Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-11-14

N let Us soc, what sut of u fnnmiy ~e have, Of
Ir,ing to dictate terms to the majority.
have thus, Mr. CHais man, cndeavourcd To cx-
.uss To tho committee what has been my undcrstnn
ling of some Of the declarations contained in The
.' of Rights TO prove that the assertion contained
n the third section that is THAT the isjorty have
en- inubitubc uuaiena BILE, and indcfeasble right 10
reform alter, or abolish it," the Government Is trsc
and that there is large minority Of the community
who must be fairly presumed be in favor of ma
king tho white population the basis of
in the General Assembly.
shall proceed in the next place, 10 consider the
amendment which has been proposed by the gentle
from Culpeper AIR. Grcen] to the resolution re-
ported by the Legislative Committee. His PROPOSE
ton IL, that representation in the House of Delegates
shall be based upon combined ratio Of white popu.
!ation, and of taxation The first remark which I
shall mako upon this proposition, is, that cannot
perceive how 1t will be possible, if the amendment
sha.i prevail, ever TO apply the ule which il s in-
tended to establish Do gentlemen mean to make
The taxes now paid, the permanent basis OF repre-
scntation? Ii they do, they y;l find, that in very
short time, owing to the constant huc;uson in pro-
pcrty, and the consequent change IN the relative pro-
portion OF taxes paid, in different sections OF the
State. thatthc representation will soon cease 10 he
just, even upon their principles. / cannot sup
pose, that g r,,icmcu intend to make The law now I'M
force imposing taxes for the support of Government
part of the Cons:ita;ion; for il they do they might
well dispcnse'wi,h tho Legislative Body aone her:
ihe most important part Of is duty bciar regulate
:hc taxes according To The ability of the people TO
pay, aud the necessities OF the Government. But If
the amendment prevails d., not see how the Lors.
iaturc TO be prevented f ON imposing the taxes
In such way as to give Ia ono portion of the
uunity the whole amount OF power or Representations
which it is proposed 60 derive from tho payment OF
.ixns. For example, if the slave holders, hnving
the minority il The Legislature, choose take To
themselves the whole representation arising from
taxation; al they hivc TO do, viii lie colcc. he
whoc revenue of the Commonwealth from tax up
on slaves But granting that tie iul,, if adopted
can be applet. which think than doubtful
Oct us examine nc principle which, establishes end
the justice of applying 1t.
The principle Is, that every portion If the cam
rnuny shall bs represented proportion To the taxes
IL pays into the Treasury. And those who avow
this principle, attempt 10 sustain it, by saying that
taxation and representation always 90 togctcr;
and by paring the social compact To par ncrslp
between merchants, Bank Association, in which
every member is entitled 10 power IN proportion To
the capital stock he furnishes. In urlsr to test
the correctness of TINS principle, let IL see how will
work, when applied tn individuals; End this is the only
way which principles Of this sor can be properly
tested for II IL always true, that principle which
cannot b, Justly enforced between Individuals belong
ing TO the same community, b. Justly cli-
forced against the inhabitants OF particular district,
who constitute part OF that community If this be
q correct principle, then the who owns or pays
taxes on two slaves, is entitled To twice as mIt
power as he who owns, phys taxes on but ono; and
he who owns, pays taxes on u thousand slayes
will be entitled to five hundrsd times as much power
Us he who owns but two, and thousand times as
much as he who owns but one; and he who owns no
slaves, pays no taxes. will be entitled no power
TO act upon this principle, and give every man pow
at the elections Chat is say number of votes
corresponding to the amount of taxes which he pays
IS there any man here who would have the hardihood
TO for it' Surely there is not Aud If such
provision cngrated in the Constitution. do
YOU believe that the people would surnbt TO it Do
you believe that the shareholders would agree TO
bc deprived of all share IN the elections; that those
who own but from To twenty, would agree to So,
the elections entirely CONTROLLED by few, who own
from one hundred To u thousand, 1t is impossible
halle Cs.Nln esnF, rn,lI hn nnfw
ccd. And yet, Sir, we grlvely called upon to
enforce this principle against the people west Of the
Allegheny, which we dare not even propose TO estab
lish amongst ourselves. say amongst OURSELVES Sir,
because affirm it as my belief that the people of
my district have much, nearly much interest
in this question, the great body CT the people
ihc eastern side of The Blue Ridge And shall en-
deavor, before take my seat, to prove that we
much more strongly connected with the people of
This part of the State, by motives of interest, than
tho people Of either the Accomack or the CUlpeper
districts from whose representatives have heard
SO much the subject OF inngiOary separate in
terests
The true rule as to taxation, land it is one which
prevails every whcre) is, that every shall pay in
proportion To bis ability pay, without any sort of
regard being had 10 the political rights which he
Joys THIS is the rule which has constantly been
ucted upon by the Legislature of Virginia, in oil
times past. Ihave been astonsled. not say anna
zcd, to hear gentlemen complaining of the great
inequality bctwiXt the taxes paid by the people of
the east and those paid by the people Of the west;
and especially OF the taxes paid upon slaves and
above what paid upon any other species OF proper
ty as it these taxes unjust, and had been
posed upon them against their own consent. And
who was il imposed these taxes? Was it the people
west of the Allegheny Mountains? No, Sir, they
have never had the power to impose them. Was il
not the eastern people themselves Nay, more, was
il not the shareholders themselves who imposed thCm'
Unqucstiunaby it was for You very correct
ly told by tic gentleman from Hanover. the slave
hoders are the frcchuldcrs in this country Was 1t
20 please the people west of the Allegheny, that
these taxes were imposed IN tlIc palncr, and the
particular species of property OF whIsh IhGy were
tmpogeR No. Sir it was to please the people here
tiat il was done. The true reason why these taxes
have been imposed ~ the inanncE Uujustly COM
planned Of it, that the principle, that shall pay
taxes in proportion to the property they own, prevails
in practice every whcre, and IS universally consider
cd among the people, TO b. tho only correct principle
IF any gentleman doubts the correctness Of this pO-
sltion let him propose Tire Legislature to take of
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