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

Tue mort N propoUlOueO uuQoefss uitnS
entitled to higher humber OF Rcprcsen ativcs than
Norfolk, vet would be inferior to Norfolk on the \
compound ratio. in the proportion of to io4.-i
tt " eve lsss I IONS in
consideration of himself and his constituents
MIR. MOoRE'S SPEECH.
Mr. Chatrmna:It was any Intention, until very re
Gently, MT TO have trocbcd the Committee with any
remarks uper the proposition now under considera-
ton. had supposed that long bccrc We assembled
in this hail. the opinion OF every member Of this Con-
veniun would have bcen uncIangsably fixed, upon
this question mt lcae, If upon othc'; and that
scquently, every argument which might DC addnocd
on either side, wouiI be entirely thrown away. J
find, however, from the great zeal which has been
manifested by gentlcDlcn who have advocated the OPP
poSitc side ot the question from that which Intend
10 cspousc, that taey do not altogether despair OF
making converts to their cause
Confident, as ant that III asking that the repYcscp-
Triton in the House of Delegates shall be based upon
white population exclusively, am asking nothing
more than that which is right in itself and unwilling
that II should be supposed for moment. that l. or
those whom represent in this Cunvcn; ion, arc de-
u,andng any thing moro than Justice your hands,
beg leave now to present 10 the Committee my views
upon thus highly important subject. claim, Sir, FOR
myself, and for my constituents to be actuateJ by
higher considerations and more honorable motives
than those Of mere sordd interest, in the we
arc pursuing in relation 10 this matter. And I call
upon those gentlemen who pay SO poor n compliment
to themselves and to their fellow men, as TO assert
that interest is the great, if not the sole motive of
human action 10 turn their attention to the Sonato-
rial district from which come, and to inquire what
rs the relative proportion of White and black popula-
ton there, 10 what IS IN other parts Of the State;
and what has been the relative increase ochc whites
and the blacks TO ascertain what is the nature OF
our soil aud products; what = the extent of our pro-
perry of every descriptions and f they please, villa:
taxes we pay, III proportion to other portions Of this
Communicable: and then 10 say, whether or moi,
"c reasonably expect to gain any permanent ad
vantage from the adoption OF the basis for which
contend, in preference TO that which they propose
nc GcntlCnlln t:om Accomgcit - Is true. has cndsa-
vorcI TO slew, tlct the people Of the Valley have 20
~ little interest IN common with the people or this
side Of the Blue Ridge of mounlaus; and has made
calculation, by which he ondeavors to Prove, that
the former will always aL 20 their interest 10 M
pose taxes upon slaves IL preference 10 lands. lie
assumes. that all the councS which the slaves
DO not bcarp proportion Of 50 per the whole
population the people viii find II 20 their interest
throw much possible of the burthCn % taxation
on that species of property. Perhaps, il the gentle
could have shewn, that the proportion o.. voters
in the Valley Counties who hold slaves, 10 those who
hold wac less than 80 percent. there might have
been some force IN the argument which he advGnc-
el. But the proportion OF persons those counties
EMIT cd vote, who hold slaves, 10 III Sc who hold
none. being something like one Il is apparent
from MS o1n reasoning and upon his principles.
that they cannot be interested IN taxcT slaves, pre-
ference to other property And that Z majority of!
those at least, who hive the power III their hands
have Common interest Wi the Eastern people, in |
II said Sir, that all comparisons are odious; and
confess, that zone are more 10 me, than those
which have been made IN this Committee, upon the
subject Of taxation Not because the result of these
COMPARISONS VIII be 20 the disadvantage of INV own
particular district for think can demonstrate to
he satisfaction of the Committee, that we pay full
proper of all the taxes paid the State} but be.
,auSc they calcul,ed to cngender the most I'm
ind feelings between the good cope oftLis Common
wealth did not Ike the manner in which the gen
leman from Accomack pleased TO divide the
State, by the Blue Ridge. and then endcavored to
prove, by showing that We the Western people, drew
more money out, than we paid Into the Treasury that
We were all set Of paupcrs dependent on the chart
-y of the East. do not choose that we, who pay
our fil proportion Of the iaS - shall be cassed with
those Who pay less than their proportion IN order to
make us al ont paupers. According to this mode Of
proceeding, cdn prove hts constituents to be no.
thing but set of paupers; for If he will add his dis
lrict, to the whole country West OF the Blue Ridpe
he will find that all taken together we do not paw IA
much into the Treasury as we draw out Of it. And |
after ALL there IS nothing very discreditabe in q
county, district of country paying less money into
the Treasury than it draws or il; for if You d.
vide the State into two parts, containing equal num-
bers Of property, by any line you please to rum I'M
less they draw out of the Treasury in exact propor
ton to what they pay into it, one division or the
other, vii! draw out moro money than il puts into IL
and according to the gentiemans mode CT reasoning
al the people OF that division must be considered as
dependent upon the charity Ct those of the other d
vision had always supposed that the people of eve
~ portion of this Commonwealth contributed to the
support of government both in personal services and
IN money, IN proportion 10 their ability TO contribute
and that this was all that could reasonably be de-
manded Of them. am not willing to give to those
who pay more money than we do, greater represent
alton than We have will ask Of those who nav
less, to be satisfied with a smaller ono have ever
believed, that when man, however poor he may be
has paid as much money into the Treasury az ne is
able 10 pay, that nothing can be required at bs
hands; and that hts having done so, ought Ike the
widows mite, to chc him. 20 equal privileges, with
those who are enabled out ofthe abundance Of their
wealth to pay much larger sum.
Permit me now Sir, to call the attention Of the
Committee once more, to the declarations contained
IN our Bll OF Rights, about which there appears to
tent OH to follow those who have preceded me in Tn,
debate over all the ground which they have ocou-
ped IN discussing The principles asserted by these de-
clarotons; my only purpose will be- TO explain TO tho
Committee, what has been Dy understanding Of these
declarations so soemny made by our ancestors |
have been in the constant habit from my earliest in
iaucy 60 the present moment, Of rcpardinO tho vLo