Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1829-12-19

two cities OF Richmond and Petersburg, where the v
| were eureed with vagabonds from both. II not
true Of Henrco Of Norfolk, Of Sposyvanis. Of Stat.
ford, Of Dinwdde, Prince GEORGE altho those, too
were contiguous to towns; where vice usually made its
resort, and round the skirts Of which il usual 20
find some Of the members Of society those who
became housekeepers in the Penifentiary Such per-
sons were TO be found near towns aud cities in ten
times greater numbers than in any other part Of the
Commonwealth: yet even there, nothing existed like
| the unhappy condition Of Loudoun.
Mr. LEIGH concluded by observing, that the gentle
man from Fairfax had given true account Of The
lure and tendency OF the amendment II went TO intro
duce universal suffrage; and II Il did actually do
that, provided an entering wedge which must open
| the way to it,
gentleman from Chesterfield had correctly represented
what he had before said he should not now have risen
to trouble the committee. He had said there were
no paupers in Ioudoun, such as were i'm the Poor
house Nor did he state that the poor rates levied
merely to support foreigners. The account Of the
number OF delnqueDts he had given from record fur.
nished by the officer he had before named: he held il
now In his hand aud il at the service Of any gentle
mau that chose to examine II. He submitted to the
gentleman from Chesterfield. whether it contained any
thing that furnished just argument against the char
acter, principles, manners condition Of the people of
| Loujonn He had not said that the Sheriff. Of Lou
doun in the habit Of making fal,e returns: but
that the small fee Of or Il cents did operate as an
to them 10 dill gencs in searching
for persons who owed tax of ST. or possibly q to the
county. Ii was common when militia fines were col.
iected rs all gentlemen must recollect who had served
al mr.
twelve mes,) for the Sheriff settle up his accounts
and u gentlemen would 20 into investig alton Of the
facts, they would find many TOO insolvents fre.
auenty returned He believed that the number Of de-
hnquents would be found even greater in other
county OF the State in proportion to its population than
In Loudonn. He was willing to rest the question on
that ISSUE He inferred this from the eqna division Of
property in that county. Foreigners were numerous,
was true: they constituted the Of white labonr
ing poor. Many Of them into Loudoun, being
the hrst county the line in their way south from
Nav Enu Ias,l. W..
York society for the express purp of disturbing
s surplus abour Of population ino other part. OF the
Union: that Society were in correspondence with va
rious persons on that subject.
As to public works. there had been none prosecuted
IN the county OF Loudoun either the date of those
turns, since but he had doubt that the fact he had
| commented on, would be found to be very common
throughout the commonwealth. He had been led to OBJ
tain the paper from which he had read those items for
the purpose of showing the niqHy he would call no
css OF the prevailing system of captaton tax, for the
| preservation OF the road, and the maintenance of
the poor: OF calling on the poor equally with the
ich for the contribution of his time and abour to i'm
prove roads which he trod only with his feet but
which neither hoof nor wheel of his ever passed. For
such SYSTEM thousands receive the stamp of nsoyen.
cy. The system was bad one, and the Legislature
ought to repeal it, The fact he had stated was establish
ed record evidence: could not he Observation-Disclosures
or 700 persons ought to be suffered thus to stand as
nsolvents by the inlicton of unjust an exaction II
gentlemen had any doubts to what he had stated he
referred them to public records at not 200 yards distance
z. III
the militia returns (Which rested the same principe)
and they would find that the proportion of nsovents i'm
other countless was at least great in Loudoun All
the poor were not to be found i'm the poor house, thew
stayed the most of them, home and were partially
sustained by their relations though In part burden on
the State 1t was such had friends or relatives to
take care of them, especially foreigners, that were
obliged to resort TO the poor house. In Great Britain
the paupers, he believed amounted millions: but
the greater part of them lived their own homes or
with their relatives, and received partial aid from the
poor rates.
He had made these statements because, as a repre-
sentative OF Loudon, he felt it his duty reply to the
remarks which had been made. 1t certainly pain
m to he obliged to set and listen course of obser-
vatons, degrading to the character of the county from
which he came, and which seemed inssnled eii.ssr 40
degrade Loudoun or injure the cause in which she
was engaged: but he knew remedy
MIR. LEIGH said the gentleman had commenced his
remarks by saying that If he had correctly represented
what he had said, he should not have risen. Mr. L.
said he had perfectly understood the tone and temper in
which this had been sad and, if it Parliamentary
should certainly meet II in a similar tone.
MT MERCER here said the gentleman entir .Iy
mistaken in his impression-nothng had been meant in
Tone or IN language, to give any Just offence.
Mr.. WILSON here observed to the Chair, that he
could sec good purpose which this debate tended
MIR. LEIGH said he did not understand this temper
tone, and manner Of treating him. nor should he submit
to it in any form whatever. How could the gentleman
tell what he was going to say?
The Chair told the gentleman from Chesterfield to
proceed. =
Mr.. LEIGH sail he had not misrepresented the gen
teman from Loudoun any fact which that gentleman
had staed but he doubted the accuracy mot the vera
city, OF the statements which he had made. He was
not wholly ignorant of the county of Loeioun its soil
or the character of its inhabantsand he doubted ex
remey the accuracy of the gentlenans information,
and have stangely Inexperienced the true state of
That county, il will not be that he il wholly mis-
informed was about to shew this The gentleman
says he has record evidence; no produces certificate
from the Clerk OF the Overseers Of the Poor is that re-
sord evidences! But matter. If this il true of Lou
doun, ii is not true Of other counties. IL will be EASY
10 get statistical statement TO test this i'm tho cearest
and fullest manner My purpose to shew that the
gentleman from Fairfax right in the account he
gave oil the amendment OF the gentleman from Monon-
gaiia-l think he was right and shall against all
such principles, they from what quarter they may
would gladly vote for the amendment of the gentle
man from Fairfax, il ii possible for me TO do So
t ne Is gong into questions Of finance and il requires
vest deal more time duly TO consider such measure
than has been allowed me- and he profoundes consdera
ion, before can vote upon it, certainly cannot vote
ior II now l shall vote against it. because do not
clearly see the consequences to which IL may lead: and
snail vote against the amendment Of the gentleman
from Monongals, because believe IL fairly liable to the
objections Of the gentleman from Fairfax.
MIR FITzHUGH would ak gentlemen IL the amend.
ment oil the gentlemen from Mppongalia must pass
whether lite evil would not be iessened by adopting as
amendment 10 il what he had proposed He invited
the attention OF the Convention 10 single fact which
existed In his own county. (sni he presumed IL might
be considered as average coahty OF the State In
the year 1921 out Of $500 Of tax l by that couay
$3.50 paid by 535 Of its inhabitsnts This was
sufficient to 'hew the vast inequality In the d,ribniion
Of property. Yet by the espsion fax all called TO
ray alike; and all who did pay would be admitted by
ths proposition Of the gentlemen from Monons ala
lie presumed that such wished 10 restrain the rights