RECORDS OF THE FEDERAL CONVENTION Tuesday KING .4?gust 7 it to the Legislature to establish the Qualifications of Electors & Elected- or to add a Clause that the Legislat. may here- after alter the Qualifications- Elsworth--If the Legislature can alter the Qualificatlons, they may disqualify ? or an 7 greater proportion from being Electors- This wd. go far in favor of Aristocracy- we are safe as it is--because the States have staked yr. Liberties on the Qualifications as yy now stand- Dickenson- It is said yr. restraining by ye Constitution the rights of Election to Freeholders, is a step towards aristocracy --is this true, No.- we are safe by trusting the owners of the soil -- the Owners of the Country -- it will not be unpopu- lar-because the Freeholders are the most numerous at this Time- The Danger to Free Governments has not been from Freeholders, but those who are not Freeholders- there is no Danger- because our Laws favor the Division of prop- erty- The Freehold will be parcelled among all the worthy men in the State- The Merchants & Mechanicks are safe --They may become Freeholders besides they are represented in ye State Legislatures, which elect the Senate of the US m El.?orth ? Why confine Elections to Freeholders ? The rule is this- he who pays and is governed ought to have a right to vote -- there is no justice in supposing that Virtue & Talents, are confined to Freeholders- G. Morris- I disregard sounds- I am not alarmed with the word Aristocracy- but I dread the thing- I will oppose it --and for that reason I think I shall oppose this Constitu- tion, because I think this constitution establishes an Aristoc- racy-there can be no Aristocracy if the Freeholders are Electors ? but there will be, when a great & rich man shall bring his indigent Dependents to vote in Elections- if you don't establish a qualification of property, you will have an Aristocracy- Conting. ye. Electn. to Freeholders will not be unpopular because l?th of the Inhabs. are Freeholders ? Mason- I think every person of full age and who can give evidence of a common Interest with the community shd. be an Elector ? under this definition has a Freeholder alone ys.
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