Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1829-11-07
Tv@raRTEn FOR TuE wuIG.l
VIRGINIA CONVENTION.
WrnSrsnAY Non. l.

ample ot our sis - staof far II had any bear
iT on tho irnpo5i ion Of the Legislative Committee
and ~ the amendment, and had udlucet their Con-
stiiut;ona showing b. III, general sense, that the
a'nHndna nj Of tho gentleman from Cypeper, not
contrary to the pr iciplc of publican governments
Zig did this hecaNa the proposition charged as
being arst,crstc III IS character; nd becau it was
designated rjc pillar oft Inc m1nicd urisocracy. He
knew we'll that HE gn,ilurl who mad, tliis accusa-
ton, mn II not against tn. Of the resolution
bit only against the proposition itself. He Mr. L.
had shown that ~ the Convention which mot i'm 1877
to amend the Constitution of tic United Ss:cs as
VIII as L. ,.ic dt'en State C"rv"-.ions which as
senbici t. ratt tint Instrument the rcnresentation
OF pcrsous AMI property, aud slaves as one or tn.
other, considered rplrUnaut TO he Dri1c,,
c, frHe Ms.i u,1rs.
IL might ,em strange that he was so ANXIOUS to
get I'D NJ his charge But he had lived long enou rl
10 Know Tint words are things; and that if YOU can
once succeed III fixing odium on anv propo sitio1
Ii is soon damned in the estimation OF thousands and
s,eciily afterwards receives utter c,nlcmnai,n
dile principle we have to- discuss, alcof from all
theories republican, democratic. or Hrisloc ATTIC is
simply which basis of representation we shall adopt-
that of the Legs! tye Committee or that moved by
tie gen'l 'n'!" ffnm Cu!papcr;-wi,ic is the most
wise, most prudent st polite for the State in re-
tTencc 10 the srre md present interests Of every
part of the Commonwealth
lte called tie attention OF the Connsiittcr to the
eafly history OF the Commonwealth. which Curl
ots, and wch would throw light OH many Of the
views which he had previously thrown ont. Argteri-
OK to the formation Of the Constitution OF the United
states while the States bound together by ar
tlcics OF confederation the proposifion as to
What e1ch State should contribute to the sup,ort OF
tie Federal Government when TIE question as to the
ratio was for the first time discussed Ii IS worthy of
rehIark, that the Northern States at that time, in
sisted that slaves should he counted as persons while
the South maintained tlat slaves were proner;v anil
could not be counted as numbers The debate Ind
neen recently puhlshet' md IS nov before the world
Whether this principle ratified BY The ateg or
net he could not recnl!ect 4 compromise wa
propose! by the South and sustained by the North
II Congress, that counting the numbers lha ratio
hot bC NJ. b-y,
ti!ts of the blacks.
He had inquired of all the books containing the his;
t57y of those times and of the a>d men personally
cJHVeTsiDt with the history. and Continuing the re
cord IN their own minds NitI view to ascertain b,r
tic principle of tie three ffths cane to be adonted
or how 1t came to be thought of-on what principle
tho estimate was made and concluded on by all the
taloa blt strange as II may appear, if we should
apply tue federal numbers aud three tths of the 9th
ers, TO any other than the State Leglslature aud the
principle IL Ways results III necry the same IA the
combined ratio of white population and taxation In
Virginia 1t comes within ore, in every section as
3; fashionable to call il, portion of the Conn
ion~ea dlyide it as you WILL either across or down
tue country HE Convention who met 1887 form
ed this principle confirmed and ratified so far as he
EneW believed, by the almost UNANIMOUS vote of
the States. The Convention found it there ana thew
We're content.
y thus ser, that III the origin Of that provision i
lad relation to the U. S. Constitution, ai vas adopt
81 IN 1871 II was taken the basis III 1887, when
A: found Its way into the National Consti: utior
II has been gravey said there is no connection be-
tween representation and taXation that property Rs
such, has no claim to representation; and that slaves
are mere property, and therefore have no right to
claim representation; that the pri2cpie of taXaton
ana population was new and UNJUST aud that the Con-
s.Itution had made no wa for representation and tax
alton to be estimated according to the same ratio
On what ground do gentlemen suppose the princi-
PIE OF the three-fitlis Vas adopted? They saw on
compromise. Agreed. When they say this thew have
f0t advanced one step farther in the argument Che
Question still rccurs-On what ground was THO com
NOT tho ft,,kc
are either persons property mixed up Of both
hni so entitled To representation: He would affirm,
without fear OfconLradctioE after the proof he should
dlvance, that the principle i'll the Constitution Of the
United States was adopted and defended on the
ground that representation and taxation are to be ap-
pcrtioncd on the ratio; that slaves are persons
- we'll as property; and that IL South is entitled Il,
represent alton for them as both. lie would adduce
conclusive evidence to the nature Of the defence
and construction given TO it.
lie hen referred To tie 5ith essay in the Federal
LII. Iic did not pretend to know who was tile writer
The subject of representation was here taken up and
II was contend d in many words that the Southern
States claim and have unquestenabln right to re-
presentation for slaves considered Gs PERSONS. He
then read all extract from the essay to which he had
Tasericd.
ut Is agreed al sides thai numbers are the best
schAG Ot wealth and taxation, they the ouy pro-
pr scale representation. Would the Convention
lave been impartial or cOnssen if they haTrciected
the slaves from the list Of inhabitants when the shares
OF representation were to be calculated, and inserted
tDcm ON the lists When the tariff of contributions was
20 De adjusted Could 1t be reasonably expected that
the Southern States would concur in system which
Considered them slaves III some degree as men when
ltrdeua were to be imposed, bat refused 10 consider
tnem in tie SAME light when advantages were to be
entered"
Aier pposi1g he had established the proposition,
tue writer gUcs On
After all. nly not another ground be taken OIL
Which this article of tie Consti' uton will admit of
slt more ready defence, we have hitherto proceed
ed o. the idea that representation related to persons
government Is institute Cd less for protection Of The
property than Of the persons Of individuals. The one
rs web as tie other therefore, may he considered as
represented by those who charged 9TH the 90
Vtrnmen.."
And then he procends--
''Upon tl5 T-nt?!pc it is, tin - several Of the
al in ,,r