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

danger OF an unjust levy aud applica, ION OF the
public taxes, will really attend the unqualified
ransier OF power. is the appropriate remedy TO
be found ~ retaining that power in the hands
oil the minority l think not.
Appeal, II you plesss. TO that cnuiionary doc.
time OF the gentleman from Fauqnier, which
teaches that the greatest meri, ola Conslitu-
hon, Is IN eiviag 10 government, those pow.
leis ony which are essential 10 the general
We iare-and apply the remedies which il sug
/ gests.
| II you think that your slaves will be uniustly
taxed, prescribe in the Constitution, a proper
limit npon the legislative power,-fx the ratio
between the tax on slaves and reul estate, ac-
eording TO some just standard declare that
the tax shall he al raiorem, and equal on both.
and that thu one stall never b, taxed without
the other. In this, will cherfully cooperate
with you. satisfied that such "A provision world
be just and el1ectuai. Any law imposing AK
| 10 violation oft, being forbidden by the Coz.
sIltuion, would be void :--every one nteres-
ted might resist the payment of the tax, and
he would be sustained by an Independent ia
| dietary.
II you think thre is real danger, that the
public revenue will be unjusby applied TO par
| ,ial objects of internal nnprovemeu',--if you
really think that the spirit of Internal improve.
ment requires ,atner 10 be check d than IN.
| Outraged, limit he powers Of government upon
this subject also provide that no law appIa
| prialIug the public revenue 10 such objects. OF
borrowing money for them, upon the public
credit shall be enacted without the concu, renee
| oil specified INA jOrites ia both iIouses-naj ora
| ties oi four.sevenths, three iihhs or whatever
else might be equivalent 10 the whole restia IN
! ing power, which your lavorite basis would
| give You. However reluctant sbould be TO
add 10 the YER strong shackleS, which nature
has imposed upon the power OF legislation on
| this subject. could not hesitate to adopt such
limitations upon the power oil the majority ra
ther than yield il to I'll" minority.
II yon think that guards are necessary 10 res
train the inproviden application of public
money. TO the purpose of educating the poor,
prescribe them ~ your plrasure, ior my sell,
give you carte blanche on TIN. sub eci.
IL none Of these expedIenis viii impose an
ef1eCtual restraint II tn" power the mtj prdy
Is so great, that yo1 fear 1t g'ea s,"ns,a viii
Danish al the bonds imposed upan do no claim
,his uncomfortable power ipI The minority
there Is an expedient, by which il may be den,-
ed to both, Apply your basis to the Senate.
| and let ours he applied TO the House OF Dele
gates. You have told us you do not ask Tor
power, you only ask for pro,e ciIon, aud you
say thai power can only resist power. There
ID LtiidlH'J no HnGNHoh ny WHICH }O ihu use
the power Of the minority "a u check 10 the
power of The Wajory, but by giving to each the
power in one branch of the Legislature. DO
not understand me, as advocslin. such ds-
trbuiioD Of power, upon principle, or con
cedlng that il is required by the peculiar condi.
ton of Virginia.-All say is. that II is tue
utmost extcntt TO which your own prime Piles
would carry you. You bjecl tina sucn sen.
ate would he no sufficient safe guard, becaus.
being the smaller body, aud Ieprese nlng u.
some degree the property of the country, 1t
would be Stigma ICED as the aristocrafIc branch
oil the government, and would mol be able 10
resist the measures oil the popular branch of
the Legislature We are old that though II
may resisl for short time, II must yield 10 the
popular voice in The courge III a few years MS
all experience proves. These objections,
think, are wholly unfounded. My experience
IN he Senate OF Virginia, induces me 10 tank
that is admirably suited TO guard the legislation
of The country against injustice, and the nfu
ence OF popular clamor. II has nevertheless
been reprOached as the arstoCra'IG brsnch OF
the Leg islaurH, whenever II opposed itself
firmly 10 the popular branch, as Il olien did,
to the almost unanimous vote oil the House oil
Delegates. four years term If service,
the classification, which carries oai one iou IN
of Its members each year, and leaves the oher
three iourths to render their account 10 their
constituents, only when they have had one,
two or three years experience of their measures
aud reflection upon their conduct. gives con
fdence to their oppo'ition Of injustice, aud Oh
the miscbievous measures which popular ex-
citemsnt dictates, that is very rarely sa3tued.
Ii is true sir that Senate constituted ours is.
canaot for a series OF years, resist the settled
wishes ofthe people. Nor should they. Like
all other representative bodies they ought 10
yield, and must yield TO the de- Iberaie will OF
their constituents, And so ought, and 50 must
your Senate formed upon the compound ba-
sis, Yield 10 Inc settled will oftheir constituents,
Nor can you desire that it should be Otherwise.
Their cons stiiuenls will be that very minority.
that very people TO whon you desire 10 giya
the power. Blu, they will not yield 10 the viii Of
the House OF Delegates. nor 10 the will ofthe
constituents OF the House OF Delegates. The
Two constituent bodies viii be different, and
the members of each House will look to their
own constituents for renewal OF the trus, CON
fded 20 them, and for appreciation of their
conduct so they will look 10 the same source
for Instructions, for that settled popular will,
which must habituay guide the representative.
[ cannoI doubt that such Senate would afford
ample protection against all the dangers 10 pro-
merry, which have been apprehended from tbs
power OF the minority.
| have eudeay ored TO show that 10 such pro
lection is necessary, that no such danger exists.
have said 10 another place. aud will rcpes,
hers that your peculiar property does not re
n,ire represents alton in order to give il irfu.
euce md power IN The government. You hay
ing more wealth-your lands being cultivated
nv slayes-all the menal duties in our families
being performed By slaves-your white peopls
have more leisure to devote to the cultivation
of their minds better opportunity to prepare
themselves for those stations IN society, which
give distinction ard power OF talent, than can
possibly be enjoyed by your western brethren
| In answer to Tins, it is said TO be ridiculous
mockery TO speak of,he wealth of the lower
country, and have been asked whether |
know a single man in the commonwealth who
has been more than half educated since the
Revolution, kaow notby what standard, gen.
uemen would estimate wealth or education and
have said nothing oil great riches or finished
,hala q ba