Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1829-10-31

With destruction To lair svsems of Re,ras snsa,;
now does the gentleman from that premise arrive II
lhs cohciuslon-Whch was i'll fact adverse Il, ,is mo-
pos ton How does he make out the middle tom, ~
vus answered, however by the gentleman from Nor,j
ahpton aud II he would be permitted to refer to tho.
proceedings In the committees by he oentle,an ,;,,,,
Chesterfield Tie reply was thai ,be,o y,. ~,
danger when there existed community and ifen,i-
ty or interests. But he had another answer n ;s
the nature oil every representative government IN ha
based on the responsibility Of its public cfI;cers-
Such must be the foundation of it, ii is to stand the
test OF iInle, but if are to be taxed ms n neon
oy individuals who III their official character owe
us no responsibility then is tie government at an end
lie would draw the distinction between what wri
tHfs cali evil liberty and political liberty In no.
narchlc.i countries there exists civil liberty In
tsoiiic, Outing the reign of Augustus the peo,e en-
l,ycd civil liberty, but not Us writer's saw po,;csI
liberty The liberty they enioyed was o,yina TO tlra
ioi bcarance OF the monarch who governed them and
to secure this ev liberty, is that which confrs no.
htical liberty. To apply this principle 10 the arg-
men:s of the gentleman from Norfolk tbe n,on,s;
eion IS concedcda at once us regards the same dis
trct, but 1T does not bear any analogy to the case of
diifercnt districts: In the same county the reprc
sent alive IS responsible to the voters for whatever
taxation he may have supported Int short time;
ne viii have to give account of his scyyarshin
and If he be sot good and faithful steward ypr;i,
ne s''a meet hls reward But low does it apnly Ia
opposite parts OF the country, where there ura dis
.it interests, and where lie who assists to inposc
the taX imposes 1t upon those whom he never re-
Ourhs' VINO are perhaps ruined Ivy the measures he
supported, andlo VI HON he is not responsible? II,
'as mr. no a'e9 W1 a Of his stewardship to render
man had completed his argument on that poiSt r.
vas not his intention, for was not the time TO u,
s"er 1t. lie rose solely for the purpose of cxplan
ing the grounds he took and the princinIe he r.st
on. He stated that our government rested upon IL
Prihclpie OF equal rights among all who were wor
my oil participation of political power He snia
,hat on tnS great principle rested the safety and cx
Isl nce OF our free and equal Institutions Ii Won fix
t"e term OF qualifcation-if by Fundamental lave
You Tx who shall exercise the right of votpu-,,cn
my position Is there should be equal rights among all
the voters lie said, that if i'll given county there
are $40 voters qualified by lawif the candidate lie
choice of the $50. 30 not succeed but if he who *
supported by the remaining 80 be elected because.
the property Of the latter exceeds that of tle fornc
then he said that such result would das row tho f
principles or our government, and would establish
III our country the most odious of all aristocraces mn
arStocracy OF wealth That his principle, aud
1t was one without which there could be no free re-
presentation under any government. To ruiert
that principle would be establish the eoyerrtIen,
oil inc iew over the many, which would be nothing
else but an srstocracy of wealth. If that princ,is
was carried INTO operation in the ELECTIONS ~.
counties, 1T must kc precisely the same wien vo,r
oiSuhisc districts N such manner, that fewer
men OF greater wealth would elect reprcsertatir4
In opposition to the voice of the majority He b.d
not heard that argument satisfactorily answered.
THIS principle then, excludes the representation of,
<'o' ali quahcd voters and establishes an aistocra-
cy of wealth.
Mr. BARBOUR said he would ncver knor;,,7,
raisia-e an arguments and i'll this instance after the
IN!Ndha'ic' wnlch had been given, he found that he
Had not misunderstood the gentleman He had un-
oersooa the argument proceeding on me basis CT
equahty, and taking the rule of single district an,
Eh TO all other districts. Ii was rot for hin, To
say whether tho answer he had given was satisfc-
tory.
lie was gong on to shew tho essential 6lndamca,
al o'iference between the principles While in u
single ostrct The representative who imposes the tax
Is accountable to all, when up into different dis
trc's, the representative of one portion n,osos brr
ders upon those of the other portions 10 yvIon, a
owes no accountability He would here make his,
.sl una sincere dscialraer He did not design to
ilnpnte to single citizen Of Virginia any mpTopur
motive. he gave that full measure of credit to
others which he claimed for himself and for his o,,1,
peNf;e " hue fa!tb IS the principle which lies at the
i0uiation OF religion the Converse of that was trne
as relates TO government, at the basis of which zeal
"uSy ana vigilance should always be found The
wscst men OF all ages have told us that governments
can only De Kept pure by instant caution and v;oi
lance Here so extensive is that policy of jealousy
that 1t exhibits Itself in the provisions which ON, NOV
e'ai'n MS have Incorporated into their cons utous
u protect them from each other Even the renort ot'
the Judicial Committee itself conisins an indication
of that spirit Of distrlsfil caution in the provisions
which preclude tho election of a member of the alc
Senate who shall be under so and of y member ~
me tiouso OF Delegates who shall be under % years
OF age Here there is even restriction cut iron
pubic viii lie intended to
--------- ".Noifin1 erte,,nntc
''For SET dozen ought in paalier;"
he attributed nothing TO one section of the Sfe{a
nor individual, more than to ano her He had rnere
ly made he illusions to s!rcw that universal c,ner;
ence has established the converse of the proposfior
that iaith lies at the foundation of government and
10 shew That no nation remain hing fec unless
'heFe existed IN IT Il ceaseless wachfBcss and cne--
gy against inistu!e, and to preserve civil liberty
lie had heard 1t said that this ..Dion OF ,.g,tc,
with persons referred power to the veaily sud dr,y
Inc OF separation between citizens When the prir
cPle came to be applied 10 dist riots he did rot am,
cpate that it would make any practicol dsfincf,,s
between rich and POOR. He was OF opinion dat
'nere was no Cause for alarm the prcdoinnance
OF property Nothing is so liable to Ructuatis7,
IS wealth as may be seen by casting the eve
over the history of Virginia. lie who occupies O.
foremost place to-day may fiji Tie lowest to.norro,g
hsh system, that the proinigcnifnre and entail NJ,
t9e pillars which support lnonarclca government