The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware register., 1825-02-17

tuition; and then dividing the aggregate non
ulatian of the state, into 81 parts, allowing.
according to the appointment OF tax as
made by the late law,-tcn parts to New
Castle, six to Kent and five to Sussex. and L
will appear that there are in New Castle
county, thirteen thousand, six hundred. and
forty souls taxed, and not represented and
III Kent there are two thousand, seven hun
dred and eighty four and in the county Of
Sussex nine thousand and fifty seven souls,
represented without being taxed
1t might be supposed that the monstrous
inequality and injustice which this plain
calculation so glaringly shews, would alone
have been sufficient to arrest the Legislature
in this i'll advised course; but there is prm-
ciple of yet greater Importance involved ia
this question; and one which it was not al.
lowed them to forget mot only the paltry
sum Of a few thousand dollars more than
the due proportion of Newcastle county is
at stake; but the last dollar held by every
individual in that county, and in fact through
out the state, is at hazard.
The legislature is admitted, under the con-
stituton, to have the right of raising money
bv means OF direct taxes, without limitation
as TO the aggregate annual amount. If they
can levy S15, 900, they can, by the same.
power, call upon the people for fifteen mil
| lions; and unless we concedc to the people
the right to resist the laws made BY their
Representatives, coathcd with constitution
al authority to do which would be a virtual
abandonment of our government, what Sc
curity have the people that the sum total of
their property may not, by some caprice Of
the Legislature, be swept from thema The
security is Found most ample in the princi-
pie for which we have contended.-Man
4 l..
he may be to Cypress his fellow men. Let
the sum proposed to be raised by direct
tax be equally, or according to the number
Of Representatives, apportioned on the res
pectvc counties; md 7ohen tie burden of
each county is 10 be distributed uhon tie
Citizens otthat county, then let zach one
beara Part ine.ract hrohortion TO his 7vealA;,
) and all the Representatives 7cW themselves
feel the qpeight Of Their ozpn misconduct, if
they should attempt to injure others. The
} people too, will then have the very persons
in their power who have been the authors
of the evil Why, if not based upon this
principle, is it that our constitution makesit
necessary that Representative in the Lee
gslaturc, should hold freehold estate in
the county where he may be chosen, or why
is it, that all bills for raising revenue must
: originate III the popular branch Of the Legis-
: ature, the members of which are annuaHy
5 elected Reverse this picture, and see how
fallacious is the peoples security. Let a
: combination of any two Of our counties be
entered into, against the third, and what
may not be the consequences, No matter
what motives may urge on the combination;
If the object of it be the impression or des-
truction of one third Of the State, it will only
be necessary to say that direct tax Of
ei,rt ~ tpr nj llipr,c nf dollars ie
to aid the government, and that devoted
county, and its prescribed inhabitants, are
ten times as wealthy as the rest of the State
taken together; and make an apportionment
Of the tax accordingly. In such case, the
majority Of the Legislature who imposed
this burden, would not feel its weight; nor
would they be at all constitutionally in the
power Of those whom they oppressed.
! 1t is idle and fallacious in the extreme, to
talk Of apportioning direct tax according to
the relative wealth of each county; because
in this we can have no security for the same
majority in the Legislature, SO long as the
number Of Representatives are equal, may
make the value of property just what they
: may please to have it. A board of asses
!: sors may be appointed, and a Court of APP
peals set up, by themselves, acting under
, their authority, and accountable to no other
llllju1ttly dilti an, vi d HldJDllty VI lHCSG
Agents, may, if necessary to complete the
operation, reside without the limits, and have
no interest in that county where the effect is
designed to Reproduced. Whether this be
real or all imaginary case, it is one which may
easily grow ont of the principle assumed b.
: the Legislature, in the appointment of the
State tax; and whenever the right to levy
upon, and collect taxes from the People is
found to be buttomcd upon prnciple SO
insecure and capable Of an extension SO wild
: and destructive, it must be wrong, and ought
Immediately to be abandoned. 1t cannot be
5 deemed unreasonable in the people to insist
: on having some better security for their pro-
: pcty and their rights than is to be found
I, in the mere prudence and discretion Of a
!! Legislature; and especially when composed
| of members over whose appointments they
: can exercise no controul.
!, The Hractica which or Legislature has,
. for many years pursued in relation to the
, apportonmcnt Of the State taxes, appears
: to have been settled upon nofrfd hriucihie.
Previous to the year 1879, large direct taxes
, were demanded in this State. and were then
] ahhorfioned eqUaNy uhon all the counties.
r At that time, and without any certain data
: that can now be found, the Legislature seem
e ed to have thought it right or the power
: was thus early assumed, at least of making
the apportionment unequal; and a visionary
: scale OF twenty one parts was adopted. VI
h thprc partS eirHf we re pivpn to New Castle.