Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1830-01-07
GOMVMIrITQUa
DEBATE ON BASIS OF REPRESENTATION.
In COMMITTEES ~ THE WnoLE CoSsrirrrion.
THURSDAY, Nov. II
MIR. JOHNSON'S SPECIE. - Conc,y5,d

THURSDAY, Nov. II
MIR. JOHNSON'S SPEECH Concluded
This law provided for the sment Of tolls upon
The transportation for the purpose Of nlenifying the
govern ment for the expenses Of the improvement: and
IN order TO give assurance 10 the local interest that il
weu'! not he prematnrely unjusly pledge
was given in the law ITSELF that the ad iona toll. inn
posed shout not exceed third Of the saving in the
price oil ransrotat NJ effected by the improvement
"reM fars had been taken by repeated SURVEYS and
reports oil commissioners and assertion the
probable espenlc and value Of the Improvement; and
some confidence was entertained in the opinion Tint il
was Pracocsbe, AT an cxper.e not Furthermore TO the
Sae,-thatits coAse quences would be very beneficial
land the reduction OF freight great to Justify
toll which would repay the inter-s OF the money ex-
nded and not exceed third Of the saving i'm the
pice oil transportation. Nevertheless the Lseislature
with wise precaution so laid the whole into conve
nent sections, to give them'eve. the bene, of ac-
ua experience in the progress OF the work and 10 ena-
BILE them, they thought IT., 10 such points
as falling far short Of the whole p,n would We a
chieved objects valuable in Themselves, and promising
reasonable prof, upon the expenditure. The first
section was the canal from Richmond to a convenient
psint on the river, beyon the limit If the ti.h mines OF
coal which lie in the virnity,-ths second, the turn
pike road and the third the imp mcnt Of tn, n,vi-
CATION OF the Kanswhs. The toll, upon coal were ex-
pscted t. indemnify tho expenses Of the r,. THE toll.
upon the road, the second he tolls on the valuable
salt u ade then growing up on the Kanawha, were re
lied TO indemnify the expenses the ,hird-and IL
was believe that IL experience shoud forbid the fur
ther prosecution OF the imp ovenen these three
tons would he permanently useful They were there
fore Immediately provided for, and in the course Of
few years completed. The mountain sec,ion-the ca
ma through the Blue R,dgc,-wrs the re- quilt of sub.e
quent legislation When the three first sections had
been finished, the expenses Of The canal had so far
cecded the estimates a at the most jealous friends of
the Improvement doubted the propriey of prosecuting
t',e whole plan TO its completion IL this state
OF things that the additional toll tobacco wa econ
mended TO the Legislature by the Board If f. Bile
Works, and was advocated on two grounds:-frst that
the nteres' OF the tobacco-paner, would we'll justify
this Offering which, by increasing the revenue of thu
company would restore confidence. and might ulti-
mately secure success TO the imp ovemcnt in whicL
they were deeply interested; and secondly, that
required II, iDasnuch the toll on tobacco had been
originally too low, in comparison with the tell on hour
and other products bill passed the House of Dele
gates. imposing this additional ax,-and in the Senate
Of hch was then member, Re presenting farming
and not planting di,trict, united with the de-
cided friends OF the James River improvements in the
tobacco districts and else wh in Jealous pposition
TO the law, insisting that il would be breach of faith
that was wrong in ITSELF and would ALLEVIATE from the
Improvement the affections OF some of ts most
friends. The bill. however, carried by the vo o.!
the East, combined with the enemies of the impr
ment every wherc,-and with few western me mber.,
who were or had been friendly to it. 1t ia not Just
ierefore, to charge this law the bad faith of the
West. charge il not 10 bad faith IMPROPER motives
any where Gsnieiosn no doubt acted they thou ht
f~as Hgh'-bo, the law is unquesonably to be charg-
ed to the vote OF those in general who untric niy
to the James River improvement. have but one word
more to say in relation 10 this mprovemen-and tina,
is that Notwithstanding the bad economy with which
the work has been dore, il having least one hun
dred per cent more than think il ought to have
L a a.
BILE proht uron the whole amount expendsi:- tina,
the freight tran ton from the district at the
head OF the first section, which can avail itself of the
ui en- nj oil that improvement has been reduced one
half
,honght this explanation called for. by the remarks
OF the gentleman from Fsuquer, Mr. Scot others
some fears.
learn, Mr. Chairman that other fears are iniule ed
by the gentlemen OF the Est from the transfer of pow
er to the West:-They fear not only that the estate,
Of the West to be improved but that h- poor OF the
West are TO he educated, at the expense of the E,.t-
IL most de ply to be regretted, that there is an,
Thing IN the local situation Of particular property in
Virginia, which gives rise TO and such appre
tensions. Interests The most general & most
those most intimately connected with the prosperity
AMI happiness oil the whole peopic,-he general pro
lection OF property, the Improvement of all our road
and rivers the education OF p:op- and the org
'za'on OF our government,-all, by the malign innu
snce OF this unhappy cause, made the subj,c, o
eaousie', and party confess. VIVA, is the foun-
daiion, sir, OF this alarm! For nearly fifty wears
we have had, from time to time various plans OF public
education, submitted to and discussed in the
lature and before the people Some Of them no doubt
have been wild and visionary but, believe, one
Of mem mas ever been 20 exiravagant az to propose
general tax Tor the education Of the poor The farhc
that any OF them has gone, has been to propose thu
the school ttrics shouI be taxed in aid of the con
trbnions from the Literary Fund for the eduraon o
the poor OF those districts respectively But what
rant is there tor snpposng, that the educ alton of h
poor from the public purse is Western interest,-tha
their poor are more numerous less educated than
yours?-There is none; and il ought TO be remember
ed, thai the most extensive schemes Of public educa
ton, II not ALL that have been submitted for tn,
adoption OF this State, have proceeded from Eastern
politicians.
But, suppose that The danger which has been appre
hended to the security Of property the danger Of
ju! levy aud application OF the public taxes viii rsa
attend the unqualified transfer of power is the appro
priae remedy 10 he found il retaining that power thu
hands OF the mnori'y'-I think not.
Appeal, IL yu please, TO that cautionAry doctrine
the gentleman from Fauquier, which teaches that the
greatest merit Of Constitution, in giving to govern
neral wefare-and apply the remedies which II aug
gests.
II you think that your slaves will be unjustly taxed
nrescrbe In the CCns'ilution oper limit upon Thu
Legislative power;-bz the ratio between the tax ~
slaves and real estate, according to some lust
declare that the tai shall be nd poIoren, and eaua
both and that the shal never be taxed without the
other. In this, will cheeffuIly operate with YOU
aiished that such provision would be just and efec
tiai. Any law importing tax in violation OF il, being
forbidden by the Constitution, would be vod;-every
one interested might resist the payment OF the tax, and
he would be sustained by an independent judiciary.
1fyou think there is real danger, that the public re-
venue will be unjusty applied to partial objects Of
,ernal irnprov you really think that the spi
rt OF internal improvement requires rather TO he check
ed lha encouraged, limit The powers Of governlnen
upon this subject also provide that law spproprainp
The public revenue TO such Ohjects borrowing mo
ney for them, upon the public credit shall be enacted
without the concurrence Of specified majorities in both
Houses sj0res OF four seventies, three. iths OF
whatever else might he equivalent TO the whole res
training power, which your favorte bssis would give
you. However reluctant ,hould be to add 10 the We
~ strong shackles which has imposed upon the
power Of legislation this subject 7 could not he sl
tate adopt such limitations upon the power Of the
majority, rather than yield IL TO The minority.