Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1829-12-25

differs nconsderabiy IN the amount OF TAX raid per
head in the different quarters OF the State That die.
fereRce he said owing to the apparently diminish
ed amount, paid on land by the extreme western dis
trict and which he thought might be fully aud sasfac
ory counted for, by reference to present and past
systems of TAXATION and their influence that part of
| the Common wealth.
l Before the wear 1917, the tax land was assessed
upon arbitrarily assumed average OF the value in
the several districts of the State. BY the operation OF
this rule the interior lands Of the west taxed be-
yond any just regard to their annual product, whether
from cultivation appreciation in the make and the
consequence has been, that vast quantity OF the
tern lands have become forfeited for the mt OF
taxes, and vested in the President and Drec
tors Of the Literary Fund. No MEANS he said, now Of.
tered for ascertaning the number Of which had
heen transferred by this process IRON the
lists, Of the amount Of taxes and damages now due
or annually accruing on land. so situated Of the
mount annually paid into the Treasury, for the redemp
ton Of lands in this condition Mr. s. said, that at
tempt to investigate this subject at the Auditors Office
had furnished him with statement Of the forfeited land
in one Of the western counties only From this
that there forfeited to the Literary Fund
in the county Of Cabe 3l30, 5S2 acres charged with
taxes and damages, amounting in the year 1914 10
975. He said, this singular expose was melancholy
commentary land laws Of l7S9-under the opera
ton of which, land to nearly double the of the
~ had been sod'by the Common ealth, an the evil
was daily increasing by grants from the Land or
| fee.
Mr. s. remarked that he had, however, attempted to
ascertain what ought 10 be the probable product
laudax in the county OF Cabel under a system which
essd the tax upon the land and not upon the pre-
tended titles which the Commonwealth was daily fur
ni.hng He found the Of that county to be ,O33
square miles, equal TO Col l20 acres; 003 on
ly OF which. 10 be found tn. land lists Tor
taxation, and which produced revenue of $35t-Mr.
j. then entered into calculation, hewing, that il the
residue of the and actually found in that county,
mounting TO 507 III restore to the lists
and charged at the rate, with that already the
commissioners Books that il would augment the Ian
tax OF the county of Cabel SI5s-giving an amour, Of
revenue from land in that county beyond the sum de-
rived from the same source and the large populou'
county OF Accomac, TO whose representative the Con-
vention had been indebted fer much statistical in
formation
Mr. S. remarked, that he did no. IN an to go into the
questions OF revenue, presented by that ,ntlemsn;
but that he would take occasion 10 remind him, that IL
the Eastern Peninsula OF Virginia, contributed more to
the Treasury, than some OF the Western counties, il
than Unidentified in its proportion of the ex-
pendi,ure for the support OF the Judiciary. Mr. s.
said, that he was satisfied that whenever the paerna
OF the Government should give quiet and repuse
10 the Western States that thy would not he found de-
fcieni in contributions either to the Treasury, to
the defence OF the country.
Mr.. s. said, that examining the relative merits Of
the propositions before the Convention, il might be
Improbable to look into of those, which had been
heretofore pressed upon its considc- ration Ii I'D be
reco''ccted, that Eastern gentlemen had taken their
stand upon proposition, which combined white popua
ton and taxation. the basis OF represe alton He
said, that he accustomed 10 regard himself, not
understanding that, Of the results of which he liz.
norant He had, therefore, put into requisition his
own arihmetica skill, aided by two gentlemen parti-
culary versed in calcnlatons-One Of them furnished
him with the combinations, as follows:
Western District 81
Valley District %
Midland 80
Tiiewater IS
In House Of Delegates composed of 100 members
In this computation, men and dollars regarded
as units OF the same value, producing about II Dele
gates from the white population, and 43 from the tax
ed property. lis application 10 the extreme Western
and Eastern Districts, found place the inhab
tan Of each in the following relations TO the other
In the Western District, 1851 white persons paying
taxes TO the amount OF 107 Dollars, would be entitled
to one Delegate, while in the Eastern District, 400
white inhabitants paying Al 26 Dollars, woud he emit.
tied TO the same representation BY this political ah
metic an excess in taxation Of 2,719 Dollars be
computed. by an excess in persons, equal to 2 857-
which balances at the rate Of 95 c. per head This
combination, although ii rated Western Ciz ms a.
hye franc pieces. and their Eastern Brethren a. Louis
dors was found more favorable to Western equality
than was admissible by the principles OF combination
avoweI and explained by the authors of that notable
project Their principles Of combination required
that 10 ascertain the number OF Delegates TO which any
particular District would be entitled. it was first ne
cessary TO find, what number would be given by white
population, and secondly, what number the tax paid nv
the district would entillc il TO. The combined results
divided, averaged, then assumed the proper
representation. Tho application of tho rule thus modi-
fed, was found 10 give to the
Western District 81
Valley FL
Midland al
Eastern 81
l20
Following out the results Of this scheme, MIR. Sum
mers said, it would have required 1851 of the
white population Of the West, contributing the Trea
snry l6OS Dollars TO send one Delegate, while in the
Eastern District, 4,Si0 persons paying 1865 Dollars
would have been entitled TO equal repre- sentation Pur-
suing the inquiry, he said that IL was found that the
political rights Of 4,165 persons would he sacrificed
in each Delegate District of the West to POS Dol
lars excess o taxation, in each Delegate District OF
the East In thus comparing the measure OF political
rights In the two extreme Districts Of the State he
said, II was found, that l65 white persons in the west
were required 10 surrender all their rights in the 20.
vernmen on the payment Of 2D5 Dollars beyond the
average taxatoa by Eastern District BY this scale
Tor ascefdnng the relative political weight OF men AMI
money, II was ouad, that the highest attributes OF men,
the dearest mmunites OF freemen, were 10 be rated
at So per head. This political morality and equai-
~. he said, had been supported by the votes Of
oneha oil the Conventions but happily for the liberties
oil the country, II had not secured majority The
scheme for the security Of property its friends were
pleased 10 deDoDiDate it, but which 10 his mind looked
to power and power alone, the propositions
OF the gentleman from Faugner (Mr Scott) TO appor
ton the Senate TO taxation alo1eA proposition which
IL adopted, would have given in that body equal po
ica weight TO IS4O0 inhabitants Of the Iowlands with
30 692 inhabitants Of the Western Distrcl and even
this scheme. ne said, had been rejected by but small
majority. MIR. s. then entered into comparison OF the
relative merits O the resolution under considerations
agreed 10 in Committee Of the whole and those submit
ted by the gentleman from Frederick, mir. Cooked
which had for their object, a House Of Delegates,
founded on white popuaiion, and a Senate based on
federal nuinbers.He said, that lie had used through
out in bis computations OF tho present population OF the
Commonwealth, the tables furnished by the auditor;
he did not maintain their entire accuracy, but believed