Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-11-26

| States shall De QeeneQ resident Oi Iliis = "''
by reason Of being stationed therein; and no
person shall have The right to voto who Is OF
unsouad mind, OF a pauPer, or 3 non'commlS-
stoned officer. seaman or marine in the ser
vice of the Confederate States, or who mas
been convicted Of bribery 10 an election, or ol
any Infamous offence"
Mr.. SrUARr-It will be observed that this
report contains very material change IN re-
gard to the qualification Of voters. think 1t
due to the Convention to state in very few
words the principles by which The committee
were governed in proposing that change. :.
Under the Constitution 81 l1IG, the mem
bers Of the Convention will recol!ect that there
was freehold qualification required for the
exercise Of the right Of suffrage. Under the
| Constitution of 1850, new class OF voters was
introduced, to wit: those who were house
keepers and heads OF families who had been
assessed, and who actually paid the revenue
Of the next preceding year. BY the uonst!tn-
ton Of 1850, all these restrictions were re-
moved, and every free white male citizen OF
the Commonwealth, who had been resident
Of tho S,ate for two years. and of the county
in which be offered to vote for one year next
preceding the election, was entitled to yo;r,
whether hc had been ASSESSED with OF paid
any portion of the public revenue or not.
We nos propose 70 rnstric the right Of sui
| !ra-, to those who have been assessed With
a;ll actually paid all their public dues know,
sir, thar it has been popular doctrine, that
| every man VINO bears arms is entitled 70 Tho
right Of suffrage, but the committee took this
v:ew ot tie sui jsct: that a government is
bound 10 protect nil its citizens, and that, as
al equivalent for that protection, every citizen
is bouui 10 deicEd the government. But the
committee did not regard that every one whc
renders military Service is entitled 10 part!c:-
| nate in the administration Of the government.
They hive prefer red rot TO introduce here any
property qualifications; no! TO rcsor; to the 0u
qualification Of freehold, Or to any quGlincauon
arising from the ownership OF property, be-
cause -uch n qualification is obnoxious to the
objection that the right Is made an incident OF
The property, and not Of the person. and they
preferred to make the right 10 participate in
;hr administration OF the government depcn-
tcat upon the performance OF every duty which
: good citizen owes 10 the public. They take
| it Tia. cvcry nan is bound not only to defend
the government by his arm, but he is bound
10 u:,i in its support and defence by cnntTi-
bI;ir; tc the cost OF the government. They
main.aln that Ii is just Us ncccs.itry !Ur The
defence Of the country that soldiers should
! be equipped, armed clothed and fed AS That
lnev should be enrolled for military service;
euI iney maintain that no rnln WIN has t'i!.
I'd TO perform his duty IN the payment u
| his proportion OF Inc cUSt ri the government
| has any right 70 coinpial;; il ne Is denied Tho
| right TO participate III III. administration 81
that government.
Tie provision which has bean embodied il!
this report, make the right TO vote conditioned
upon the performance OF public duty. TnHre
is no restriction OF classes. There Is
simply requistlon tina, every man "hu
c'aiIrs right 10 participate in the conduct OF
public ailelrs snail show that ne has performed
his whole duty TO the country, by contributing
his share OF the cost and assuming his share
Of the burdens Of the Government
think, sir, the principle is correct in itsri';
.nd hope that it will meet with the eppr.ih.-
,!rn Of The Convention.
lhave no desire 10 discnss these prrprs.~
tions, for presume that every ruans iF'nd is
made up 10 regard to them. al! th't nTo.
posed tu do was, to give this DrcI exposition
! Of the prlnci Plies which governed tho deli5efe-
iirns oI the committee.
ltr. HALL Of Wetz=l.-ThiS is y subject of
great im purtance, and one lha. will command
iaore public attention than Any1hat could now
he considered. As tic sentlcusn remarked,
suppose We have al made up Our minds with
respect to it. For M part, have made up my
mind as 10 how | shall vote upon the suhJ.ct,
aad, doubt not, other gentlemen are similarly
! ciTcuulstaEced.
| Bu., sir, sm in this pred!canent; willis;
| believe shall vote that every man shall DIS
charge his whuie duty as condition OF his
exercising the right ol suffrage; yet arr u!i-
willing 70 take any part in Ibis discussion, while
msny loyal Citizens OF my section arc without
representation on this HJ1r. want the
voice Of that people to be- heard, md Until
they are alordet that opportunity br con-.
| s,derng W hc her those whGia they have cnusea
| to represent them are to be admitted or not,
snail iorbcar TO cast M vote upon THIS sGh-
jec..
think, sir, that the FIRST duty Of this hcdy
is to act upon the report of tho Committee OF
| Elections, AID admit those rnembers who nEe
declared cutticd 20 seats. if, sfrr u proper in
| vestigation OF tho subject, they should deem
THIN entlted to seats. Until then, il is urjust
to proceed to the consideration OF the corstltu-
| tioaal amendments subnitted, for take |! that
| tho loyal citizens at whose instance these gen.
| tlc!nen claim their seats here have as good
right to be heard, through their representatives
upon this elimportrnt question OF const!lu-
| tiOnal reform, az any other people IN the Com.
monwcalth.
Mr.. SngPFEY, Of Smyih.-1 noTc to anerd
this article OF the proposed amendments To The
Constitution by striking Uu; theretrom the
words
land who iu such county, city Or town,
shall nave been assessed with part OF tEc TcV-
enue of tie Commonwealth, county lcvIes or
poor rates for the year next preceding, ard
shall have actually paid all the revenue, coun-
| ty levies and poor rates with which lie shall
| have been 50 assessed" Mr.. President, lagree
With tho Chairman Of the Committee which
has proposed this amendment to the Consti-
tuition, that it is one Of vast importance. most
especially in the present condition Of Inc ai-
fairs of our country.
The right to vote is ono OF the S:':aL rights
it is, in fact tie greAt right Of an American
freeman 1t undcriss ail other rights which
belong 70 q FREQ people. By il the will OF the
people is expressed al the polls. The express
soa vi that will by the people, is tie voice OF
tho people. 1t is this right which aistn 5niah-
es free representative government from
/ monarchy or an aristocracy. In these govern.
ments the voice Of tho people is not heard -
Their will is rot consulted, because they are
not represented; and, even in limited nio!:.
arches, their will is bu: partially represented
The English Government, from whcn we have
derived man. valuable principles OF civil lit-
crtv, is considered mpjci Government, by
some. and, perhaps, by seine gentlemen upon
this Goor, and is cGtDistei u all IA BE- III. most
perfect hereditary monarchy On Garth. Ic:,
in that Government the supreme head and ex-
ecutive is hereditary. The peers ave chiefly
hereditary, and the commons aore IRE cleo
tive Yet IN that form Of government even IN
the election of the commons, in which branch
of the Government alone the voice of The peo'
pie is heard, and their ~ii! is -lt, there is but
one vote to every twenty cf tho entire
population. In other words. one million and