Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1816-10-12
TO THE MEMBERS OF THE VIRGINIA
LEGISLATURE.
Nov.
Gentlemen,

NO. ".
Gentlemen,
have attempted to point out the
Inequalities which prevail in our SysteIn
Of ACKNOWLEDGMENT shown from that
circumstance alone, the necessity of caH-
ing Convention and OF making q Re-
form.
But there is another evil in our existing
institutions, a." so gross and SO growing" that
| am irresistibly called upon to lay it
before you'll refer to the Inequalities
which prevail in our System Of Taxa
fion.
Toremedy This defect, as IL nozp crisis,
it is certainly not necessary to amend the
constitution; because it springs principal.
lY from the EqudHzmg Land Lazy--it IS a
td7u, therefore, which creates it it is a
law, that may be cured--But as it NAV be
difficult to amend this law. IS often as it
may he necessary, because conflicting III
terests may resist the reform ;--as there
ought at all times TO be checks upon the Il :
buse ofpower and among others, chez K
upon the many, in laying taxes upon the
FEW l contend that not only ought our
present system of taxatiOn to be made
more equal. but kept so by Periodical
assessment of our lands, SCc. enjoiEed by
the Constitution of the State,
Thus. we ought to make both Repre-
sentation and Taxation more equal.
We ought to have constitutional flro uis-
ions tor keef'ing them so---Thus,
We ought to have periodical CENSUS,
for the purpose of Proportioning repre-.
sentaton to our fnctuating population
30. a's1. we ought. to have a periodical
assessmentfor the purpose of proportionng
taxation to the fiuctuating value of ourlands !;
in other words, the wealth and the abili>
ties OF the people TO pay the taxes.
This assessment should be as strictly
enjoined By the words of the Constitution,
IS Census of the numbers Of the Peo-
pie.
"Of all our political principles, that of
refrcSentGkiof (sayS an enlightened man at
Washingtor-) is the most cardinal. While
IL is sound, sUe are safe. / therefore cor
daily hope you will proceed in a proper
reform of it in Virginia, and that her ex-
ample may be followed by all her sister
states"
This is certainly the cardinal principle
OF representative government-but it is
also necessary to make the public burthens
equal, by prop0rtioniDg them to the abii-
ties OF the people to meet them, and TO the
degree of benefit which each man derives
from the protection ofthe government-in
other words, that the rich should pay more
than the poor man-where land is one cf
the bases of taxation, that the man with
better land may hay more than The man
with poorer--and those parts OF the state
which have tbs best land, mare than those
which have inferior land. Hence the ne
cessity of periodical assessment of the
lands to be enjoined by the Constitution
An institution which would also feet no
nor upon Virginia, and serve as an excel
lent model for :" her sister states"
Ia word, Gentlemen, it il now in our
power TO raise the character of Virginia,
high as It has been, in the eyes Of the world.
But We may do more than gain eclat-
we may lay the basis of Constitution.
which shall serve as the best model for fn
ture statrs-we may thus enlighten the
paths OF our countrymen and, in this ma
ton, run is haEHineSs. With the advan,.
tages which zoe have before us the in
t@lligent men who still survive the Revolu-
ton the sound principles Of liberty which
prevail generally among us and the lights
OF experience, as well as Of enlarged spe-
culatlon, which the last fOrtU years have
shed upon us, We may establish the best
form OF government, which the sun has cv-
err shone on.--Do not your bosoms swell at
this idea2
THE PRESENT SYSTEM OF TAXA
TON.
To convince you, Gentlemen, that the
present rates Of taxation. resulting from
the Equalizing Law, are perfectly une-
Gnal, We have referred to the assessment
of the Direct tares, under the u. 5. law.
For this purpose, we have sought infor-
NATION OF Samuel II. Smith, Esq. Com
missioner CT the Revenue at Washington,
and have been favourel by him with two
Documents--one is the assessment Of the
Direct 1ares for each county of Va. with
The exception Of 10 counties which form q