The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1824-06-25

frtSsn 20 absolute fbADaffhSI Fhn 10 SGT W
that form of government in Exclusion 10
every other that had e,tr BEEN adopted IN
any nation of the world These pseudo
philosophers and syeophantic Politician
nllinialne.I, that God, nj THE creation ol
Adam, endowed him with the right Of ar
bitrary dominion over all hls offspring, and
as the 6.st man had Al interest 10 tie wei
/ fare aud happiness of the whole human
race sufficiently powerful To prevent any
eGcroachmenis ON the part of the father,
which might he injurious To The children
so the monarch of great nation, who Is
ihr legitimate and afeciioaate father of his
people, the guardian Of their rights and the
t protector of their liberties, q can do moth
/ Jog wrong" or innfical 10 the general good
/ II the frceholders, however few they may
be in number, can do nothing prrludiciai to
general happ'ness-if " no system OF mca-
sures can be adopted pernicious 10 the ln-
terest Of any other class Of the citizens, y
If every theory they devise, aud every
! principle they adopt, work together for
Eood-tlien, indeed, We may adopt the
maxim Of the English constitutions, thatour
rulers cum DO no UrOng
at is impossible" contisues Mr.. Leigh,
" To conceive a law that would be- injuri-
ours 10 those who are not land holders,
which would not affect the land holders
-" themselves in an equal, # not a greater
degree" Aud to prove this assertion, II
capitatiop tax law is introduced as an in
stance. This, if not the only, is surely the
most fortunate selection which could pos
slbly have been made from the whole ca
talOguc of laws, to answer the purposes of
fht. al in this narfIeutDr--A IN
tax is "A tax assessed upon the head, aud a
head of some kind or other, is allotted to
every man in society, whether he be free.
holder or nonfrceholdcr, and unless the
legislature undertake 10 aeportion the levy
according To the dimensions, strength and
capacity # each head, the argument of Mr..
Leigh is conclusive, that n capitation tax
must necessarily be uniform. But bad Mr..
Leigh carried the Illustration little far
thcr, and with IA candor and sincerity equal
to the zeal and ingenuity which he has dis
played IN the Substitute, examined the law
of Virginia On rents, he perhaps would
have been less successful in proving his ia
sorlte position. Our laws on the subject
oi rents are as peculiarly favorable to the
landlords as they are oppressive and tyran-
meal upon the tenants. II a tenant be in
possession of his landlords bond, cxecu.
ted for valuable consideration, under the
solemntlcs of his hand and seal, il cannot
BIZ recovered by law in a shorter time than
Il or 10 months, aud subject in the mean
time To all the contingencies of insolvency,
liens on his property, &c.--But if on the
other band, the tenant be indebted 10 the
landlord for rent, no prior claim, of what
soerer dignity, can bar the summary pro
cerdinSs of the landlord, who is the pccu
liar favoritc of the law, aud whose interest
is so carefully guarded and protected by
legislative provision as to render II danger
Gus on tire part of the tenant to contest the
validity of IA rent claim, however doubtful,
before the legal tribunal Of his Country =
The tenant who copceiyes he has grounds
10 contest the justice of his landlords claim
for rent, is 'y no means unsuitable in send
ing e,n a writ of repley'in for the purpose
of testing its validity, for should it he his
misfortune To fail in his proof, he must pay
for hrs tc'ncrity and presumption, hy salts
flying II Judgment under the sanction OF tn.
law, for" double tire amount of the rent in
arrears
examination of the equality OF repre-
sentatien will be- the subject of future
communication. FREDONIA.