Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1829-10-29

guide the conduct of the slave holders of Vrun-
ia VIC C led to the conclusion, that the property
OF the wealthy would not be impericd, as gentlemen
imagine, by entrusting the powers OF governments 70
numbers, without regard TO their wealth. That |
property would be abundantly secure without inyes-
ting holders with Fictitious power derived from
it's possession. And that there is not the least re-
ccSsty for the proposed innovation the great pr
cipies OF government, asserted by ancestors at
the of the revolution.
But it is not i'll Virginia alone that we see eviden-
ces otttc utity Of the apprchcnsions that are en-
tcrtainod for the safety of property.-We nave i'll
the HISTORY OF our sister commonwealth Il rich
fund OF experience from whence can draw ar
gunents 10 Illustrate the utter futity of these ap
prehcnsons. luiffeen States Of the Union represen-
tation Is apportioncd according to numbers alone,
and wholly without reference to property, or the
citizenship sthe sole qualification of the elcctor and
~ the remaining seven the payment of any tax either
local general, the only qualification superaddcd
The numbers, the needy many, have had tile suprcnc
Coitroi over the wealthy }eir ofthose states
tor forty years, IN thirty, in some twenty, in
some ten and IN some five. And what has been the
practical resut!-Look at Meir situation, sir, and
'ooK Ut ouTS.-Do we not see among them the richest
ana most prosperous states OF the uon?-IIas sin
gle instance occurred of Legislative INVASION by the
poor, of the rights of the weallhy?-Not one -frhe
machine OF government has rolled smoothly on and
property has been found, as it ever will be found
aoo 10 protect ITSELF without constitutional GIJGres
III tue shape oi oajoUS priuicees So much for the
general question, whether property endangered by
leaving the people III possession Of their natural and
c9uHl III, itS.
But know, sir, incidentally, that the mover of
this amendment etcrtails the opinion that the sc
OF Virginia Is, from peculiar circumstances, case
"u' Sene7S: Ills opinion is that the compa ru lively
non slave holding population of Virginia must ere
long constitute II II does not constitute deci-
oed majority OF the people, and tkAt majority nhab
ting particular section the state aenatcd from
Their sicve-hoding fellow citizens, by distance, local.
ties d. dissinilar views questions ofCenernlpocy
That 1t Will be, what amounts to the ,auc thing
that they VIII suppose 90 be their interest TO Law tie
ouFthe!!S oil government almost exclusively on the
slave property OF their eastern brethren Aud that
s' therefore necessary to invest the slave holding
minority with Fictitious toirer, under the new Con-
stitut!on, TO enable it 20 protect itself against the IN
Justice ana oppfcsSion OF the comparatively slave
holding minority.
Surprising the fn:ts which have lust stated TO be
us he ulaglnes them TO be, do no. see ey thing nthe
case stated, which takes Of the operation OF the
principles Of security which have eluuosed to eyi:t
Ill regard to property III general Tie arilL not con-
tenu thdt the poop OF the are less opcrated OH
by the principle of honour, by sentiments OF Justice
anu by sense OF tc.r req interests, them the ueo-
pie OF the East.-And if this be So his fears are
groundless. For the people of the cast under SINH
lar circumstances have repealed the base suggestions
OF sordd aud short-sightcd interest, and have been
governed by nohlcr and more enlarged views ofcxpe-
cheney and right But, sir his premises fail HIM
Lock at The map OF lna, 6; at The tables o popu-
iat!oi which have this day been reported by Tie tu
G!tor lie estimates tie white population cast of
A''-S i-IsS VI Mountains, at S60,7i5. the
y t.l'e population west Of those mountains at $40
he peoPie OF the east have therefore majority of
45-~-3 over those Of the west. I uecd sCarcrlv
'e- rs assembly that the whole white popu!a-
lon csi o! the Ridge is s,ave-hcdino populs, ION
re o4ack population Is more dense aiontr tbe
eastern base Of the Ridge, than alonq the shore Of
the Atlantic. For while the two senatorial d;etr;t
I5 e''ng o" he ocean, contained, by the census OF
iS<o, one o: tAein but I7,4I6. and The other but
1888 three Of the districts along the eastern hosr
oil the Ridge contained, orc of them 81 Ar anntboT
I''ol1 aud the third 80 62i. Thus YOU perceive sir
t2at the slave population is crowded nm to 10 49,
foot Of the mountain. But this is mot al III
overlooking population extends Jeyond the RIDGE
Tue district which have the hononr in nprt m 20.
western Counties of Berkeley Jefferson. Frede,,c
una botetourt contain 1000 They are tbcrefnre
iariy to be considered slave .holdinp counties r.
Tue Pruc'cal intent OF being interested in exemptiDn
slaves rom undue taxation. These four counties are
estimated To contain, at present, white DopuIo,io ~
a'oIJ' Add this save-holjing population. Ucst of
inc mountain, ito say nothing of other western conn
,,oS ~leh contain slaves to the amount of several
HOUSINGS nore) TO the slave holding population eoef
o. the mountains, d you have an argregaie of 100 -s
ne comparatively non-slave holdnr popuaton n al
me remaining counties of Virginia, is but 272 SOC.
lhere 10, therefore, majority of sIcyctoIl;r @
iaton, amounting to 1926 f'F>
-1hu YET, strange to tell, apprehension is enfrr
taed' thaa II representation be cgally apportjSned
In4hS ene winte population slave property will be
resolution of the Committee be adop.eJ Tho si'a
hohsing population will possess, in the House of De-
iegatcs majority of representatives in the
OF 4o9,75a to 272,5O3; and yet fear is entertained
mat the representatives. Of the 27a .5O3 nonsnve
holders will overtax the property of the 100 7s8
And to avert this imminent peril aud
Migrant injustice, you as I'd 10 ;uycst tho 400 sn
WIN J1ctI'o"s constitutional ,4y-ccr-to DESTROY the
great andna--r OF natural right established at the
era 81 lhe revo!ution-to rcpudate oil the PRINCIPLES
" oYel , which have beep until now, held ga
.I hVloao'e: Such, sir, is the argument bv
"' nJ tG ~, proposed amcndmcnt i supported.
'ir. Ntbh-NE then rose to address the Chair bu,
T7onghout were in very inabIe tone
5ai? that they had now been appriscd Of tho
Ion!aauoh on which the advocates for an cyc,s;rc
white population basis rest their claim to ,hst m
tentlon OF suffrage. Reference had been mad ~ IL
iTnopes laid down i'll the Bill of Rights, as the prn
clPics on which this extension was founded /, :;
just alleged that the Bill of Rights decaTas Tho, -. ~
are iLcs' which IS said to be equivalent to dec