Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1829-11-12

va s'li Re had not stood the eloquent mrm"es
H. .,osthamp,on, though he could not DO Jus".se ~
d. 'her language, nor had the gentleman "'9'e
e So III MS explanation. IL unexcsp'ionaose ~
;,, .e'peet', wealth (Mr. NJ. said) would DC 'ounu
~. .ounrics to- tickle basis Of represens"'n" '
distribution OF political power, designed to balance
e interest ot individuals, or Of distinct portions even
+, y, W community individual WEALTH wno
" ~ VINO can stop the ever revolving wuoe.o'
su"s. N''urat wealth il subject. though NOT ~ ms
zane nc g'ee' to Ike unc ,,iny OF what does IN" Of
Virginia con isH Chiefly of Land. and slaves. NJ es-
innate .! the of the $50 600 slave, Of Virginia at.
companies the Auditors Report The lands Of the Com
hon"e w were vniuedn 1917 at 2i6,ooo oooo, u1
,"s ma a'e they now worth! Hall that sum- Hs
au carefully songht, throughout the Convention Tor
.n''mano 70 correct tho results of his own ooservA-
u0n' swNnn ,se years. az to the change OF the vMus
OF 'a.is ~ Virginia After al his enquiries, ne DO
ed they had fallen to two fths, OF their former esi-
mated value; AMI could not, now be computed, hinors
than 80 or at most than 80 millions Next to slaves
~ gentleman sitting near him, hal, at the period 70
winch he had just referred OF the passage the equal
"ng lana law. sold 50 saves in fimes, at 300 dol
gentlemen, cqualiy well-iniormcd from other portions
oil me commonwealth, that $50 dslars Tor each slave.
'aking thrm In families. would be sfir price at the
p'es.a'thoment This description Of laboar then, has
iaen one half and lands more than half in very lii,
Tie more than ten years In the estimate oil the la the
tables suppl by the Auditor, comprehendcd S26,-
oooooo or city aud town lots: chiefly, for the value OF
those at Richmond, Petersburg, Norfolk and Freder-
ick'hurg: value dependen, on The fluctuations Of
domsstic ana foreign trade. What its extent
Ia this city, the metropolis OF the Cornmonw al,h we
all remember. What Il is now, I know not; since
nercc, that inconsan hanma, OF fortune has turned
her helm from ports 10 the favored harbor Of New
| York; Wealth attracts wealth. Fortune rot only
wiihdrdws her gifts FROM those who abuse, but from
those who Ill to them: taking those who haze
ie, that which thew canno, spare, to pour il Into the
| lap oil abundance. While have been qiarrelnx
about Internal improvement, New York has swallow
ell up The commerce OF America. Driven from by
unkn iness, las gone where il was invited by wiser
| councils. ~
1here are fluctuations of the value of property how
evsr. which wisdom eau clute or avert The value
Of our land and labor dr Ponds the value of The staple
commodities which they pro!uce: this tho demand
Tor them at home, ani abroad. and that again phys
cal and inaral cauies which con ,tu,ion oil govern
men, which man himself, cannot control; the
sons in other countries, "a well as own, on the
pSey o. other nations on peace Oh the varying events
lot ioreisn war. The act OF Congress reducing the
minimum price Of the national lands struck down. at
blow the value every landed estate in Virginia. The
tide OF wealth which set in from, Europ. 10 America
during the OF the French revouii1n rolled back
al the gene,a peace which succeeded last contest
with Great Il tain.
all The Interests oil our Coinmon,v ah their relative
proportion would not be senhly disturbed by IT, Such
however not il. effect. The cotton the tobacco the
gram anu even lie trzinE interest affected, ia
different degrees by the sarne agents. and, although
The natural tendency of she pois stock the rent Of
and and The wages of Labor in the same country il Ia
one level, requires time 10 still The successive apiA.
tons OF their varying values. In the interim new
causes are continually arising to delay their subsistence
10 one common level; and this principle the ruth Of
which is uuqnesiionrd, though constantly oper ,iius
e. may never accomplish is end ~
bui iai wealth the necessary stability to the
purpose oil the proposed amendment tavaton in any
knorn system a jus, measure of iliat wealth:
Taxation IL the instrument, by which Liquidation
draws ftom the private revenue of each citizen mn,
Lair proportion ct the public expenditure. 1t should DO
poPor'ion"d TO his ability pay IT, II shoLI there
lore, b. drawn from lis income, and from his cap
ai, except with view that his income shall supply
the cali Iiis ncoIse cauno, b. reached il at ali by
sNpedicni means; sni wi dom suggests the proprty
taxing his expenditure which usualIy hear. r.,,,n
propori, IN 10 his income. -.
The constitutional power Of spo'ler cove rnment "a.
strains the apple ion OF these principles to taxation in
'rgni, under The authority OF the Sate and in 9th,
respects dvcrsiiics the action OF local system of
. public revenue.
The g n.lrmnn from Culpepsr, (AIr. Green) Ia,
not told ia how he means to combine the iaxe. Of tho
people WIN their Numbers in his compound basis of
repres -rtaioA Will he add the annual sum of the
pr sent taxes, to the numbers Of the people, and diyi
ing the aggregate al and doll ire .et,i ~. v.,.
at which legal voter in any dirict NAV le
. friend has Informed that such is TO constu,, n
part 81 The details OF the proposed compound basis anil
mai The value OF each vote in tho Common sI, will
he rated al ahout hly-eighi cents! Or if this shah
shock the ears OF the Convention, the sense Of the
"eop'e, who may set higher estimate on their right,
WI gentlemen adopt what, in pracice will lead 10
+ similar result, the plan Of South Carona and t bu,e
II 'ne 'ertiory oil this Com moi~eaiih into two descrip-
ions Of election districts one in reference iore white
porua'ion, the other 10 tax Ion, IL now exist,
= tNir GREEN explained, hu in so low tone OF voice
u TIA; t'ir reporter could not catch his language
Mr. MERCER regretted that lac had heen unable IA
near d|''ncty he explanation Of the gentleman from
u CnlPcpor hut from III, fw words which had reached
him, he inferred l. 10 be his Intention To aiont Tho 40,
ten OF South Carolina, and divide The State into ,c
o sorts ol"lecIion districts.
Mr. GREEN having changed his seat in the hall =,
gam rose Tor explanation. lie explain y TO be hi.
plan TO take the white population Ne State ,nd The
ii population oil each county. Apply the rule Ponuln.
On gives 10 Representations, in proportion 10
see the number OF representatives required In Ike
ianHer, take the whole Of the State and those Of
each co"niy, IL the taxes give the like rule for tho
i county, all them togcth r, and that il the rule n
, Mr NJ. thought this plan wonld only serve n In.
craa'e the difficulty To what portion OF reprcscn,,
J. live will Warwick with her snnua, taxes at S5oo and
her white population Of 20 persons be entitleli m,
objection sui apP'i~s, Standing the
that trrcho"r, or lawful voter of The Coinon,y sh
@ will he weighed in The sralrs viii, the faxes AZ
chance TO contribute TO the wants or the carrie,
: Of the Legislature, AVID fad himself balanced arain.
u The fraction OF single dollar.
W-rr submission 10 such degradation all n,
required 10y this ingenious political conpositon
men and money, IL would be pJssihc though IL iniyb
he difficult TO endure iipa'icnHy. But il II possible Il
derive IRON such materials equitable stable pro
plftion OF balance oi polci power, between the dit
lerent sections. or Interest,", tey called OF hi
Commonwealth, o., Indeed. Of other, with hici
we are acquainted? know its peTaon in S Carolina
said Mr.. NJ, only far as is details are di,cIo,eJ
her Cons,iiu'ion Let turn TO it, BY tbis il t. pro
vldei, that 62 members OF HE more numerous. vii
call il popular branch OF her legislature shall be dis
! tri'ned among her pre-eSisDg election district 10
number 4 Z. from reference their white
! aud 81. among the districts, from reference ~
" The amount NJ oil tGrcs rIiSed IN NE Lceisa
fnre, Dheer direct fHyfcf, or Of tchoierer syeee,
paid in each dsductng the erom, all taxes pad ON ar
count OF property, held in any other district and adJin