Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1825-07-09
NO. So

writer Of this essay, himself, a proprie-
tor Of slaves, with those, whose here
ditary social misfortune it is, to be
compelled to hold them. Nor would
any man more stu-dily resist, not in
deed by CONFUSING the state, or by a
resort to arms, but by every argument,
and every moral influence, which ex-
pediency could suggest and humanity
improve, any attempt, by unprepared
or coercive means, to sunder those
bonds, which preserve the internal
peace Of the commonwealth or, to OPP
press, by unequal burthens, the pro-
prietor of any particular description of
property within it. Better remedies by
far, may be provided, both Legislative
and judicial, against either Of those
calamitous consequences, than the de-
gredation 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 a.
gainst us from another quarter. The
provision of the federal constitution, in
relation to this delicate subject, as has
been already intimated in prior essay,
sprung from that very quarter. 1t may
be distinctly traced TO the substitution
of simple enumeration OF persons, in
place Of a very complex assessment Of
property, as rule for adjusting the
respective contributions to the treasury
of the Union, required from the several
states of the.old confederation. Ithad,
in its first application, no visible nor
actual relation TO political power or
representation. All questions were de-
cided in the Congress Of the confede-
racy, by majority of States. Each
State, under the articles Of confedera.
ton, had one vote; and no State could
acquire more than one, by any means,
short OF change of these articles,
which could be effected, but by unani-
nous consent.
The south would, then, have cheer
fully agreed, that their slaves should
not be computed at all in fixing the ra-
ito of the acquisitions, addressed by
the union to its members; and the
north would, with equal or superior a.
lacrity, have consented to count them
all.
If under the present constitution, TO
which this principle Of assessment,
that computes three freemen as equiva-
lent to fire siares, was transplanted,
, without resistance, revenue from
commerce has arisen much more a.
bundant than was anticipated when
the constitution was ratified; if dis
continuance of direct tares has render
ed this rule, become also, the measure
of representation in one branch Of the
federal legislature productive ofunfore-
seen benefit to the south, let not the
north complain, If the north still have,
as it obviously possesses, sufficient
power to recur whenever it shall please,
| to system of direct taxation-if the
customs recently augmented by ia
riff for their benefit, be, by them, pre-
ferred to the former-if they are remu-
nerated by heavy tax upon ezpendi-
lures, for what they lost, by the repeal
of all the taxes upon carataE let no
republican, and this writer processes
to be republican in practice, as well
as theory; however, his claims may be
questioned or denied by others, infer
from long settled federal compro-
mise, distinction at war with all the
feelings, and inapplicable to the policy
of this Commonwealth. Ifa good bar
gain has been made for political pow
er, it was made, let it be remembered,
for the benefit of all the parties to the
political compact. 1t is denied, while
the necessity which both warrants and
requires that denial, is deplored, that
the slaves of Virginia, are, in any re-
spect, parties to this compact.
If the personal rights Of man, "the
rights to life, to liberty, End to the pur-
suit of happiness" which the asser.
tors of American independence, placed
on the front ground of their solemn
declaration, and appeal to mankind,
be degraded in Virginia, in order to
exalt, mere property, to the highest
consideration, in the scale OF social
power and enjoyment; even then, 1t
NAV be more than questioned, as has
been already briefly intimated, whether
the counties holding the greatest pro-
portion of slaves, for none are with
out some, would gain, in an attempt
to equalize and apportion the repre-
sentation of the House Of Delegates,
upon what seems to be a favorite Prin-
ciple of Mr.. Leigh, in behalf OF which
the public are still threatened, with po-
litical convulsion.
Regarded as property, and that as
better rule ofapportionmentthan NUM-
bers, this species could not out rank
| in the public estimate every other de-
scription ofestate. Itcould not claim
pre-eminence over that apprecia.
1 IL