Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1829-12-22
GOMWMNrTIWWs
DEBATE ON BASIS OF REPRESENTATION
IL CoMMrrEr OF THE WHoLH THE Ces,rIrUrIoN
NIX. CHAPMAN J0HNSON'S SPEECH
Continued.

MIX. CHAPMAN J0HNSON'S SPEECH
WEDNESDAY, Nov IL,
(Continued)
Before we proceed to particular consideration
OF this question: ii may be well TO review the statements
which have been submitted to u.s. deduced from the ia
bles furnished by the Auditor, and make such cor
rections as they may be found to require.
The tables of population shew that there are pro-
badly in the commonwealth at this time about 6S2OOO
white persons and about AS 900 slaves thus disrbut
ted amongst the different dstricts-In the LIST or west
ern district about IS 900 whites and IL 900 slaves
more than ten whites for each save:-in the End or
Valley district, about lbs, 900 whites and 335 900 slaves
little More than whites 10 slavo;-in the Bird or mid
die district about 1917 900 whites and 22l 900 slaves
the slaves exceeding the whites by about "a O00 nearly
oneeghth of the white populations and in the 4th or
eastern district about 900 whites and 900 slaves
the slaves there, also exceeding the whites about
10,500, about one-sxteenth of the white populaon
Thus appears that the aggregate of slaves on the east
OF the Blue Ridge is about 397 O00 while the aggregate
on the west is about 80 500-nearly 8 TO while Tho
aggregate of white population the east of the noun
tain is about 362 500 and that the west OOOhe
difference only about 43, 500 It's therefore, true ne il
stated the other side, that the population is
very unequally distributed this me and is at present
essentially an eastern interest.
From the tables OF taxaion the gentleman from Ches.
terrified deduced that the people of the first district paid
OF the whole taxes on land and personal property an
average per capita of % cents mills; and the peope
Of the second district AZ mills while the peooe
of the Bird district paid ~ mills and those of
the fourth 63 cents mls-makng an average for the
people the west of the Blue Ridge of 32 cents mills
and for the people OH the east of 60 cents mills He
selected individual counties in the different districts be-
tween which there still more striking inequality
and Showed that the average contribution of the slave
tax per capita in the several districts the mast nm
equal of all.
That there inequalities in the contributions of re-
venues from the different districts Of the State owing
to the unequal distribution OF wealth. no one doubts
IL s certainly 90, in country, asst in all coun-
tries and it he, long taxes are laid upon
property and not polls; long the ability 10 pay
shall be regarded furnishing any criterion of the
amount Of contribution. But the statements which
have been exhibited TO you calculated TO deceive
They make the impression that the several sums stated
shcw the average per cdpifd actually assessed on the
taxpayng inhabitants Of the several districts this
however, not the the calculations are made bv
distributing the whole amount Of taxes assessed in
each district, the whole number Of free persons in
the district, on whom by law tax could be sseyeJ
whether black white, male female infant or adult
have made estimate OF the average per caDitn ac-
tuay assessed, on the taxpayng inhabitants of the
several dsricts,an the result is materially differ
ent,-shewng inequalities, IL is true, as must have
been anticipated, but inequalities less glang and less
calculated to excite alarm or to countenance the ex
trayagant claim Tor power which had be IN founded
upon them.
The COMMITTEES will remark that have made hi, as
Innate from the Auditors tables Of the taxes assessed
for the year 1928, and his lists OF persons CHARGED
with taxes on land other property, 10 the several
counties and corporations in the Commonwealth
There will he slight naccuracy in the estimate of the
land tax resulting from the circumstance, that this list
excludes all those charged with tax, on parcels OF
land 10 the country, less than rs acres But this mac
| curacy cannot materially vary The result
Calculating from these data, find the average tax
per capita az followC-in the first district land tax
80 cents tax other property 80 confessional 81 49,
In the second district, land tax $3.50, tax on other
property Slip, total S342;--in the third district.
and tax SO 3l,-iax on other property 81 43-totai
$1,74;-and in the fourth district land tax A27s tar
on other property $243-ioaI $3.50 We thus see
that the average land tax the Valley district Is equal
TO the average laud tax Of the middle district within
one cent and is superior TO the average land tax of
the eastern district, twenyhree cenis-hat it's ave.
rage total tax, is less than the average total OF the
middle district, $l32-tbat is about % per cent.
and less than the average total Of the eastern district
by $l,OS-that Is about % per cent--But the taxes
on slaves, have been reduced cents for the present
year, and this reduction would cease the average OF
toe several districts to stand thus fret district 81 SO