Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1829-11-10


own interest s scltovean interest in the repositories
OF power not to abuse no paper guaran,y--but hold
upon the hearts of men, which beat true to self interest
il to nothing else.
This also accounts for another fact very observable in
our history-that whenever any grand and muiiicen
scheme of Internal improvement has Offered 10 us
striking to the imagination and almost seduciu the mind
from the exercise OF reason it has found favour in the
North and the est while the South and the East have
evinced spirit, often described nsgardy-hat the
South and the East have showed themselves oath to
vote money for any such purn,ses for any purpose
but to supply the pressing wants of the State. Taking
the exactons Of the federal and Of the State
together, doubt whether there is people on Earth
more heavily taxed than the slave holding planters OF
Virginia. We feel the weight of those state taxes
which our brethren OF the West and North, paying
equal share find so light and easy.
In the last place, seeing that the burdens of taxation
thus Unequal nowf there be any man so strong of
faith, to entertain noears that the inequality may be
aggravated by transferring the balance of the power 10
the West-power over taxation and propery-none can
be green, mellow, TO hope that the inequality
Is likely to be thereby corrected One of the main causes
OF discomfort which led to this Convention that which
had the strongest influence in overcoming our vencra-
ton for the work OF our thers which taught con-
tenn the sentiments OF Henry and Mason and Pcndle-
ton, which weaned us from for tho con-
stuted authorities of the State, an overwecnny
passion for Internal Improvement. say this with ne
feet know edge for il hiss been avowed 10 me by gentle
men from the west, over and again. And let me
tell the gentleman from Albemare Mr. Goron) that il
has been another principal object Of those who set this
ball of revolution in notion TO overrn the doctrine M
State Rights, of which Virginia has been the very bill
lar, and 10 the barrier she has opposed TO the
interference of the federal government in that same
work oil Internal Improvement, by recognizing the
Legislature, that Virginia may be hitched TO the
federal car This Also in substance, has been often
avowed to me- and that by gentlemen for whom person.
ally have the highest respect The federal govern.
mcnt points road along the valley or along the foot of
the Blue Ridge, the country the head of tide
water and State Rights fall embe at the very sight
Of this tremendous ordnance Ii must be manifest 10
all mems minds that without a increase Of il, rcye-
nue. by the State, the aid of the federal government.
all those splendid schemes of Internal Improvement so
passionacly supported by the North and West, must
prove futile and aborvc. IT, therefore, the balance of
power be transferred to the West the taxes will i'm all
likelihood be greatly augmented, andmos certainly the
will not be reduced
And. then, Mr.. Chairman, the question is. whe ther
when money is TO be raised for any purpose-to dsray
me expenses OF the civil list for the public defence
or Tor public education or e. internal mprovement-th
people oil the West may justly claim power, forever
hereafter, by one and the vote to give and grant
hree do!i1rso our money for every dollar they give
ana grant oil their own and, then, to appropriate the
revenue, according 10 their notions of Justice and polcv
whether. while the people cfoudoun give grant Sc
cents oil their money, those Of Frederick So Jefferson
o. Augusta %, Berkeley 80, and Shenandoah 3lIcent
they may reasonably claim power, to give and grant
ny me same vote, from tho people of Fuvanna II OF
Ne<on ~. OF Amherst 81 Of Buckingham So of Camp-
bell 81 of Orange So, of Albemare o. and of G.och.
land % cents' Whether, while the rich people OF
Berkeley give and grant 80 cents and those Of Shcnan
doah only 81 cents, OF their money th-y shall hav.
by the same vote TO give and grant 75 from
the poor people OF Warwick? Whether while the peop.
oil The thriving country OF Kanawha give and grant %
cents Ohio FL Brooke 49, Harrison IL and Mononp ALA
10 cent, they shall have power, by the same vote 10
give and grant % cents from the people OF Cumberland
IuO cents from those OF Amelia, Il9 from OF
Noitoway and l22 cent. from those Of Powhatan? And
that for purposes in which those who pay most can
have little nterest-and those who nav the least
must have great aud direct interest? II tho he
uniform Gas they mus be- the quences are inevi
table.
Sir IL the claim be yielded TO, know no happier H.
us'raon ofihe effects than that by the meta,
O Psn from Nnro 10Th.
told us, that Representation and Taxation are not twin
ANS rising in the glen, separated by accident
uniting in the vale below, aud rolling the Joint tribute
OF their wers 10 the same ocean: they from diff
ferent fountains, they flowed in different dire ciions and
emphed into different oceans. Yes indeed-if we
adopt the principle reported by the gisiave Commit
'ee-RePresentdtion will rise in the Mountains and
overflow and drown the Lowland.; while Taraiion
rising in the Lowand and reversing the course of ma
ture viii How TO the Mountains and there ,penI, il not
waste "' ertiIIzng streams, over every narrow valley
and deep glen, ard mountain side.
Gentlemen from the West, have cxhort.d us 10 dis
caro- all care for local inierests-they tell us that
they know their hearts, their opinions and course
are not influenced by any such paltry
without doubling the sincerity OF these professions
doubt whether they do know their own hears-with-
out impiousy setting up myself for searcher Of
douo' whether they have searched their hearts with
suhcient scru'iny-nay, whether any scrutiny would
nave been successful. IL is divine truth, that the
heart OF man is treacherous ITSELF and deccit above
all things. This know with certainty, that the
opinions 81 the Western Delegation, this que stion
conform exactly with the interests Of their constituent.
they are perfectly unanimous-no division among
hem-none at all. And there is The great county of
ioudoun-Why (as Louis XIV. said 10 his grandson
when he departed 10 mount the Throne Of Spain)-
why are there no longer any Pyrenee.?-Why is the
Blue Ridge ievelled from the Potomac 10 Ashby's Gas
though 1t swell< again TO Alpine heights pocc ed.
thence outward, 10 divide Fauquer from Frederick
lbs miracle has not been worked by urnaikng the
roads Look at the census and observe that the white
population OF Icndon, is hree.fod that Of the black;
look at the Auditors reports, and mark the fact thai
Loudoun pays not half much tax a. some of the
poorer slave boiling planting counties; consider her
common interest with all the upper Northern Neck in
internal improvement and their common opinions con-
cerning Safe Rights: and then, if | mistake not the
question VIII he very easy Of solution. The
the orange, the hbcmarle, the Campbell, the Piusy-
wanna, ana the Norfolk districts, which U know not
why) arc all counted securely as il thcy were
already given; these are indeed dsnteresiet and can
OILY be attributed 10 magnaninity I presume not TO
enquire into the motives Of gentlemen, much less to
censnre their conduct. l admire, but cannot initiate
their example have regard especial regard, TO the
local Interests OF my constituents They me here
for the very purpose, that might watch over them
guard defend and secure them, 10 the utermost OF my
power And, II should disrega ard them, either through
design or indolence-if to profess TO have
no regard TO them-- better for me- that | had
never been borH-the contempt of some and the hate
OF others, would pursue through lfe and if should
ny Tor refuge to the remoest Of The earth con-
science-Qus cru Patrid Sc qttoque |ugitconscienc
would still follow with her whip Of SCORPIONS and
lash me 10 the grave.
Sir, ! affirm with the gentleman from Hanover mfr
Morris) that the contest engaged in though
not the came in iis circumstances with that between
our ancestors and Great Britain is similar in principIe
have heard and wondered TO hear many persons toIk
frIn hau N.fT a.. -