Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1829-05-15

ConVenuons the SUBJECT Worth all tho rest they
will have to decide il this-the basis OF n
tation. II we only as united a. thew the re
public 10 saie; Tor all its gre interests will Their
be represented. If not, they will carry the prin
ciple OF representation according to white popu.
iation, which will operate most unjustly upon the
interests OF property, and the tax-paying portion
OF the Comm,inity, because 1t will not give them
representation adequate to their protection. BY
the census OF 1920, the white population w est O.
The Ridge, was 254 POS; that OF the East 349, 900
The greater comparative increase Of the whites
mere. STAGE that period, will give them by tlie
next census, or very shortly there after, majority
oil the white population, and, conse quently, (oI
their principies,} of Representatives in the Legs.
iatuce: While the amount OF revenue they pay, il
only Sl01 ,636, of yearly half a million
the distribution OF property is so unequal between
different parts Of State, divided by strong geo.
graphical line, and marked diversity, and FREE
quently opposition Of feeling and interest, 1 can.
not conceive OF a more complete state OF vassal-
age, than TO subject the weather. half to the un-
controlled and uncomfortable sway of the other; to
place the power of the government in the hands
oi those who do not have its burdens TO bear--es-
peciallyif they have, from their peculiar geogra-
phical position, or other cause, strong temptation
TO the abuse Of that power Now, have not the
west the strongest temptations that be offer
ed 10 trait mortals 10 the abuse Of this power il il
be conceded TO them, arising from the geography
oil the country, and the different nature Of their
property and ours! We know that they have
turnpikes and bridges to construct, almost without,
end. We think they are wild upon the subject
oil Internal improvements; that their minds, or
rather ttejr imaginaiions, at least century
ahead OF the means, anu condition, and wants OF
the country-that they are willing to go great
lengths, Ito say the least) to mortgage the re-
sources OF the State in advance, to almost any
amount, TO carry OH their schemes of Internal I'm
provement. To an attentive observer sf our his
tory, Tor The last ten years, it must be apparent,
hat fhatr hal
only possessed the representation In both branches
OF the Legislature, which the basis of white pop
ulaion, upon the census OF 1910, would have Civ
en- them, and which we (inadv ertently, believe }
had yielded TO them in the Senate, the State
would, at this moment, have been saddled with a
debt OF 10 or IL millions OF dollars Is this ex
travagant supposion. Since the subject has bee u
| at all understood, man has believed, that the
James and Kanawha River Improvement alone, a.
first projected would cost less than seven millions
two more might be safely added, for difference be.
tween estimate and cost. The difference is com.
monty prcdigious The amount which they woult
have been willing 10 subscribe to the splendid
scheme for the junction Of the waters Of the Ches
| apeake and the Ohio, no man can tell. These are
but two Of an hundred; and the last of them wa.
to depend largely Tor supply of water, at tbs
| summit level upon the principles Of - co ndenfa
lion and attraction! This idea is grhvely urget
| by board of commissioners of Maryland and Vir.
| ginia, who are combating the opinion of Mr.
Gallatin, that the project was impracticable, foi
| the went of supply OF water at the summit leve
see journals Of the III. of D., PIP, or '22-3
| i mention this, to show the visionary theories o
intelligent men OF that day, with which were
amused, were in part taken in, and had like TO havs
| been ruined-aye, and will be ruined vet, if WI
! give up the purse-strings. In two instances, tho
taught little caution by the ignoramuses. as al
! who opposed, in any degree, these brsn-sick pro
jects were considered, two loans were actual,
| proposed, to the amount of millions each.
am sure, therefore, my estimate is not too high O
what would have been, at this time the amount
of State debt, upon the supposition made. The
annu al interest on that amount OF loans 10 say
thing OF the application OF dollar 10 the redemp
| ton of the prncipal,s 600 TO 1920, 600, which
| would have been added to the current annual ex
penses of the government, by their act and 70
their benefit, $50 far they would have advance,
the benefit of any,) and which our slaves and 9th
| er property would have been taxed to pay. And
hazard nothing in asserting, il we yield tn,
principle now, that in ten years, we shall be paw
ing interest on debt OF ten millions, Incurred b,
lloans, for the purposes of Internal Improvement
| The object is openly avowed. Forew warned, lie
Ius be forearmed.-l am far from being the enem,
| to the great cause of Internal Improvement.
| wish, most sincerely, TO il prosper. thinl
the West entitled to reasonable appropriations 20
the turtherance Of rational and profitable schemes
of Improvement, in common with every other par
of the State. But. wish to lave something &
say 10 the levyDg OF the tax, and the appropria
ton CT the money, especially when il is 10 com,
mostly out of my pocket; and l have such jus
cause to fear, that il part with this power il vii
be abused both in levying and appropriating,
have always had a mortal aversion to government
debts, government stocks, and government secu
| rites. But il has increased teniod since heart
| an old Fox say, what fine resource they wer,
for Forthcoming daughters and have seen, or thini
| have seen, that these schemes OF Improvement
pushed too far, and extravagant loans to eifec
| them, are but the beginnings Of that ever grow
ing system OF taxation, which sends the Europea
labourer, and threatens to send the American In
bourer supperless TO bed, that stock jobbers ma,
live in luxurious spendor, and give rich portions
to their daughters
purpose, in another number, to show that ther RI
is nothing in the principle Of representation con
tended for, inconsistent with the Bill of Rights o
the just rights Of man-that, were it otherwise
the basis OF representation in the ordinary Leeis
| lature, must be matter Of compact and compro
mise, founded upon the actual condition of things
| IN the Community, when i, is organiZed--tbat Dt
| paper ties can prevent the vicious action of vi
cious principle, in the Constitution of the Legis
llatura--that, therefore, provision that slave!
1 shall be taxed, only in the same proportion tina
lands are any other property, win not do where
| the power 10 levy the tax, is not in the hands
| those who, even by that rule, would impose SIC
upon you, for every dollar they impose upor
themselves and that there is nothing in apportiou
| ing representatives between different states, o.
different sections OF state, according 10 popuIa
| ton and property, or taxation, al all esembine
| the spportionment Of power between individual
men, by the same rule. As ! wish this last dis
tinction to go out at once. that better heads may
be thinking upon it, will just state here. in con.
cluson, that the distinction appears clear to me fol-
tbis--hat 10 the application Of the rule TO dis.
trict Of country, its population gives one half o.
the representation, its property (or its taxes.
are only the measure Of it's propertyJ gives the
other half. Here, then, is compound principle
But in attempt TO apply it to individuals, il will
be seen at once, that the principle OF property
alone could apply. Each being but unit, If you
give him weight in the government according Ia