The Journal of the Debates in the Convention which Framed the Constitution of the United States, May-September 1787. Volume 2Madison, James
History
The Journal of the Debates in the Convention which Framed the Constitution of the United States, May-September 1787. Volume 2
Madison, James
Constitutional law -- United States; Constitutions -- United States; United States. Constitution
M^r Dickinson. had a very different idea of the tendency of vesting the
right of suffrage in the freeholders of the Country. He considered them
as the best guardians of liberty; And the restriction of the right to
them as a necessary defence ag^{st} the dangerous influence of those
multitudes without property & without principle with which our Country
like all others, will in time abound. As to the unpopularity of the
innovation it was in his opinion chimerical. The great mass of our
Citizens is composed at this time of freeholders, and will be pleased
with it.
M^r Elseworth. How shall the freehold be defined? Ought not every man
who pays a tax, to vote for the representative who is to levy & dispose
of his money? Shall the wealthy merchants & manufacturers, who will bear
a full share of the public burthens be not allowed a voice in the
imposition of them. Taxation & representation ought to go together.
M^r Gov^r Morris. He had long learned not to be the dupe of words. The
sound of aristocracy therefore had no effect on him. It was the thing,
not the name, to which he was opposed, and one of his principal
objections to the Constitution as it is now before us, is that it
threatens this Country with an aristocracy. The aristocracy will grow
out of the House of Representatives. Give the votes to people who have
no property, and they will sell them to the rich who will be able to buy
them. We should not confine our attention to the present moment. The
time is not distant when this Country will abound with mechanics &
manufacturers who will receive their bread from their employers. Will
such men be the secure & faithful guardians of liberty? Will they be the
impregnable barrier ag^{st} aristocracy?--He was as little duped by the
association of the words, "taxation & Representation." The man who does
not give his vote freely is not represented. It is the man who dictates
the vote. Children do not vote. Why? because they want prudence, because
they have no will of their own. The ignorant & the dependent can be as
little trusted with the public interest. He did not conceive the
difficulty of defining "freeholders" to be insuperable. Still less that
the restriction could be unpopular. 9/10 of the people are at present
freeholders and these will certainly be pleased with it. As to
Merch^{ts}. &c. if they have wealth & value the right they can acquire
it. If not they don't deserve it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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