Wesley Corpus

And, if they are, why have they not as good a right as we have to choose their own Governors? Who can have any power over free, rational creatures, but by their own consent? And are they not free by nature, as well as we? Are they not rational creatures? 12. But suppose we exclude women from using their natural right, by might overcoming right, by main strength, (for it is sure that we are stronger than they; I mean that we have stronger limbs, if we have not stronger reason,) what pretence have we for excluding men like ourselves, yea, thousands and tens of thousands, barely because they have not lived one-and-twenty years? “Why, they have not wisdom or experience to judge concerning the qualifications necessary for Governors.” I answer, (1.) Who has? How many of the voters in Great Britain? one in twenty? one in an hundred? If you exclude all who have not this wisdom, you will leave few behind. But, (2.) Wisdom and experience are nothing to the purpose. You have put the matter upon another issue. Are they men? That is enough. Are they human creatures? Then they have a right to choose their own Governors; an indefeasible right; a right inherent, insepar able from human nature. “But in England, at least, they are excluded by law.” But did they consent to the making of that law If not, by your original supposition, it can have no power over them. I therefore utterly deny that we can, consistently with that supposition, debar either women or minors from choosing their own Governors. 13. But suppose we exclude these by main force, (which it is certain we are able to do, since though they have most votes they have least strength,) are all that remain, all men of full age, the people? Are all males, then, that have lived one-and-twenty years allowed to choose their own Governors? “Not at all; not in England, unless they are freeholders, unless they have forty shillings a year.” Worse and worse. After depriving half the human species of their natural rights for want of a beard; after depriving myriads more for want of a stiff beard, for not having lived one-and-twenty years; you rob others (probably some hundred thousands) of their birthright for want of money! Yet not altogether on this account neither; if so, it might be more tolerable.