Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-04-07

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! awless encfoachm,ns OF The monarch. i wa
The indubiiabe claim set forth IS the biih-fisi'
) OF that pcop,c, that taxes should not be CRAVE
from them without The consent VI ihcir owl
representatives., which kinded the revolution o
that day. The uniounded rrticnaIons ci Ih'
Crown-lhe dangerous prerocai:e II assu'he'
: 70 levy ship-mOney and o.hcr burdens on nc reo
pie without the consent 81 The CCrinoEs, 81 EhS
land in a blszc-ralied her sturdy yeomanfV .
resist the attempted exaciOn, and terminated "
lhe head OF he oppfessor being SURRENDERED %
The block. sir. i; was this same spirit whici
gave birth 10 our own Revelation AZ C3heoiu
and s!oriously closed il with independence a
Yorktown Our fathers met The same encr"ach
mcnl al The threshold, ant peFied an ina; "d'
dear To battle it--and as Charles 81 iouno ina d
home his lie was The penalty for ne aggression
George Sd and his Parliament, at laler peiioa
Tor similar effort los, The iairest portion oi ne J
domnions. Shall we be less sensitive man inose
who have gone before Us upon ihIs iihpoisah
question: Shall We disregard Their esamP,es
and let 60 forever this momenuus principle, tnis
necess ~ security 10 every free governments
Has man been so elevated in the moral scale
Has he, in our day, bsen, rs il were, resenefa,eu
and lifted 50 high above all selfish ieei'nes lh.'
YOU may with entire safety, cntru>t nm WIN
political nnwcrs which, in days gone by, were
denied him?
II, lhea, The power Ct taxation and appropr'a,,
ton be The source. as evidently is, OF all contFol
in government can il be SAFE prudent or WISE 10
base society solely upon the majority Of huf'oeis
when The minority, excluded from all pfaclca'
check upon The subject, hold an oVefwheiHihs
! amount fihe properly of The State. Gentlemen
,ell IL, il ought 10 be So and will find our Sc
CURLY ample and abundant in The honor and cha
racier oflEe Wcsge;n people. Mr.. ). SAID. ior
those people lie had as high Iespec, anu was
prerar,d 10 give them as much OF his confidence
IS any one in thai Hail. He was prepared 10
awaId 10 them every claim 10 which Lofty, high
I minded and ralri tic race OF men was ertiiled-
\ He waS prepared TO trust them a. lar as ne wou'o
4 their Eastern bfelhren. he deemed them OF
/ equal worth of as generous emotions, as equally
honorable in their bearing, and as enli'led m eve
1 ~ sense, 10 precisely The same political Ti9his =
But, he said is il in This land in This Capitol, that
| ne ale 10 be aravely told, that, laying Tor our
! selves and our children The foundations OF 60
vernmenl intended 10 BE- free, in which The prInci-
ples of rational liberty are TO be Infused, that IS
| 10 have The necessary guards and securities
against NAL administration, and TO De now and
hereafter The shield Tor The rights OF persons and
The protection OF propery-is il here IN The pre-
! sence OF the descendants Of The men OF IN, that
we are asked 10 base The government on ourfaaa
in men! SIR, Kings have impionsly arrogaed
| divine right 10 thrones they have occupied
! Mr.. S. said he was as mach inclined 10 Yield his
4 assent 20 50 insulting 4 pretension Is ne was 10
I consent 10 see government erected on so lrali /"
foundation. Faith, ne said, might be essential 10
carry men 10 Heaven; bpt government, whose
security and foundation rested on iaiih IN men.
will ultimately and speedily lead 10 poitica de-
! slrucion II was he opposite feeling, the aniag-
onist OF faith 10 which all experience teaches
Us 10 look Tor safety IN the social compact. II
vas jea,ousu ot men in polilical power, not a
/ blind confidence in them II was ny checks
4 and curas against The abuse OF The authority they
! held, upon which 3 free people, or people who
/ desired TO be fee must depend lcr he proec-
lion u a.! hat is vaina5ie III government
/ ANY peune who were prepared 70 place their
/ rights and securities in The hands Of any set Of
/ men, and ioieiy solely upon confidence IN Their
! worth and integrity Tor an honest and iahfOl
i administration OF ihe! public affairs, wonld al
rcaGy have LOST The spirit OF sherry, and would
be unworthy, because incapable oi aPnfeciaing.
free republican government. Sir, il This doc
rire OF iailh in men. OF trusting 10 their honor
and generosity in our political concerns, he all
ma. is needed for our protection. why is II that
portions of orr Christian community, acknow
LEGGED for their pie,y and worth, whose motives
none suspect, bu, all believe are influenced by
the puresi and hottest feelings o: the human heart;
WHY is il when such men knock al yonr coor. q,
:hcy are row doing, on 4 mission q mercy and
charity. YOU are incliGcd, however reluctantly, I"
re(t,,e hem admission II you cannot or will
no, ,rrs, The minister oi the Gospel. The legsle Of
iIeayer: ifvuur fam IN them be not s,gon. enough
10 induce YOU 10 give them &C! o. incorporation
!, enable Them to receive and hold dnn1tieas Of
money are Won wiling and prepared 70 give your
faith 10 the paliJcieR, and lock 10 thai alone 10
pr,,ec, ron against his abuse 81 lie power 70 L.
~ 10 his hearts content, burdens upon yUn. and
IL distribute yopi money, thus raised incepent
IN, Of your all 7 The ooiec; Of ihesr Christian
urooc ali adj ii 10 be praise-wonnr and meriio-
rious: that they come here animated win holy
desire 10 advance The great cause oil lhelf rfll-
Dion. and promo G the best iEeres' OF their race
and with intentions thus pure and disintereSted,
appealing 10 our Sympa,hy. you are prepared,
| rom considerations OF public policy, 10 REJECT
heir application: 10 reject il, mol because yon
condemn The purpose ioi which they come 10
| ,eek vnur favor: not because, in the petitioners
| ar thpse whom they represent Won have not c"e.
! 70 confidence aud are mel Sa;istrd that Ert
| would never abuse The privilege they ask; trt
because the records Of The past have ic!d US thai
| in order 10 preserve the freedom oi conscience,
The ruri;y Of religion and political rights, il Is
! unsafe 10 trust 10 any b;anch Of The Church, IN
restrained bv law, he power 10 accumulate pro-
/ perry through corporations. Sir, u you cannot
give such men, IS men, your tain. much less
ought you 10 be inclined 10 give IL on Inc lmPor-
lant Question OF taxation, 10 political men. On
The other hand, in political matters, in building up
a system Of government, MIR S. said he wnud
guard and trench every foo; Of sTound-,fe eta
| eel. where should be lodged the arms If The reo.
| n!e should he projected and fortified against all
I assault not by srdls OF faith, that none would
auempt irs invasion, but hy senlinels selected by
the people able 10 fepe ~ attack.
The gentleman from Wythe hst said that M
Republican Government had ever been fnrmrd
on The basis Of numbers and property combined
Surely the gentleman cannot have examined The
character oionr Federal Constitutions nortc Con.
slitu,ions Of he original States. Where properly
and numbers are equally diIused where Ia xa,on
would fall alike throughout The poonlalion pro
posed 10 be formed ino political society, il
might no, become malicr OF importance 10 loot,
10 properly IN basne The Government But
where, as al the formation of Inc Union This was
not The casc--wh here the Southern SAFES held =
large portion Of their properly in slaves, and when
there were hul few in The Norh--we see iha', in
fixing the basis Ct rrpresen,ali. .. ihree-1,h, 81
he slaves were enumerated with al free person.
IS The gentleman from Wythe, and h . who
think with him. PREPARED 10 remodel he Fede I'll
basis 70 inluse ms principle OF government inio
!
ialion in the House Of Representatives as three.
fnhs OF our slaves now en,ilie usl II his theory
OF government he riehthe7N, IT'S equally so there
and lei him succeed heJc, lct him r,ncaim 10 tie
world that Virginia dee,as The onl- proper basis a
government 10 be population wilhoutreeaTi IL pro
perry, or TO lis character or locality and how long
Mr.. S. asked will j, be before The Northern States
urged on By The dcmoniacal spirit Of Abolition
demand an abandonment OF your slave represen.
,a,ion in the Federal councils? Mr. S. said, he
would like 10 know how the advocates OF the
While basis on this floor would mee and dispose
oi the question. Il would be met by the response
that The white basis gentlemen here wanted faith
in and could not trust our Northern brethren
who might levy oppressive taxes on our slave
property.
The gentleman was pleased 10 say, that on
slaves were ,Ec source OF our Tears in conneyior
with The taxing power being lodged with the Yves!
Are our Western brethren, who contend for 20
li,cal power on The principle OF a majority o
Numbers willing 10 Ouipl our fears by taking III