Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1829-12-31


'enting difficulties which thrcarued entire abot
ton 10 all he abors of the revolution, resuliet
IN compromise. Mr.. Wilson OF Pennsylvania
who IN l776, had expressed the opinion that
while taxation should be in proportion tc
Noalih, representation should accord with the
number oi treemeu, proposed sihe basis o.
representation in the House of Reptescn
tatives, the federal number, aud recommended
II. ~ having been approved, by eleven of the
thirteen states, Us the proper measure OF ecu
irbul'ons. II was accaded 10 by majority
and submitted 10 by ALL when the small States
had been eoneilIat, d, by n provision that each
should have equal power in the Senate.
It's manifest. from this review, that the
ratio OF representation IN Congress was adjus.
iedleSs upon considerations Of what was JUS
and right IN relation 10 the persons represcne
! ted, OF oi what was wise aud proper for th c
protection OF property, than upon principles oi
! concession aud compromise aud Il follows
! hat the example cannot be proper for our mi.
taiion till that day shall arrive. which may God
| In his mercy forever avert whom the large
districts OF our Slate having separated from
each other. and formed independent govern
ment,, shall have sfnt deputies 10 lo,In for
! them, "a federal constitution.
That the apportIoOment of representation
acco ding TO federal numbers Wa no, nend ed
10 aho protec ion To the slave, al the South
cru states Is plainly 10 be inferred from the
utter inadequacy OF the means TO the end. II
would Afford no such protection. because u len
the i've southern States, the principle slave
holders, ia d, cided minority. IN the House OF
! Represent lives, while they were III q still
smaller minority IN the Senate The proitc.
ton 10 that property, from ihr power OF Con.
sress, is Ia be found, in the absence of all au-
,hoIlty 10 legislAte concerning H. except by
/ q Al.
on the power To lay any Capnaiion or other di-
rect tax. unless IN the proportion OF the iede.
| raj numbers.
The provisions Of the constitution OF the
United states do not warrant the conclusion,
thai II wa introduced to npporiion representa-
ton, 10 the popular branch Of the legislature. TO
the contributions of the respective States, The
contributions o the States are drawn essentially
from inposts aud duties, ~ there H. no attempt
TO appsriion representation TO them, II was
manifest that thu revenue from this source
would furnish the ordinary income of the go
vrrnmenI and That direct taxes would be The
sutiect only of OccHs ional resort. Yet the
representation is tho same whether direct taxes
| are levied or no.--ln trsth, direct taxes aud
representation ara not app0rioned 10 each
o her they are only referred Ia ASA common
standard the federal number, which Is 10 go-
vera the one always. VIII, ther the other exist or
no, aud govern that other casually when called
INTO existence.
But suppose it conceded that il was the OBJ
ircl of fhe federal constitute ION 10 Hppurton
representation and contributions 10 ZACH q.
ther aud conceded, moreover that such APP
porilonmeni was Tigni upon principle -
there nothing due 10 tho consideration, that
while TO tho general government ere commit
ted the conduct Of our external relations alone,
a, Ina. agI,.r IuIl
internal nfl1irs,--while the federal government
acts IN tie general upon grca; aus common
interests and upon large masses, -lhe STATE
government aGts upon the miuor snb-higIded
Interests and upon each individual III evevy re.
aton which he bears 10 society Ii there no
fair inference from this confederation, that
while represent alton appor,ioDed 10 mes.
might fairly cmbody the public will, in tho
federal conncs. aud give sufficient protection
Ia the various interests on which they acl "a
representation in proportion 10 the number of
freemen, might be rcqured III Virginia, 10
express fairly the will OF her people. TO repre-
sent aud project NIL the various interests on
which her government continually acts
The constitutions Of Massachusetts, New
Hampshire, South Carolina and Georgia, ARE
referred 10, ms furnishing examples of a repre-
sen,alon of property in republican govrrn
ments,-and the gentleman from Orange, (Mr.
T. I BARBOUR particularly cummends 10 our
attention the experience oi Massachusetts, who,
after 30 or 40 years rial OF her government,
has approved this by refusing To alter il, at II
late revision Of her constitution. In Massachu.
sets, The representation IN the Senate IS bhs.
ed upon the ratio OF taxes, with provision
that no district shall send more Than sG and
III the house ofrepresentaiives, II Is based Oh
the nnmber Of taxable polls, each el'clon dis
. ~ l.. I.aY "A
polls, aud one in addition for every 22b above
tina, number The election dsiuGis are large
aud have become pppulous, SO that each Is
now entitled TO many representative, - Bost n,
for example, 10 about 70. But the Districts are
not required TO elect the whole number each
sends such proportion Of its whole delegation
as II thinks proper,--aDd generally they send
but a small proportion OF them. II is ihi con-
slitutiou which the experience Of Mas lachu'
sets has not induced her 10 alter. Would an,
gentleman recommend the constitution OF both
branches of her legislature, as a model for
imitation ? Would ne give 10 one election
district the power OF electing from one 10 20
members, as they thought If lie would not
be governed by the experience OF Massachu
sets, rs TO one branch of her legislature, why
should he desire US TO be governed by II, with
respect 10 the other But II we are 10 be 90
verned by il, what does II teach us1 SureV
| not that a check upon the power OF tho pc pie
should be introduced into The popular branch
of The legislature, by giving representation to
property there but that such check should
he introduced into the Stale lit TEACHES Us 10
rejec, the amendment OF the gentleman from
Culpeper, which ii has been invoked to sup.
port.
| The Constitution Of New Hampshire is stint
lar 10 that OF Massachusetts aud requires no
particular commentary. That OF south Caro-
lima has been most relied on ms furnishing
moe appropriate example. South Carolina.
a slave holding State, by her constitution
adopted in the year 1870, had n prescrib.
ed number OF representatives. aud senators
| from each election district, notl vayring with
the changes Of population, and not appor.
toned there o. In 1903, the constitution of her
house of representatives was changed, by in.
| 1undncinn Inin II The nIe else comnound hnsls