Virginia advocate. [volume] (Charlottesville, Va.) 1827-1860, 1829-11-06


Did that the tax a,n slaves had paid about
ID per cent. of the whole revenue OF the
state? AS the tax is now imposed, you
rst tay the labOurer as property, aud then
!"u tax the very articl. which 1t produc-
5. Gn" tax the slave first, aud YOU af
'rwarjs levy tax on the carriage which
rs labomr enables ms to purchase.
Mr.. U. then referred IL the influence
which this species ofpersnns gave us in
the affairs OF the General Government
and remarked, that it constituted about
I-lllh OF the whole Representation IA
Congress. lie begged the Committee I"
ecnliect IN these days of Innovation how
much influence orr decisions may have
upoU that qnestion--and il we throw out
all consideration "i II al home, how can we
Justify the adherence to IL IN the FEEDERS al
Cove rninent I'll Il pr"posItioH way made
I" amend the Constitution of the United
States III that respec,, how could Virginia,
with all her consistency III the cause OF
principle, resist the amendment, after ha-
wing adopted different rule in he, own
Constitution
lie alluded tn the argument, which the
Western members urged that there was
no danger OF abuse, If the uowcr was CIV
ell to them. For his own part, he appre-
| hended no snch cohss qnence from the pre-
sent citizens oflhe West hut what u ar.
dn,ee can they give, that this disinterest
edness will become perpetual nherIt-
ance and that those who come after them
may adhere to the jus; course ofther fore
| fathers? But gentlemen had said that
this slave interest had extended TO the
West, and that the population was increas-
ing. But Mr.. u. commended that the in
terest was at present So small in the West
as not to affect IN any material degree, its
wishes and regulations-and that there
were reasons i'll operation, which would
prevent any great multiplication of slaves
IN that directIon-such as the prejudice
| against this species of proper.y--theIr con-
tiguity TO the States of Ohio and Penusv-
! yania-and that from these and various
other reasons, the slave must principally
be confined to the lower country
MIR. U. then examined the principle of
guarantee which the Western members
propose to give-and lie admitted that it
was as good as they could as they could
furnish, If unconnecled with any portion
of political power. But, MIR. U. contend
ed, that there was no efficacy IN paper
guarantee-and what sort of virtue is there
in piece of parchmenr, which they may
take away whenever they please? lie ex-
amned the various guarantees which had
been offer ed-aDd commended that they
were inefficient for the object contemplate
ed, either incapable of being carried into
execution, or productive of injury and in
justice.
MIR. U. proceeded to enforce his position
about the representation of properly. He
stated this distinction. that the East had
no mdnccmcnt to violate the personal
rights of the people--aud tina, in laying
taxes, they could lay none which did noi|
affect tbemselves-that the tax on carriag-
es and horses, &c. would extend to them
selves as well as to the whereas il
the power was given 10 the West, we had
aspeces of property in our slaves, which
they had not, aud which might be over
talked. MIR. u. concluded by asking VIII
amy change should be made in our Constr
tuition
[Mr. Doddridgc's reply Will be in on