Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1816-07-27

sra LIZ TEX,
From Gentleman in the Timer Country
10 his friend IN Richmond.
DEAR SIS,
| find, from a letter have
just received from you. that you strenu-
ously insist on the greatinequalty of the
public burdens as counterbalance to the
unequal representation. You consider its
existence not more as an evidence of the
disinterrsted spirit with which our lowland
brethren have exercised the power in their
hands, than as proof that no great evils
have resulted to the Western people, from
the want Of that just proportion of weight
IN the two houses of Asse mhly which poll
teal theory wonld establish.
1t would accord but little with my dispo-
sitions towards my friends. the Iowlauders,
could for moment be inclined to deprive
them OF the need Of praise to which they
may be entitled. Lest. therefore, too
scrupu.ous an enquiry, into the merit which
you challenge for them, should be received
as an evidence of pre-dispositinn to CEN
sure, shall not venture to question at all
the disinterestedness you admire. Nor
shall L say more. in answer to the remark
that no practical evils have resulted from
the inequality of which we complain. than
to refer You to my last letter which you
have probably received.
It is Of more importance to examine,
whether;this set-off of one wrong against
another, which has so Little foundation in
political Justice, has any foundation in fact
Both you and ourselves have long received
it as a conc sded position. that the country
below the Ridge bore an undue proportion
of the public burdens. Whenever We have
complained of your unjust preponderance
in the Legisl ature, you have never failed
to urge with earnestness, and we have ge-
Morally heard with conviction, that you paid
we'll for your privileges. If you were dou.
bly, represented, you plead that you were
also doubly taxed, and seemed to suppose
that we might rest contented with the
shadow Misrepresentation. when accompa-
MED with the substantial advantages of
diminished taxation.-It is, however, very
poor consolation in misfortune to be re-
minded of the aggravated dstresses of our
brethren. Would the oppressed inhabit-
ants of India be relieved by a recital of the
grievous burdens, and taXations, and Attic
tions, under which the English, their mas
tiers, permit themselves to iabour /, Have
we ever yet heard that the Catholics Of
Ireland we're cheered amidst their perse-
cutions by the Borough System of England
or, that the disfranchised Briton forgets
his humiliation in the more insulting degre-
dalton of his Irish brethren Our ances-
tors did not Weld to this system of reason
ing. Willing to respect the rights Of 9th
ers, they maintained proper respect for
Their own. They did not admit that. one
wrong could be justified By another. They
did not imagine things to be al right, he
cause they were all wrong. They chose
rather to correct the evils of the body po-
lite than to distribute them with imparti-
ality. So be it with VS.. Instead Of per-
hitting the existence of two evils as the
justification of either, let us vigorously SET
about the eradication OF both.
cannot, therefore, approve the spirit,
attributed in late paragraph in the En-
qulrer to the members from the transmcn-
tame country Of Virginia. The writer IN
forms us, that bill to equalize the Sena
torial representation had been permitted
10 sleep on the table of the House of De-
lcgates, merely because it was accompani-
cd with projet for more equal appor-
Torment Of the taxes. / can scarcely sup
pose that so narrow and Liberal spirit
could actuate any member Of the General
Assembly much less can | believe that
majority Of that respectable body was gov
erned by so contemplate motive, IL IS
more charitable to hope, that the para
graphist has misconccived TIE reasons
which induced the members from the West
TO relax ia their efforts for the passage OF
the bill. He who would Consent to barter
the privilege Of freem ~ for A Temporal
~ a.leyiafion of the s,nttic Llrisns would