Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1825-07-15

counties and city, having at present renr.,en
tatives, who would be entitled, to but 2: ard a re-
currence to the census of thirty years. would ,bey,
that reduced title to be declining. We all, must
be aware, of the importance of stimulating the re-
sentiment of the Inhabitants of these small counties
against the proposed reformation of the House of
Delegates, by appeals their strongest passions and
prejudices. The possessors OF unrghtcoiis power
usually require such appeals, 10 induce them 10
maintain the occupation, whatever be the title OF
what they have The effort to place the slaves,
on footing with the free white population of Vir-
GINA, may be tn ced to this origin part of it's
support Is gone: but small part of it, vet remains to
be considered. g A Freeman is relieved from,
farther labour, and some portion ofthe community
from no little apprehension OF impending danger bv
Mr. Leigh's reviving recollection, that in the last
arrangement OF the senatorial districts of Virginia
the question not only started but discussed, and
settled, without any CONFUSION, whether the basis
OF representation should be laid on the equality of
the white population, exclusively. A senator, who
was present, on that occasion, who is not to be of
the Staun'on meeting, perfectly remembers that NOT
murmur OF complaint escaped that body a, the
justice or expediepcy- of the principle of this ar
ransenient.
Ii Mr.. Leigh did know, as well, as be now does
what occurred on that occason,--if il sc was in
delibly engraven on his mind at the time. then.
the facility with which he acknowledges it, with
out the least apology, Tor his late terrific array of
such a question, is truly admirable 1t is model
OF that forensic somposure under any circumstan-
ccs, which professional habits may engender IL
IL surpassed, only by the like Indifference with
which, he tells the public, after all the use which
The freeman" made Of the equality & actual basis
OF this very senatorial arrangement that he can
not e" JOrdear to complain OF the strong intima-
So7s OF disqualification with the gross inequalitv
| III the senate, put forth in tie very same paper
winch rcproaches him, with gross ignorance, or
wifu suppression of the fact, that the representa-
ton OF the senate was equalized In 1916 and 1917,
and apportioned 10 the reew white population" As
msquotations from 4 long essay, to the language
of which, the reader cannot recur, if at all with.
out Inconvenience, not easily detected and are
therefore, tie more likely to occur, read the fol-
lowing passage, from TIE very paper, which is
charged with this complaint. &c In the last ar
rangement Chat of lsl6--l7) of the senatorial
districts of the state, that learned and eIouuent re-
preventative of the Borough of Norfolk, (Nir. Taze
welD did rot only strenuousy but dspassionate!y
resist (he was no alsrmis) the effort form those
districts oil territories having equal nun6e1. of
aohife Inhabitants, and after tw o days discussion,
/ he not only utterly failed but the senate them
selves, unequal as the,, the representation OF
the western counties in that body, acquiesced in
the just decision of the House of Delegates %
Admonisled, by experience, that an attempt 10
apportion representation III this commonu e 9TH
without any regard 10 the coloured population
might not only be discussed, but effected without
hazarding convulsion OF the most awful character
our prophet, OF i'll, amends his prophecy The
cause of alarm Is now varied. The threatened
convulsion is to come upon whenever il shall
be proposed to equalze, and apporion, on the
principle OF the free white population, 90 the re-
presentation IN that house, tchtch shall be en-
III el ns ro a,y, y " * .asi' .nnau
exclusive power will not much longer reside in e;
the house, but the power to originate anu hills
will be permitted, like all other Legislative mover
TO be exercised Unfortunately by either. This
discrimination in the English Constitution suited
the meridian OF monarch, absolute in all tbipos
but the exaction, at pleasure, OF the money of his
subjects 1t accorded with the distinction. become
in the highest degree absurd this side the Allan
tic, that taxation is not legislation In England
where its ancient efficacy was most bene6ciaIly ex
erted, for the acquisition of legislative power By
the Commons, it has long been imperative, upon
that liberty, which unequal represents alton and
a corrupt borough system has left TO much tax
/ ed people,
i In Virginia, ii cherishes unfounded jealousy
OF that branch OF the legislature, hch is consider
ed, in every American commonyv ealth, as the spe
cia guardian of the rights of property, so much So.
i indeed, that in some of the state constitutions
qualifications of property required OF the suffra
) giant TO entitle him 10 for senator but dis
pensed with, in the choice of the members of the
more numerous branch Of the Legislature
Norman in this commenw eath, more sincerely
sympathizes, than does the writer of this ESSAY
himself, proprietor Of slaves, with those whoss
hereditary social misfortune il is, TO be compelled
to hold them. Nor would any man more siurdy
resist, not indeed by convulsing the state or By
resort 10 arms, but by every argument, and ey ery
} moral Influence, which expedency could suggest
and humanity improve, any attemr', by rnprepar-
ed or coercive means, TO sunder those bonds which
preserve the internal peace OF the commonw ealtb
or TO Cypress, by unequal burIhens, the proprietor
OF any particular description Of property within il.
Better remedies by Tar, may be provided, both lc-
gisIativc and judicial against either of those caan-
Hous consequences, than the degradation of the
freemen OF Virginia. to the rank of their own
slaves
Let no man feel concerned lest the force of this
argument be turned against from another quarter
| The provision of the federal constitution in rcls
ton 10 this delicate subject, has beoa already ir
minated IN prior essay, sprung from that very
quarter. Ii rsy be distinctly traced to the substi.
tuition OF a simple enumeration of persons, in place
/ OF a very complex assessment of property as n