Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1829-12-22

Isl,
son, Mason of southampton. Trezvapt Clniborn
Cr,qnhart, Randolph, Leigh of Halifax. Logan. Yer
able, Stanard, Holiday. Roane, Taylor of CAROLYN
MOTIFS, uarne1t' Barbour of Culpepper, Scott, DIs
Cfae' Ereen' Iazawell, Loyal, Prentis, Grigsb,
batcs, Neaie, Rose, Coalter and Branch-4io
y. Inc Z INVENTION being now fall, the first scctio
was taken up and considered
hesoiVed 1ha' IN the apport.oItnent ofrcprcscnta
ton the House of Delegates, regard should be ha
/ 10 tne white population exclusively"
Mr.. NENABLE then rose and addressed the Hous
IN nearly the following terms:
This question of the basis of REPRESENTATION II,
been so ably and so fully discussed in the early ma,
OF our ST tngs, that had concluded not To sav on
woru upon IT. being well convinced that any abilities
possessed Tor lis discussion fell far short ohosc whic
had already 0een cXer ed the side am DISPOSED
espouse. Yet have been taught by observation tha
man though more Intelligent and more elcuuen
tpan ano' her, may nevertheless be una Bile exactly
express nhe ideas ofanorhcr any given subject -
conclude, therefore. that NAV possibly saw Some
thing, even atter ali the discussion which has take
place. that may serve to finnish reflection nj least
Though have but little hope Of affecting the votes o
"HJ as presume the question will not be finally acct
upon to-day. 1t may have another good effect: il i
very possible may have gone wrong. and obvousl,
wrong: ana 1t Is possible gentleman may set me
right 10 he right, and exactly right, is my onl,
WISE l wish to lay tile Foundation of Government
so that 1t may work well in PRACTICE. For nm fal
from thinking, whatever be the form of the Govern
nent' that 1t ever can be pernlnent unless It's prac
teal operation is beneficial. In the course Of tho
or thought observed feeling in some members d
rectea against those who live in those parts of the
Ste where the slave-popuaiion exists which seems
IKE prejudice toward that portion of their f.llow
ci'l's Possibly have been nlista ken: but if any
such feeling does exist to those who feel it. say
tha those whose lot like mine is cast where that spe-
cie OF population exists, have had no more to do ;r
bringing about such state Of things than those who
dwru where there are mountains, have had in placinn
IN untallls where they stand Both are evils: but
consider black population far the greater evil of the
TWO; audit ls an evil which can no more remove
than those gentlemen remove the mountains from
their ianos. would offer my rema ks with desire
to consider his question without prejudice came
mere determined to form Government which wcvId
recognize such rights as were known and acknow-
lodged: those rights it score or it can never
work advanfasecusly i'll practice. is to the poles,
existing IN the counties that was no cause. OF collision
each county attended 10 its own internal Concerns
ana mere was M cause of strife on that ground AS
tn personal rights they were The same in AL paris of
the state; no difficulty existed in that respect The
whole difficulty occasioncd by one portion of the
state having half Of its population consist ing of blacks
and slaves, and the other portion of it being inhabi
ted altogether by free white citizens I shall ondeo
Vor to coniinc my ottcniion TO this point
AND hrst, l observe that nlall the Republican Go
Vrhnents winch ever have or ever be establish
Cd there must be some proportion between represen-
tation and taXatonSaIne connection must bo nras,r
we'd between them or the Government will not work
we'll On this subject, have written sentence or
TWO which cypress "'y sentiments with preci-
SON. and with the leave of the Convention will read
them.
MIR. V. then read as follows:
TO enable Us the better to decide on What repre-
sentaton should be based, will endenvor to point
out the principles and rules, which should have mn
influence on the question
Representation should be in proportion or II not
IN exact proportion, it should bear Just relation To
taxation. For if the tax leuyng community be vc-
ry different from the tax pnyinr community the
power the former the latter will be exercised
oppre5Slicy .-TAo question then arises, hoyy shall
we base representation, sohal it shall be in Just pro-
portion to taxation? Taxation, whether Of an indi-
VIdual, of community or county, should be in pro-
portion to their ability to pay. No rule has ever
yet been discovered which in practice, would exact
y indicate this ability to pay-That which has been
generally adapted as BEST Is numbers population.
lfthen the ability 10 pay is indicated by numbers or
population, the to be paid by the different parts
OF the country, viii in general bear some relation to
numbers, and the representation may be sufey blscd
on population; butlt must be the whole population.
from whose labour the revenue IS derived II will
illustrate the application of these principles more
plainly by taking the case oftwO counties. instead
of the East and West paris Of the State.
These, sr,are the opinions which will govern inv
course here, and which will direct the vote that I
shall give. 1 am settled in tie belief that there
ought to be 4 connection between those who levy
taxes, and those who are to pay the taxes levied.
In the consideration of the question, our situation
mas been compared to that of other States in the
Unions but The coInparison will not apply at all. Viz
gnia has onohaif ofhe territory largely Interested
in black slave population; while the other half is
Inhabited by white population exclusively There
Is no other State in the Union similarly situated in
the >. States where alone this population prevails;
1t prevails throughout the whole SIate in nearly e
quail proportion so that the discussion which occupies
us here can have 10 place among them. There is no
orc State, whose condition furnishes correct anal
Ogy; but nnology does exist, and TO the extent
in the condition of the Union taken collectively.
and What was the determination i'll that Convention
winch framed Constitution to snt such state OF
things. Only existing upon larger scale? What
was the eXpedlent hi upon to meet the difficulty and
which did meet that difficulty and remove it, 1t was
the principle that population and taxation should
respond to each other that the slave states should
be taxed only in proportion to the population Gnu
meratcd. This principle supported by Virginia
herself, and it was adopted and established by the
Federal Government in its wisdom.
There is another way to consider the subject, and
it is one arm fond Of applying TO all subjects winch
am called upon 10 examine, that is TO work ont the
rueo trace the principle out into its practical de-