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

This list had been furnished to him by the Clerk of
the overseers OF the poor. There had once been a
Poorhouse near Leesburg, in which he had found on
particular enquiry, but sngl native American. the
rest being all Foreigners Yet the poor rates in
loudoun were very onerous. twas easy to account
Tor the TACT oil this large number OF denquents. The
persons among whom they found consisted of
timetables from l6 and upward II would often happen
that father who poor, had several subject to
this levy, and was cha, ed not only with his own tax
but with that Of his Another source Of the appa-
renly large delinquency to be found in the fact
that the Sheriff did not duly enforce the collection of
these small dues. The fees allowed for collection
amounted I, about per cent-ani where the tx was
small, the fees were tng that that officer bee
remiss in hunting up persons from whose contribution
he should receive, perhaps, but ii cent; and to
avoid trouble, he returned them deinquent. Mr. NJ
did not believe there deIinquents in Lou
doun than in any other portion Of the Safe containing
the same amount OF populations: he could not believe
it, because there was no county in the State in
prosperous condon-the county was large and veal
thy but the states were owned in very equal proper
lions throughout.
Mr.. LEIGH said that from all he could learn, he was
apt TO believe that IL would not be possible thing 10
frame any Constitution whatever, that would be adapt
ed to the residue Of the Common wealth and at the
same time adapted 10 the county of Loudoun. II stood
certainly, in most extraordinary situation One of ito
delegates had informed the Convention that there was
nobody there able and willing 10 discharge the duties
ola Justice Of tho Peace: Another told the
that contained7 or 800 person. delinquent in the pay
ment OF their county dues, and this owing 10 the
circumstaDce that there many persons between
the ages Of is and 81, whose parents were unable to
pay for them: heads OF families III were vaeabonas:
so II would that there must be about 500 vaga-
bond bousekeepers and heads OF families in that county
MIR. CooKy said the gentleman from Chesterfield,
II s.uding 10 him. had entirely nseoDceiyed his state.
ment He had not said that ali that number Of delin.
quents were OF course vagabonds; but had expressly
denied any such opinion: all he had said was, that il
included many worthless, idle fellows, to whom he be-
lieved he had applied the term vsgabond
| Mr.. l.. resumed; very well; the gentleman should
he IInder l. 81
had that number Of delinquen,s. and gentleman from
Loudoun, supposed that many Of them under 81
and over l6 years OF age, who had Of paying
| and could not be forced by the Sheriff To pay. Now
he begged gentlemen to observe how this operated in
it's bearing the plan Of admitting housekeepers and
heads OF families TO the right Of voting That class IL
seemed, included all the vsgabonds. The Sheriff, OF
LoUdoun. too. were prone TO make false returns they
we're in the habit Of falsifying their returns 10 save
trouble. Another peculiarly Of this same county OF
LoUdoun, was, that it payedn very heavy poor rate
yet there but native American in their moor
house. Of course, TO absorb all this heavy amount OF
poor rate; must have more poor aliens and
in It, than IN any county in the Commonwealth or pro-
baby in the Unop how else could Il re1uire this on
erous poor ra'e' Taking all these things together
that there were FIT and williRg TO be Justices oil
the Pesce,thsI the Sheriff. made fase reiurns--tha
the parents were not able TO paw the county levy,-ihs
there was multitude Of yagsbond Foreigners there
that there but American In their poor hous,
while they paid very heavy poor rate, putting al
these facts together, this Convention we're called ,po
10 adOpt provision w e Constitution tile hypOthe
sis that such was the state Of things in every othe
county in the STATED He happy 10 be able 10 "a,
from his personal knowledge, that there was in al
! this part OF the Commonwealth nothing that reaeble
y It in any particular He felt very anxious 10 nav
" Constitution that would suit Loudsun, bot ne eol
not with that view, consent to take this lust az
?, count OF any other county 10 the State lie was ve,;
sure he could not take II ~ isir representation OF ii
p negbbouring counties, Frederick and Jefferson. III
judged from his general knowledge Of The state Of tos
> counties lie was equally sure 1t was ROT true Of IN