Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1830-01-07

eelolder within the distrct, qualified 5y ririe nj
q" freehold to vote for members Of the General As
sembiy according TO this Constitution"
The amendment was agreedto, sni similar afne md.
men was Inserted In the latter part OF the section
ferring 10 members OF the House Of Delegates.
The roth section was amended Mr.. LrIoH' s mo.
tion by striking out the following words, as surplus
sage the Same thing being provided Tor In another
ciause:-"nor establish by law any subordn alton or
preference between different secs or alton.
Mr. FirzHUGf moved to insert in the 10Th section
tho following amen duivD'r
"Nor shall any capi,aton tax. either for state or
county purposes. be 'mpo-ej except ia time at war
on the Tree white citizens Of the Common wealth."
Mr.. MCor demanded the yeas and nays on this mo
ton. and they we're ordered by the House.
Mr.. RANpoLpH said, he hoped the gentleman from,
Fairfax would explain to the House the justice OF max
ing this iii crmi, alton between capitation tax
on free white citizens and slaves He would listen
with pleasure to the genteman's explanation.
Mr.. FirzHUoH replied, that ne would with plea
cure give the gentlemen the explanation he desired
he discrimination ed this prcince that tie tax
on savss was tax on operiy they taxed pro-
perry mol as persons For his own part he should prefer
an al odiorem tax Slaves together with all other pro
Perty but he could not succeed in Carving such a
measure His object was 10 exempt those from being
'axed who had nothing TO pay a tax vii =, while the
rich man was taxed who had thousands TO nav
Il out of. ~
Mr. RANDoLrH said he could not SEQ the justice of the
discrimination.
The owner OFT slaves wac taxed whether thew
were taxed per capita or AL raIoren. the Conven-
ZION were engaged in extending the blessings of Free
Gosernmeat'to such "a unwilling. aud said hey
Were unable, top pay any pant OF the public expenses
Mr. H. said he would make them both willing an able:
ne would consrain their will, and would confer the
ability There free white citizens of this Com
monweal'h, ,Cness he was what the French were in
the habit OF styling mdupaise smjct who was a labor
or and able 10 work, who was not able TO pay tax to
to the State. There was no free mn with that seIf
respect which the enjoyment OF freedom naturally con-
ferred who would not DO willing contribute his mite
to the expenses Of his government. He wa, unwilling
to admit that there existed in Virginia class of Va.
granite and azeroni who were actually unable to make
any contribute whatever toward the sxpences Of the
Stale. He was against the ame ndment of the gentle.
'nan from Fairfax. He lad been told that IL wac val.
liable, inssnuch as II nigh operate in restraining the
latitude ct the right Of suffrage Hs would give
straw for all the qualifications pre- for the exer.
else Of the right OF suffrage in that paper (ponng to
the draft Of the ConNitu,ion) For his part he had
rather sec the propositions offered he believed, by
suffrage, adopted at once.-This was unyeraI Suffrage
lit was that in effect.
He should not vote for the amendment in order
70 di'q"a'iy any one from exerci.ing the right OF
suffrage. He would not give straw for all that
had been done with that view, nor for VIII Il the House
had voted that morning az 10 IL. quaiicao OF per-
sons 10 he elected He would not give farthing for
the Who'll. oft The House had Introduced a princi.
pie which was utterly subver.ive Of all Free Govern.
nent None OF its free Institutions could stand for
century with such principles at the bottom OF them
lie regarded with communicable was about TO saw
contemplate with the most consummate and pro.
found ndife rencr-ail thoss ni.erAbI. little disnc.
ton. which had been introduced. Who, he asked,
must govern the clection was not the ella from yb;
the members OF both Houses we're drawn. Tie Elec
ton must always be UNDERWENT 10 those who voted
lie had voted with reluctance for th clauses inserted
.nis morning The whole wasilluory-it was all decep.
tive: They stood upon quagmire which would give
way beneath their feet. MIR. II. said he would NOT
CONSENT that the poor should be taxed who owned
out one slave, in order to extend the blessings of free
Government TO L'zsroDi, who according to the old
proverb were able TO sing and whom he was for max
ing TO sing.
Mr.. FIrzHUGH said he had the same objection TO the
extension OF the right OF suffrage with the gent from
Charotteandh he ready to vote for any plan which
should require fair amount of property i'm order TO
mars voting He was truly sorry there should be such
Lazeron in Vireinia-but he had seen such a class
although the gentleman was unwilling to admit its
existence The Convention about TO excIul. from
the right OF suffrage. all such had no propery:-To
take away from these people all ground Of co,piaint
no would exempt them from tax ston so that thew
could not say we obliged pay while
they were allowed no share in il.
Mr. VENABLE said, he was no advocate for Cant.
tstion tax OF any kind He willing the subject
should be left with the Assembly; but being conyinc-
ed, that Capation tax Slaves unjust, when
the subject up, and II was about to be recognized
IN the Constitution, he for having the toloe SUBJ
Joct taken into consideration. Letthe Convent ex
press its opinion upon the existence OF any
tax at ALL Ii could be" and hal been she n that il
the proposition was true, that taxes ought to b. laid in
proportion to the ability TO pay then a Captalion tax
on Slaves, wa unfair and improper IL so, why not
extend the prohibition TO Slaves well TO whitrs!-
white population, was no more able to pay taxes, than
district OF the same extent, filled with a population
wholly whc-nor abe-becaus the Iabour Of slaves
was less economical and les, ohtsbe thanhe labour
OF white H. ken equal taxes were laid in o,her
respects, on two such districts, and Capi,aton tax on
Slaves, was sUperaied il unjust and unr onal
in its effect One OF the districts would be doubly tax
ed and more than douby.
Mr.. said, he Should vote against the present
ameDdment-but in favor Of ab,Iishinr Cal. alton
tax entirely.
Mr.. SCOTT declared his intention 10 vote for the
amendment, as preventive OF Unive rsal Suffrage
but moved to smend IL as follows :.' Nor shall any
person be chargeable with any tax re al or NE r
chargeabe with revenue tax, equal to fifty cents -
The amendment would not have any material eff.
feet upon the Revenue. large portion of those
whose tax was below that amount were annually re.
turned insolvent by the Sheriff
Mr.. FiTzHUcH said he should prefer to have the
other amendment offered as separate measure and
not connected with his.
Mr.. WILSON ssd this was the proposition the
gentleman had offered before and which the House
had rej'ciedihs would 20 to destroy that prov zion,
witch allowed all hCusekeeprr 10 vote.
MIR. PowELLr gardng the pro,oson in the same lie hi
demanded the yeas and nays--and they were ordered
accordingly.
Mr.. ScoTT allowed this measure could, in some de.
rereDch The right OF suffrage, but by very differ.
rnt means from what had formerly been proposed.
This exempted from payment; the former had rsqure
il.
The question being put on Mr.. SCOTS amendrne en-.
10 the amendment OF MIR. Fiizhugh, IL was decided by
yeas and nays as follows:
AYES-MesTs. Barbour, (P.) Jones, Leigh and
Taylor Of Ches., G. les, Brodnax, Goode, Msrsha OF
H., Mason OF s., Trezvant, aborne, Urquhart Ran
doiph, Leigh OF H., Sianard, Holiday, Fitzhugh,
Roanc. Taylor Of Car, Morris, Garrett Barbour Of c.
Scott, Green, Marshall Of f., TszeweII. Loyal, Prem
lie, Grigsby, Br,nche, Neaie Rose and Coter-33.
NAYS.-MesTs. Dromgoole, Al, 4 .nder, Tyler,