Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1830-01-07

and virtue
This is ingenious catechism, Mr.. Chairman,
bat mol sound reasoning. II does not follow thai
when superior numheis are on one side, aud
superior talent on The Other, that the power of
| the government VIII be with the superior mum
ber--lhiS conclusion would deny the influence
tnsi talent exists over number. Aad much
| less does II follow that superior intelligence
gives superior virtue in that condition OF life
to which this a gumen, applies ! nigh, very
safely concede, aud | do coacede, that in the
retired walks OF private life, Indulgence cher
ishes, II IL does not create virtue, rebukes aud
Restraints, II II does not repel or snbdue vice
But lcannot admit that the school of politics
Is the school OF ylrtns.-I should not 10 ok Tor
the most vrtnous men AIN org that class, however
enlightened, who have been long disciplined
IN the arts OF eee,inneeriag aud intrigue. who
have been accustomed 10 the hm,taiio and
Discrimination practised In the management OF
men, Who nave beau drilled IN the tactics of
pnrp warfare, aud have become veterans IN
the conduct OF political campaigns. | should
VITA more confidence look Tor them among the
independent aud intelligent Ia The middle class
ot society who obey d call into The public sef
vice matter OF duty whose ambition is
satisfied, II that duty faithfully performed,
who hnd lheir chef happi0rss IN this life, l.
the bosom OF Their own fanes AID limit then
| uDaHts 10 Tue bbhiiuhtt OI thffI own
farms. | cannot allow. then, 10 you, superior
Intelligence any necessary superloiiy afvirtne
and though we are willing thai you should an.
lsntea the path Of our duty aaj persuade Us 10
follow it, we Cannot consent that you shou Id
prescribe it.
Wmlr | would most oheeriully submit 10 ibe
natural tnnnrnce OF your talents. while | would
most cotd.atly co operate with YOU, IN any rent
sonabl' measure 10 guard your property
RHihst all inJhstce from The power OF the ma
juTas, | never oan cunsenito surrender the
power INTO the hands OF the mlnotity--to CIV
them the complete Dominion ove, tue persons
and property Of the majority. You ask what
security we Ian give you tnT the protection ~
your property We ask what security you
tan give for the protection Of our pe..ons aud
properly? You tell us you have not abuse
your power, you have beoa guilty OF no injp1
| lice. no oppression for fifty years. Wa tell YOU
that ou admit ns TO tie I've same people with
| yourselves, entitled To equal onHdenCe, and
that II your good conduct, for fifty years. is evi.
dence that the minority will rule justly, II j.
equal evidence that the majority of ihe SAM
people will rule justly Bat you place you,
| principal reliance on the position. that tho log.
| lslsiion, which you would adopt for the promo.
ton Of your own interests aud protection Of
our own righs, would necessarily promote our
|
inc TINS.
| Upon the subjec, Of internal improvements,
have on not told ms, ihat the interests OF thu
west required one ~ stem, and the interests OF
! The middle country another aud is II moi very
general opinion, in the eastern district, that
then interests require none ?-Consuli then the
supposed interest Of the eastern, and abandon
all improvements Or Consult the views of the
middle country, and adopt thu system besl
! suited TO them, adopt a narrow SELFISH policy
sad stop all your hnPro vements ~ tho base OF
| tue Blue Ridge, take our msney 10 make them,
aud what becomes OF the necessary conner lou
bstween your Interests aud ours, OF the proteo
ton you ware compelled to give us in protect
Ing yourselgesS
Again, you have already told US that your
slaves we're too highly taxed-a position which
we controvert. Suppose you reduce the tar
one half, and throw the burIhen on lands or
suppose that you persuade yourselves. tina;
reIr ibetve Justice requires tba, as your slaves
have been faxed too high for the las fifty years
toy should not be- taxed at all for the next
ffty-and nc, accordingly world this mea-
sure adopted 10 promote your interests, noces
sar'ly promote ours also
Ish, as you have supposed, that there are no
subjects OF taxation ia the West, that do not
equally abound IN the East-none on which
a tax would be levied that would not bear n
heavily on the East AS on the Wost The gen
lleman from Chesterfield supposes that the
tau on horned cattle would bear as heavily on
the planting districts of the East, as II would
on the grazing districts OF the West, quotes
the experiment of n single year, dcring tho
late war, 10 sustain ihis conclusion. He tells
us thai this experiment produced as much
revenue from the East as from the West. lie
supp SOS thai he himself, a few years before,
had made the 6r.t proposition that lever was
submit ed TO the Legislature for imposing tax
on cattle, that this single experiment, resulting
so differently from what WaS antlipaied 10 good
assuran thai the tar can never be resortedtto
as themoans OF imposing un Tue burthens on the
West. Without examining the result of the
tax lad during the late war, or enquirins inio
| its cause, should be very skepiical in the o.
pin,on that a cattle tax could operate equally
IN the East and the Wsst-equally upon
corn, a cotton or tobacco plantation, aud up
on a grain. growing or grazing farm aud /,
| with all other western men, would he very IN
willing 10 see the QUESTION brought TO the test
! of experience. Time may come when il will
| be. Div friend from Chesterfield 10 mistaken
ia sappo,ne that he first Supposed this tax
! IL was habilnally levied during the revolution
airy war, and for some years afterwards and
| no doubt there had been paid the assessed
three pence upon the head of hat very bull
! lock which was Impressed by an uheer
! of the revolution from John Hook, and whose
" moaning low" figured so conspicuouly in
| the eloquence Of Patrick Henry.
! Bnf, sir, it would not be difficult 10 find many
! subjects OF taxation in the Wesi in which the
Eastern people have comparatively TO interest.
| Even their extensive coal mines may at fn-
, ture day be the subject OF buTthensome tax,
in which they would find no sympathy east
Of tina mountains, except in the counties OF
! Chesterfield aud Henrlco Bot look al the
boundless stores OF metallic ore which the
western mountains every where contain, and
their extensive salt works, to the growth of
which there is scarcely an assgnabe limit !;
and you cannot doubt that disposition to
impose unjust burhens on the West, could
readily find the means. Does any one doubt
how uneqlaiIy an excise on distilled spirits
womb nperaIe | must not be undeIstOod as