Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1815-11-25
VIRGINIA. ARGUS.
Richmond, Norember Is, 1915.

NlRGINIA ARGUS.
= Richmond, ,Norember 25, 1915.
I's RE Electors Of the Senatorial District. com.
Psse1 Of fkc c0rssics Of Chesferfeld, .imeEo.
Notso'sas, Cumberland and P0wiatan.
EE,Low CITIZENS,
II having pleased the Almighty to take from nc
agood man, and our Senator, the vacancy there.
by occasioned IN our senatorial district, must ne
cessary DC nlled, by choice to be made by YOU
at special election TO be holden for that purpose
soon after the meeting of the legislature.
Haying employed seven years OF my life. in
rendering the best services which could to nv
country, had retired before the last spring cleo
ton, with a heart filled with gratitude towards
those, who had so long honored me with their
confidence, and under an expectation that should
not again place myself in situation to combat
the arts and witness scenes Of electioneerinr.
wiaeh have long since, ceased to be a pleasure
10 me, yet Notwithstanding the resolution which
thought had thus formed in my own mind
5eeiit my duty to oblige those who have hereto
fore been my private and political friends and in
presenting myself now before you, rs candidate
for your sufirages, have only yielded to their
wishes.
The formation of my mind must be obtuse in
deed, 1t had not seen, in the course of nv poll.
Acai practice, many strong objections to leaving
the domestic comforts of private life for the mr.
pose of engaging in the storms and turmoil.
winch, IN spite OF every effort TO avoid them.
VIII, more or less, attach themselves to the re-
Preventative character to discover this REQUIRES
but an ordinary share of mental acuteness. and
pave viewed it with regret from the earliest mo.
Haeht o. my Political existence; happy indeed
would it be for us all, il q preventive could he
found, even in tue possession Of every thing
which Is great and good but these heavenly
qualities are sometimes seized upon as the very
ground OF political destruction bv many yvhos,
opinions and principles differ from those enter.
tanned by the man, of whose fame thew are lea
lous, and whom they have selected for Political
ruin, and after all it viii be found that the LITTLE
pleasure which we are TO expect in this world
will be found, alone, in the enjoyment Of our ia.
miles and our friends. IN the obscure station of
private life.
After presenting the view whichI have lust
given, it may be asked, why, under such circum-
stances, do not remain in retirement, and why
do wish again to engage in such troublesome
scenes III these questions be propounded to
me, Isnswert that the services of every man be-
long to his country, and when they are called
tor, every other consideration sinks before the
high demand. For myself, ! confess have no
PERSONAL feelings to CRAFTY, having, as trust
have, given the best proofs of my attachment to
the honor and the interest of my country, and to
u'e principles OF tree government under which
alone, Iaan ought ever to consent to live. lean
have but little wish to present myself again be-
lore the people as political target, TO receive
the shot OF the enyious and the slanderous Of
which, no community can boast of being free .
but there is one subject in which every Virginisn
east OF the Blue Ridge ought 10 feel an interest,
ana winch has IN great measure, influenced
me, IN once more asking seat in the Leeisla-
ture--Tlis subject is, that part of the revenue
awrel2ting to the land tax-yery few men whose
duty II has not been, to examine and understand
the character OF our revenue laws, have put
themselves TO the trouble of ascertaninee how
the burthens OF taxation are distributed amongst
The people, and give myself no credit for any
attention which may have bestowed uDon the
subject, because in my character of representa-
tive, II has been my duty 10 do so all that 1
mean TO do, upon this occasion, is to call YOUR
attention 10 the question and il YOU consider
yourselves aggrieved, you ought to require of
your representatives such reformation in the laws
as Will make the public burthens Just and equal
The present annual revenue, derived from
taxes on lands, amounts to about s 10000. of
which sum, about s 10000 are paid by the
people who live on the east side of the Blue
Ridge Of nlountains--in the year 1882 the whole
number of counties in the commonwealth was
arranged by law into four classes, by nearly
parallel lines, running from the Potomack to the
horui carolina Inc, and commencing on the cas-
tern frontieri The first class, in which we live,
extends from the sea shore as high up as the
buckingham line, and is fixed by law at an ave
rage value OF ten shillings per acre the second
class extends from the Buckingham line up tn
the Blue Ridge Of mountains, and IS fixed by law
at an average value Of seven shilings and six
pence per acre, the third class embraces all that
hne country lying between the Blue Ridge and
Allegheny mountains, and isfxed by law al an
average value Of FIVE shilIngs and SIX pence per
acre, and the fourth class comprchends all dat
section of the state lying west of the Allegheny
nountains, and is fixed by law at an average va
lue OF shillings per acre. At the tiuc these
valuations were made, the commissioners were
regulated principally by population, convenience
TO commerce &c, and as the three last classes,
were at fhdf limo, but thinly settled and had lit
t'e or no advantage from commerce, the lands
which they embraced we're placed At lower va
iustion than ours, notwithstanding the superior
character Of their soil--no objection therefore
can De made TO the rule OF valuation then laid
down " the commissioners, but at tie present
bme, things wear very different aspect; the
western part Of the state is ticklv populated.
commerce has extended itself every where. the
most fruitful lands in Virginia are 70 be found
m the third class, and, without doubt, tie peo-
PIE 10 the three last classes se At least as able 10
pay taxes As those who belong to the first class
suppose re-YaluatiOn Of the lands should tax 2
place, and ter shillmg5, Cat which cur land4 are
Valuetl) sIouid be taken As the relative stand.
srd. let as sec what result would be produced---
thtsS 4 Tar % ssy that tie present Valuation of
ne 1s1ctsss, = sssos enc iogrth Or one third ol