suffrage great perso-
nal right, that ought not to DE sold out at pcayuue
head, and because l did not believe The pay
ment OF tax of ten cents was any proof oil his
interest IN or attachment to the institutions of the
State; because believed that the honest ndustri.
Gus, poor man. the mechanic, the day laborer, that
lives by the sweat OF his brow and spends for his family
to-day the hard learned profits Of his labor OF yester-
day, was entitled to be ranked above the goods and
chatels the cattle and beasts of the field of his more
favored aad wealthy neighbor; in short, because
believed that property entitled to PROTECTION ONLY
while man, "the Lord of creation "made after Gods
own image alone entitled to representation and
with these views firmly impressed upon my mind how
could | have voted for mixed basis that would have
gwen more weight to property than to men how could
have sustained proposition that gave forty. nine re-
representatives. to the PROPERTY Of the East and ony
thirty three to the PEOPLE of the East? how could
nave yielded to measure that req tired twelve thou
Sane souls to offset every thousand dollars otaxa
ton as the only means OF protecting the property of
the rich from the rapaciy OF the poor and at the same
moment have subjected tae selection of those repre-
sen1alves 10 the control OF the very men who had
little or no property of their own. Such course
would nave been too inconsistent and absurd for hui
man Ingenuity to reconcile
of was this the only objection to the proposition
was called on to vote for; and could not have sus-
tanned 1t without surrender Of all claim to Wing con-
slstency and propriety.
Would any Wing ask me to vote for proposition
which gave an unequal and unjust representation TO
Democratic counties, Democratic men, and Democra-
nc taxes, oyer Wing counties, Wing men. and Wing
.'ASo VhdI uLu the IHlXcQ OASIS proposed by the
committee do? 1t made. in one instance, ten Demo-
cta.lc counties, sending ten delegates offset Wing
| eounues, also sending ten Deegates-whe the pop-
uai'u ~; ln me democratic counties only 3746O
anl ~ 'ae " mig couhues the population was 53375:
and the taxes paid in The Democra,ic counties co.
Gny 90 s ass WI whe The taxes paid in the Wing coun
ues were SoS24o What equality or justice was there
| IN this Again, in another instance 81 732 nonnja
non IN Democratic counties made 10 offset " e71
IN wing counties; while the Democratic counties paid
o ony So4ol taxes and the Wing counties paid $685..
| tion
the population is nearly equal $27 1877 of taxation is
| made to balance $50 34l taxes in Wing counties -
Agan, J1aSo poP9laon in n, Democratic counties is
42S in taxes TO balance 500 3l8 taxes in Wing conn
le and again, in another instance los 500 popu alton
IN DEMOCRATIC counties is made to balance 1873 1874
population IN Wing counties, and $S 763 axes to ba-
lance SlO6 1874 of Wing aXes-and so on throuohont
Democratic Chesterfield, with 1864 population, nav.
ing ls9 9 taxes, is made to balance Wing Albemare,
while the city of Richmond, which on their own mix
ed basis would be entitled TO eleven representatives
was only to be allowed four. But besides all this ii
was such an arrangement as would have required
majority of not less than $1,000 Wings to have carried
a majority OF the Legislature
Now, does any Wing complain of me for voting
against such proposition as thls9 1t SO, all can say
49, that am at loss to know how any Whiy could he
leconcied to vote tor it, For farther Developments in
detail on this subject, refer to my printed speech on
| the basis question. roNo'- VA
b SUI wish to enquire why 100000 persons East
vi ie mountains, entitled to fourteen REPRESENTATIVES
more man $4,000 persons West of the mountains q
vas u because they were more vruous, more ineili-
sueh eround but because they were more wealthy.
ns aus lhey had mo properly; and is il for renndia
Jug sncn pfnepe as this, that am TO be condemned
10 tl's age OF reform and in this free counrrvP Do
those who have heretofore supported me desire to az
ns distinction, this inequality established between The
ren ana ne poor! lfso. confess they made great
mistake when they sent the Copyention rsfor
n'er as snpposed, to ohterae such odons and an
n-repuoiean stinctions, If the principle be sound
one let US cayit cut 10 its legitimate results. and see
in whal it will end '"'''' anu zee
If minority of rich men east The moun,,;ns
entitled TO larger share ofpoca power, than ma
Jofty OF poor men west OF the mountains why should