Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-12-03

served ell o! The constitutional requirement
! Imposed upon them; that III It'll T7ogre'
| S0GLhTards i invaded the State Of FicSinl:
and was mt upon tho borGr- and crushed.
made the STAT, ment. that upon tue de1oat
that party. Black Republic.nism arose IN II
stead and held the ground it bad occupied, an
that from that day forward, in those States
ovelTun, the constitutional rights Of the South
ern States have been disregsrded.
had no intention in making these state
ments to tread upon anyhody's toes. oil
lot desire 10 cast any personal reflections upo
any member Of this body. vas wllling {
accord to every gsntcrIsn hero what c!aime
for myself, and 10 forget all past pnllt!cal oil
terences, aud 10 stand side by side, III the dc
fence Of tho country. referred to the fac
which have jast indicated as IN RdE0nltloi
to sll Of US, that We ought not to suffer th
passions of the hour to control the bette
judgment Of this House. For that puTpos
only, referred to lkai historical fact.
l Shall pass by the geGtleman's apparen: cx
uItatlon over what he enormously suppose
were the effects Of the victory which crushed
out that party. If he can find any pleasure
70 day in advancing the principles of that par
-, snd epnlGgi2iEs fc.- the ,ni:chierr"I IT,
1uences rhich they cxeTtei, lie is welcome t
do So That PARTY was founded upon an effor
TO Arrest from ctizeDE Of the United States th;
privileges y ahich the laws OF the United States
gave them; and the reason given for Wrestling
ron theGe citizens their lawful rights, vas
that they would not be faithful citizens to tht
United States, iras:nuch az they we're rot na-
tivcs, and yet The gentleman himsal! has giyer
US nirSL conclusive evidence Vi the fact thai
they sra faithful. When TIM. government
made war upon US, he says they are still faith
lul to it, and are il arms against us. say
no higher evidence u! their fidelity can bt
given.
But sir, tbe remarks Of the gentleman cast
IN implied reflection upon all those citizens
and residents Of the Southern States, who were
exactly Of the same class as thogc vho imni
grated 10 the North, and vino are TO day tnith
fully battling for the cause OF Southern honor
aud ndePcndencs--rcady to lay down lhcii
LIVES to achieve Southern Independence. If
this fRct bc delied. he evidence to establish il
j: abundant.
But, sir, this amendment is wrong in 2rinci
pie. II il the object Of cTery we'll regulated
government to ssttic and improve its territory
t. explore It's resources, &c maize aTaaUie all o.
The 6oalth and tie energy Of irs cieiIvns, hence
every vel rcgu.tca government sd3pts III:
aid ju'iic!oEs system o: encouraging ;iIilDg7a.
ton TO improve lis uriUpToyed Gymain-
Why, sir, one Of the prime pei canses for oul
TesoIu!i9n N lfIU, Vas thai !hc King Of Crest
Britain c:drGTUred 10 prevent the population
of tho coDnuy, ng cDstructjng tho laws for the
natuTaliIt tI:rn 0i iOreigHcry, an,i lr.t ID Tha1
This emc#dleeut vii! accomplish.
i: ths: "meilG:;:e:; 0= adopted, VIC array
f;;ra*!7s; 10 s.csLinty ssalnst all persona WIG
rIay dtsiru 70 ansrae &c tie Southern States
an0 We create prcuGi:ial Gistn.:.ion against
the Southern States. ibis competition is IN
fair ii !tseiI, and uijusL 10 Inc Confederate
S!ates, and ouyuJ not .c be suffered TO exist
vii! i,ryaT cunseut TO incorporate into the or
aan,G iE Of thc State Of Virginia, spriGcple
which. while it perm Is !ursisna to cJms in
our MIDST, Yet AZ lhe Same time keeps then
trose, after they become identified With the
interests Of the State; exercising a proper share
Of pubic Influence N the pubhc councils, thus
rGid.:ring ;heir indifferent. es TO tho best inter
ests Of The country. would rather exclude
them altogether, than admit them subject it
such restrictions AZ this amendment will i'm
puHc | have uniformly opposed eTery one o.
tbeso RESTRICTIONS upon the right Of suffrage
and Will continue 10 DO so to tho end 81 tht
chapter. ii give c!le::ce 70 any one, cannot
hslyit. JIinlhent ieHGs EIc in .ha: d!raction
Other men .nay ne l. {! III 4 different direction
II 80, will not oihme them; tbey have II
r:gh. to tEd fault With uIe.
Mr. TRFDwAY.-i wish 10 offer the following
Is substitute for the proposition now before
tie House
'Or any citizen hereafter naturalized, unless
he el.l have resided in the Confederate States
&: least Ten years before he oilers to vote, anG
acquired An interest in zeal estate or Slsvea.'
The PaEsIos3r--rhe Chair is Gi opin
nr that lha! aurenGulea; is not ia order. ThC
iicn.ic. question Was decided Or yesterday
j. embraces rnoEeO7Cr Two specific propositions
orc referring IL tho period necessary to con
Sti:ats :. right 10 vote the o:her, The property
qualification.
MT. TEEDwaT the question. in References
to the possession Of lenu and slaves, was sub
,n;t!.i yesterday nut it sas Withdrawn sb6
tie proposition Of The gen;,cD,en ecccpsed in
lien o. L.
TIE pEEsirE&7-The Chair is reminded o.
TIC correctness Of the gcntleman's remark
HIS proposition is in order.
Mr.. TaEDwAT-I wish to remark that fee
very reluctant to say one word uoon this sub
iect alter it has been, | riiy FAY, exhausted
srid decided in SO many shapes BY tilis body,
and the Judgment OF the body seems to have
been pron0unced, ss vas well said by tho gen.
tleman from Culpeper CIR. EARsouK), upon
this proposition. don't expect to trouble the
House much in respect 10 any other portion oi
the Constitution but do attacfl--anG | say
it upon due consideration-..aorc Importance TO
some provisions, of the character that have
submitted, being put in your Constitution,
than sny other amendment you can make.
believe the Constitution is susceptible OF very
great Improvement.
am utterly opposed 10 the IDEA that this
Convention. which adjourned over last June
oy z maj jority vote, 10 meet here in November
fgr the purpose OF making changes in this Con
stiiuicn, snsii iauve that Constitution in q
worse condition thsn they found it when they
adjourned last srmmer. And my opinion is
if The indications rhich I nave seen in this
hoase are to prevail. you will have Consttu
ton, ii not TO7Fe, certainly no better than thai
which Te have lad for tho last. ten years.
attach great Importance TO the oualiaca
t;cns uf the right OF suffrage, and dissent
FROM my friend from Culpeper when he SAYS
that be thinks tie most material matter is t
give to the representative the power rather
than to restrict Inc right of suffrage. would
prefer to :TI.st the people rather than theil
representative, ii you will give ice the proper
kind Of electors Eut if ycu will not give tht
electors Which vii! have come conservatism ir
th"n, you are not safe in trusting either. Oat
Of The Dcst important things III this connec'
ton ia tibet yea .hell put in your Constitution
tns qualifications upon which you propose tt
base the elective franchise; that you shaI! pu
upon the people some sanitary check which
the people themselves shall exercise,
There is rot & more dangerous element in
anJ Government than mere popular ma.
jor!ty unrestricted by some influence, such a:
caE be embodied IN your Constitution. 1t ii
the most dangerous tribunal that can exist
snd your Constitution, if left as it is in to,
particular now under consideration, will b.