The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1825-03-18
FOR THE vIRGfst1s.
NTAXATlON

I.HI D
M"ss obiect is 10 lay before the public
toe AXIS on the proprIrty ut calling
irN .'" a,ion to amend our State constitl
Co'"J% IN doing this am we'll aware OF shr
W' o that invariably attaches to must
omyqDi vho attempt reformation, rspecI
o. '"J ysa The object is to annul OF ahfogate
N WY, e,s,om or privilege which the as
@'5Joniparty has long been permitted 10
Wow. without being called on to repeal or
mend such laws, or to rellnqui9h usn'p
,,bts, or pnwers nniustly held, or Pri''le
~, improperly monppolized, against the
s;,b and we'll being of the nation. hum
NJ, Me-; conceive all rights and privileges essen
ii 10 human happiness are impartial y
,,er. and designed by heaven rs general
s,cp6tsto mankind, andnot tn be monopo
%1 by few to cypress and paralyze the
,oetries of the rest. AlthouSh am hot
.a,9yoc,te for universal suffrage, vet !
,,,l, Lelipve that every citizen who pays
t,,, 6r the support of government ought
10 hare a representation 10 It. rms Is a
oio.,ion of general interest, and conse
altotly Of the. highest Importance. As ]
| have no SINISTER lii"abC !" p'"' " ~
aior [ shall offer, can have r"ihins 10
| hr, either from the inpntatlon OF vanity,
he force of criticism, or from obtaining
Ultimate succpss. That Success must be
| ,,tribuiabie 10 the virtue and omnpotency
| Of the principles. and not 10 the feeble eff
i,rs of their advocate: though | shall be
highly gratified if any effort of mine should
aid in the redemption ofso many Thousand.
Of nv fellow citizens from that state OF
| spryle degradation 10 which the impolicy
| Of the constitution has c0nsigned them,
| rthopeven the shadow Of fault. Where.
fore this prescription ? Is it in accordance
gith republican principles i? l. it campa.
tibIe with the end for @hich governments
were instituted? ~: IS it ntiy to the so
clal rights 81 men in connection with such
sovr:nnent2 Are the leading features of
vdr constitution purely republican, or IL the
policy pmsurd and justified under't The
best that can be devised ? lpresulne that
nnue Ofthese interrogatlons can be answer
VI 10 the Affirmative. have been always
nusttn believe that the only transactions
Of men qpon which Justice can place her
g,lst are u.nse which afford reciprocal
SOc6Is and are founded on this universal
pTcple of light, TINT an equivalent must
tiyru aai received nymptuai agreer'nt.
Iron this prlaC'pie are governments inslI-
NJ hrca IN" people only do become
r'.ct = I'D supprrtsss of government
Or b. rgbstss rurpese of receiving pro-
N1n n the rujoy meat of their natural
| nd social rights. But when thu protection
uailhheId. or cannot BE- gwen, the people
NJ az in al liberty to canosr soun" other
hMof government which they may sup
pl,' most likely H. protect them in the en.
| wnfnt Of ihe.e benefits. Each indl'ltlnnl
sa5.es a portion of his material liberty
Dscare the advantages Of ci, gov
ramenS un4lpr the state 3. hr also "a
rrfcps part of his evil liberty, de
rived from the state, in o,drr IL oht;sn
| he advantages afforded by the gen
ral confederation and the particulars OF
| his sacrifice, and the principles upon which
MS made. when accurately dthned md
onopc,ed are properly drnominated a
sOslitulion, hrcauscit contains those prln
,pv, winch ideplfy and sustain political
bsrncP, which give energy and action |"
he body polite, and create and support
nlo0al power. This sacfficr~ so made.
VDperIy constitutes each individual, a
'mber of that political body ; entitled t"
ahe privileges and immuntl"s to he de
ned from the government, so formed,
,Nrh he intends and believes TO BE amply
sScpnt In maintain the nndisturhed en-
| sgment of the residue of his liberty and
'yhts, an equality at " hieh be Justly CLAIMS
siH equivalent fur the support which 90
@nment receives from him. II, thea ttesr
prcWles are right, the leading features Of
Gwnettnfon ave wrong, because II de
p7Hs HIM of the right Of suffrage, which
The basis OF every other; deprivation
Which strikes death blow at our political
MSeny, BECAUSE every particle of power
a"t 10 the majority is entirely annihialed
az 10 them and vested IN the minority and
ms minority viii become every year pup
Fortunately less by the increase OF poI'n-
a"h = and by this means the same qsan-
wy o' power viii every year be vested III
tt"'0o'ly propor,ionahIy smaller than the
x,nfr' by comparison with the balance
" we population and necessarily must,
%"s Progress, resolve into one despolic
"%''s Russia, Prussia or Germany. This
T ,'p"' !" be the principle upon which Our
',,"'Hion IL founded
iD. ,S',I now notice the policy pursued and
sT,n'd Under it. The arislocracy WHICH
S. Is Created arrogate To themsriyes the
,s su' OF holdint 4 vile, unnatural gnlrdiaa-
,S'P"er the Remainder If the Creemen IN
,% .., and, under the authority OF this
,. . they make themselves irgisla
SS'o''ehsihls toprs,note tie public veal,
NJ, h. sperlallyto make Laws TO suit their own
sVest and convenience. They rspend as
' rn z r time. too, 's the, p'na+e, IN tn, ac
y, .!shment "a th-.r a'jret AID then, a.
nSs'gngashins marx Of Tt 'rr.-ailo3 in
h 'Athey hoid non .rrthodrrs-iae. S'si
nyr'!erp' at their hands the small piuance
n "a lew hundred thou ard dn"rrs by VA
Enumeration for the long protractrd
r"n In whirh they have kcsn serving
.'e"St'rs and their constituents, among