Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-12-12

III" "eNSuSc WIS ocitcNcd, that X was SUbStAG al-
yeqa.salenl an elect But examination aud ,eslcc-
on lead me 20 believe tha, there may be- aud pns,i.
oy l., material difference, in the effect OF the two
ruiass-lhat the number OF white pcrSurs ~ the lf
efent districts would not be fair iadoN of tho nun-
Der ct qualified VoterS-and that the basis of onal6
cd voters would be moro favorable 10 Tho eastern
part OF the State, than the basis OF whno p,.laon
III there be any gentleman tins, or tt,, other
size III the iiouse, who prefers tho baSs of rCprc
son'ation, the qualified voters, rather than the
population, who thinks tina, the superior Justice of he
former. countcrNais the gre convenience and Ger
talnty of the latter, | prepared to GO wHh him
and give It my support. will press the ptiuc-
pie tor which contend beyond It's reason ana inSficr
In advocating thea. the basis ct white ,ruat,,p
must b. understood as maintaining tho rss IA OF The
qualified voters "a share equally tho power ~ tlc ~,
Ncrnmen,'--and a. pressing their ClaiiuS, not Ia a
precise mathematical 90 la,ty, but To RATIONAL nfs
teal equality, assuring to Cvcy local intorcS, as far
as can be-, ITS due weight ana 'lSt pruirciiork
= e proposition 10 am"nd, which Oi''rS tie basis
oi population and TAXATION combined is not very IL
iHN' ~ MS terms hut a. explained by It's mover Is
very mt iigltlc. IL does Lot PROPOSE To command
,hc number - dollar paid for taxes nm each t,,r,
VI n the number o. white pcrSuns u,crcin and
thence derive the ruls Tor apporIoumrn.;-- but II
proposes L. compound the ratios OF taxation AN
numbers, thu,--tO E.yC one half tic DELEGATES ar
c"1GinE To The ratio OF taxes PAID, and ne ui her half
according 20 ucTatO Of white persons thus Ia 10
Tor ""ch district the mosn proporional between the
Nu."iei j would - CDt.Cd 10 3ccoTuur to tie ratio
o. white Ncso,, and tie ru;iGcr Il would De- entitled
10 according u the ratio ut taxes pud. 10 iuStatc
lie t5aI'~-Alleghany dist riot, womb be ei;,icd-
on ia" basis ct white population uu the basis
81 taxes l" ll--oh iuc compound basis 20 = l. The
Naicy. on " htc population @.-tcNrs 9--cSinpound
n'SS -l2 Middle district, az white population 3D.
taxes 49--c"mpound ~. Eastern district, on white
Popu.auon SS--taycs ~ --Co,npouud 81
The proposition to amcnd Is liable 10 o:Lrr oil ie,..
tons Tor want of prccisiun;--bGt caniour rrquirc-
us I" suppose, that they will be ohvia;C when the
pr position IS cnrred out into It's details. aud there
lore lLcy need not be now pointed out.
With these explanations, ;hc question L,i,r, ti,c
Committee may be thus S'ated-Shall the power of
lac -. eminent % apportoDed among lis districts
according 20 The simple ratio of those who p4rtakc
4 lac sovereignty, the qualified VOTERS in ,.acL:
80 shall It be apportone according To the combined
r2tl OF white persons and taxcs?
oS" who advocate the sample ratio euteayour
L MAINTAIN II uponpircip!c to deGuce it from the
-aenta4 doot ihe~ OF cur government and 10 VIM
G!ency
The advocates q Tie compound ratio not secnil,,
dTe'iy 10 controYet The g""eTal rule, that the ma
oF!ty should govern, and some of them admiitno If
insist neverthe eSs that is liable TO exceptions Thar
IS suDeci to tue control OF these considerations of
expectancy which may prove II unfit for the good
government OF The people To whom it is to be appcd
anu that tie circumstances of the people Of Vrgnn
render II unht tor them.-Thev contend that n nri /
mary OBJECT OF government is he protection of pro-
'eFty' that when as tue Is unsafe no other RIGHTS
IAN DC secure, and that tha peculiar condition of nro
prf IN N
IAN De given 1t, The power of the poyeruent is mt
mo Tie hands OF the maioTity-thcy endcavopr T.,
'roNe that power III the minority is essential to the
''UteCIoh OF 'er property, and that such is the SIN
guar constitution OF our society, that l,le tho pro
pcrty oil the minority exposed to certain I'M. ,r
oy giving powerto the aority, the property and ali
ne personal rights of the majority are electnav So
cured by giving the power To- the Inirorit,, = M ~
dcnccS oil this popularity they find i'm Ia, -,
iStFioution OF the slave property among tho da;t
i''i'C'S vi '" state. the unequal cont ru,tions or
Ieyehue rom those iIsr'cts-the variety aud sunpo
sea conflict OF their local interest -Tbev -hov, a..
nc great body of The slaves is held hv Ia, -,
uS'ricts OF the oommonwealth;-they eudenvo,Ir 10
e" lat the taxable lnha bitants IN those dist ricts
pay luch greater average tax per capita than IA
pa'o oy the taxable mtab tanls of the Western d..
Iicls mat therr Is subject OF taxation IN IN. W
Wh'ch Is no u SO found IN the East, and ON which
tdN "oua not De quite as burthensnme To the IA,
tern as TO the w estern people-and no subj %, of L.
gsl'uoh on winch the interest of he East could IN.
promoi ed al the expense Of the NVest:-tbot nm Mo
resting SUBJECT OF Internal improvements pnr,ic
marry, Wine the interests of the Eastern and W..
Tern districts are varIent if not hostile and l,,s
might be adopted TO enrich the latter which would
lmPoV erishl1o former, yet the East yyoulJ bay, ,
adequate %sttve TO do injustice 10 the West.-onJ
my IHf"ce ller inc propricty Of giving to the Eas,
u power III The government somewhat nronor,ionaJ
10 Their contributions Of revenue a pn,,;or aI,a,
/" Tue protection oithelr property;-thcv thence
so lnler, The perfect security Of the West aoa ,I
Po~er OF INC Eas land the alarming dangcr-ihat,
Ii H.
o. The Weston peoplc.-whirher they th,n, tLe
RUE oithc majority would probably soon carr :, -
me property oithe Eastern people would be unjust
'a"eu' un"Sc laws affecting the value Of their
slaves and dangerous to tho peace of the comm,niiv
would be enacted and schemes adopted which niipIt
Apply the revenue contributed by the East to the i'm
provement OF The estates Of the West
Ihis - bei'eVed to be fair outline Of the pripei-
PIE grounds on which the friends of tho conpound
ratio rest its defence Some Subordinate corI,dcra.
IONS nave been called to their aid and many ingcni
Gus able andeloqucnt arguments have lcG il wan
.niB III nothing but Intrinsic merit 10 recommend il
10 our affections and Our judgment
readily subscribe Mr. G. TO The proposition that
an indispensable object of every goodigovernnent.
Is the security Of property. and that no Governments
which does not afford that security, can be SAT-, ,
Po5itory OF the liberty and life OF the citzen-but
utterly deny that there is any thing IN the peculiar
81 uaiion Of Virginia, which should induce r., lo,k
Tor that security, in the power Of the minority or
winch threatens The serious dangers which gentle.
mon mon aPPfehend' from tic power Of tic majority.
On the contrary, ! insist, that the majority Rave
more TO fear from The power fte minority t!ian tho