Against Universal Manhood Suffrage
I. Introduction: Daniel Webster grew from his humble beginnings to become one of the
greatest Americans in the early 1800’s.
A.
Born in Salisbury, N.H. in 1782 he would go from there onto college at
Dartmouth.
1. Became lawyer after studding in Boston
2. Went into House of Rep. from N.H. in1812 as anti-war candidate
a. Served two terms
3. Moved to Boston in 1816 to practice law
4. Elected to the House of Rep. from Mass. in 1822
5. Elected in 1826 to Senate from Mass.
a. Webster-Hayne debate
b. Abolitionist
c. Opposed Texas and Mexican War
II. In 1820 at the Massachusetts Constitutional Convention he would deliver a speech
against universal manhood suffrage.
A. Would show how he wanted continuity and balance in government
B. Would argue that no man has aright to office
1. People could limit who could hold office
a. Oaths of Christian faith
2. If holding office was a right the “social compact” would ban regulation
3. If someone doesn’t want job they can refuse
a. Evenhandedness in argument
C. Wanted to keep God in the constitution
III House is bestowed with great power, so the Senate is a limit to that power.
A. Senators should not be of the same political bent as to prevent faulty laws.
IV. Land should be a requirement for suffrage.
A. All property qualifications, even the highest, is so low, as to produce no
exclusion, to any extent, in any state.
B. All other requirements are not effective is keeping a balance of power.
1. Age of person in other states
2. Different for both houses
a. Not wanted in Mass.
C. Argument is based on three points
1. This had been the law for 40 years
2. The writings of Montesquieu
3. The writings of Harrington
a. Power naturally and necessarily follows property
b. Property is the means to protect all other rights
V. Historical impact of this speech to me is three-fold.
A. This occurred 44 years after the Declaration of Independence and not much has
changed.
1. White males don’t have universal suffrage
2. Women don’t have right to vote for another 100 years
3. African-Americans won’t have mostly unimpeded access until the 1960’s
B. The American Revolution was not about the principles that most set it to.
1. The power brokers wanted to keep the same system that was in England.
2. They wanted to keep the money at home instead of it going to England
a. Revolution successful because of support of nouveau riche
C. This shows how Webster wanted to keep continuity in government.
1. July 1850 Webster was appointed Sec. of State
a. Vigorous enforcement of the Runaway Slave Act
Three Questions
1. Would Webster have the same feelings in today’s world?
2. Is voting a right?
3. How could Webster consider himself free if the landless didn’t have the right to
vote?