Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1829-11-10

TREpoRTEp FOR THE WHICH,
VIRGINIA CONVENTEON.
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5.
MIR. MERGERS SPEECH.-coSr1.r


presentation proposed by the gentleman from Culpe
per, tMr Grecn.l if practicable, is unstable unjust
and nexpedient, beg leave to recur to the original
resolution OF the Legislative Committee in order to
demonstrate chat POUNDS the representation of the
people, on It's only proper basis.
This course deem the more necessary since the
friends of the amendment have sought ain it. ra
Their by opp sIng the basis contained in the resolution
than by enforcing the justice eNpediency of the a.
mcGdment itself. Their reasoning has shown if has
proved any thing, that the entire slave population of
the State or his OF it lcast should he comm
ted IN any new apportionmcnt representation which
shall NC made.
The resolution asserts that this apportion:ncnt
should have reference exclusively to t, numbers of
the Tree white population Of the Commonwealth
Referring to free white population, alone the I.e-
ssatve Committee have designed 10 reject any COM
putation whatever ofslaves. Although no gentleman
has so far offended the public sentiment in terms Tn
connund slaves sth rcemen, yet in their arguments
in favor OF compound basis they have relied with
great 'crvor on the protection which representation
of slaves would afford this species of propcrty
The gentleman from Chesterfield, (Mr. LEIGH has
gone so lar as 10 urge the copu, alton of the slave
population i'll whole or in part, grounds Of author
ity ofjustce, and Of expedency.
His leading authority is dedliced from the art;cles
of "Contederation and perpetual Union an,onr the
States, which gave place to the present Constitu-
ton OF the United States, Wherein hree-ffths of the
slave population added to the white TO connosp
standard OF direct tvr1iion and representation.
One of nay purposes is show that these au,hor1-
| the present question. -
The honorable member insisted on a former occa-
SION, that tile articles of confederate did actually
authorse computation of three-fft of the slave
| population OF tie south. Had this been true, it
would not nave warranted the use of the fact,
authority in fixing the basis of representation in the
Constitution of Virginia, The articles of coniede-
ration formed compact not between individuals. but
sovereign states who regarded themselves as mutu-
ally independent of each other. The compact like
trenty, could be ratified only by the express assent
OF ell the parties TO it; which was not obtained I'M
| TIT the accession of Maryland in March 1881 In
the Congress- which that compact crowded for tho
exercise of the authority of the United States per-
tect equality OF power subsisted among tile
ne sense OF part indeed was to govern the whole
ooay, but this sense was taken By the votes not of
inaiViduals, any one, several of whom MIGHT re-
present state) but OF states each state havno one
vote and one vote only AS the articles of confede
ration could be ratified, so, they could be altered or
amended only by the concurrent assent of all the
Estates who were parties n them.
mo rule OF pecuniary contribution in such z GOV
ernmeht' Tor the power to tax did not exist, could
therefore, have the relation to any basis
= or representation whatever. The states were ev
I expected to contribute the common expenditure
according to their respective ability. Their repre-
sentatlon was equal The 9Th of those articles pro
Vlded common treasury, and required it 10 be SIM
plled by the several es in proportion, to the est;
mated value of all the lands granted in each state
with the. buldings and improvements upon them In
I'll 1881 however. this like all the other articles of
confederation, had no validity whatever
In the interim, the revolutionary government Sis.
tanned ITSELF by loans and by the issue of paner mo-
hey ti from the excessive issue of this paper it lost
ali value, and ceased to circulate.
1t was discovered by the authors Of the confede
fanon that the means did not exist for maknp such
valuation OF real property i'll the several states as
the articles of confederation required Adam, Smith
had informed them, that it took the Ernncor of c.
many, more than half century, to complete sur
vey, OF one only OF the states of his domiDious The
present day would add to this information the vast
time consumed in the late TRIANGULAR surveys of
france and England In VIRGINIA alone if would thor
nave taken several years. have gone with toerable
accuracy, through such assessment as the 9Th mr.
!icIe Genahaed Amidst these embarrassrnents and
the alarm OF national bankruptcy, it was proposed to
substitute, as the standard of fiscal contribution bv
me states computation Of the numbers of the peo-
PEE Tor the actual valuation of all their estates
new difncuty here arose. the proper subjects of
such an enumeration. Whether it should he ,es,rir,
Gu 10 the tree white population alone of the seve
ai states, or comprehend the slaves also? The oh
Ject being to the ability TO nav the south
naturally enough commended and with trutb that
tnclr slaves were not regarded In their institutions
OF civil poy as persona, but as propcrty and ouobt
iot 70 De enumerated The north insisted on the other
mana; that whether persons or pronertv tho, s,,I
served the end of other labour and addin,r 10 to
"eaih OF the community, should be counted in fbnt
estimate Oh the relative ability of the states TO CON
r,iouso !" 'hc common treasury, OF which it was
proposed 70 make numbers the common measure Te
discussion OF this subject, in the CONGRESS- oF the
Coii,SuefaCy, terminated IN to recommend 4
mo SeYerai states, TO amend the articles of conf-
oy substituting, for the rule of apporionmen,
provided revenue only, ennal enumeration of The ols
uoer OF white and other free citizens with three hs of all
o'ner persons except Indians. not taxed ~
III lg ueCislon on this recommendation April 1888 il wal
by IO votes out Of H. Rhode Island being opposed m H.
ioH equally divided Mr. Floyd voting for H. and Mr.
,; against III and Georgia being absent am thus
Sd q IN relation to this vote, for which will said
MT M hereafter explain The Legislature of Rhode sJ
pueVcIeg ~ the opposition begun by her delegates in Con
anu Esna, after giving, retraced her assent, 50 thar
reconnenidiion totally failed This state of thinos con
US, lhe convention assembled which famed the presen,
juuon o. me United StaivF when the same topic of
n ;,I
o mi ~ ms body as ntimaed by the member from Cbes
yeuon consumed much Of time AS c5rIv in i,s e;J
me 2sth ofNlay 1857 appears journal Of the
PIOeeding OF that assembly, among tho resolutions l,nisd
Governor Randolph Of Virginia, this form haf the y;
suffrage IN tho National Legislature ought 10 be prop3r
70 Inc quotas of contribution or TO the number Of f
"cases" Wv ~ nay s00'' vest ID Queren
The following day SIR Hamilton moved 70 ,,,o ,,;-,
uo1 50 as U couse il 70 road, sThat the rlgs of ~