Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1846-03-27
Debate ON the Convention.
SPEECH OF MIR SOlITUAIL

DELNrREp IN rHE Hover OF DEiASArEs ON MosoAy, ruE
9rn OF FrsRuARs, ON rT But rok TAXING rnk srssx
OF TuL PEorLk CALL Oh CoSvEsr1os 10
AskSp rss CosurvrioS.
teoscLrprp
hen as IL is agreed that the 5h article alluded TO-
gives the correct and prop principle Of representation
does conform with republic OF with tn. basis Of roy
etnment urged by the gentleman from wyhc How viii,
nus MAJORITY oi nonbsrr, Iutng the sole element
ciety, with the acknowledgement that sevenents the
property belong minority oi the peoplc-how doe. he
with such government, propose 'restrain mciory
ct the members Of his Legislature um by feel
ING and participating the burdens OF the peopei Will he
AIRED periods. reduce them to private station Viii
he BY that process train them OF oppression
The same, or men OF similar feeling, rcturned-eaeh
set comes told they will come, for money
Will such and IN the burdens OF the peo
pei To whom are they rcsponsib,i To those who elect
ihcm-io those IN whose they make the exaction;
not To those tom whom it taken. When they como
into ycur hall Of legislation demanding that you shall
gam supply their OF which they to Judge
aud against which voice 81 will be
when you shall be required pay dollars for eve
~ three which they shall raise and the whole he appro
pnacd by the will that demands will the gentle
man or those who succeed him tins debate inform
us now ne proposes TO restrain from Of oppression
majority into whose hands all legislative power placed
What sympathy, what feeling what participation will his
majority have with those whom the burdens are I'M
passed would not such state OF Things, such govern
mcnt, he papabe and agrant violation the 5h article
oi the Bi vt Rghtsi Mr. ). asked, il he should be told
that the minority would have, numbers an equal rep
Icscntaiion with the majority OF what avail would II be
10 all practical purpose, far the power taxation
other burdens concerned the minority might us well
be wholly disanchsed. IL would be the same To them If
they had no representative the oorTheir here
on the question OF taNaon raised against the will of the
m'Iory would be no more than kept home, and never
heard Lamentations and might come up-f the ma
joy were mercul, they might be needed II other pas
sIons swayed councils, they would have TO submit
without the hope OF remedy.
Can, Mr. = sad this be the theory as well as the pac-
' "Pefano" 81 nee government Is what We are taught,
M the history al the past learn the example OF our ance
tors or read IN the plans at they have et usi
No, sir. tar from It, alt OF in their phioso
phy nor imagined IN the nightly struggle they wsged Tor
the emancipation of the human race
II the 9th article OF the Bill of Rights then meant any
'hng, II meant, what plainly imports that IN forming
the compact OF society," should be ba,cd aud
more esPe eiay m State like upon population
Aaho" conbined Gentlemen cannot be blinded by the
scheme they advocate, Mr.. s. in all respect would saw as
not, ON reflection 10 its dangerous tendency. Human
nature Throughout the world in all me, and under
lar circumstances, the same. Man requires now the
like protection against his fellow he has ever done
Civilization hiss failed to induce him do unto others as ne
would Others should do unto him" And though the
oengln and saving INFLUENCES Of Christianity have been
invoked prepare the heart the ecepon ami practice
oi 50 oersIIll Uie the has not yet come for our
natures u yield obedience To Its holy behes Human laws
are found requisite not so much prescribe What
right, forbid what wrong TO hold IN TO then,
pains and penalties the Consequence of invading anoth
ers rights In government, in the administration of public
affairs IN Representative character man Is certainly mo-,
guided 10y higher of honor by greater feeling of
observation-disclosures loveSfor Justice than IN his
private relations And If the municipal law !. TO check
him in one, constitutional law should prnyJe th cb..L
for him in he ether
Cieaie then, your government upon numbers alone OK
Suue properly from a participation m u, arm the first
win lie absolute power o isEaIon, and you put
the property u the country in their hands And be they
who they may however exalted their virtues and
WORTH or however destitute Of such qualities you hold your
possessions At the will oi others.
POl1er Mr. 5. SAID wherever vested ,youlJ in the f,i
t IA AMI ia.
proposi ion equally true THAI Properly brought power
GravitIon hiss not oe unering tendency TO the cen
ire Than have property and power aag amae. Base
your government esSluslvey sIoI aud tho other will
soon b. acquired. Set up either ~ The sole independen,
political authority, and will bring the Other 10 IL. side rs
inevitably effect follows Make either the Gun
IN your SYSTEM aud by Its attraction will control the other
IN Its orbit Place one above the other subject either to
the confol o: is C.or, aud uHon the certain conse
luence The Siimese twins were not inseparab.y
connected than will have united these two great ee
ments by basing your representation government ex
clusvey on the one or the other Under such plan the
social compact so Organized they will be
GU may MI your iundaHiehia cole with ntgh-sounding
co'es-you may proclaim on parchment sacred aud
knowcdged prlncpes-you may declare the ''ndubitabe
uhpenHop ana indeeSShle" rights Of mgn,-and yet as
"aeI seesS e' level so wi poeT and property. such
h exclusive oas oi government run together. You may,
Tor the monent divorce 'hem-deoare the nupals Void
ana sueh w be the PlDg OF separation, such the agony
Paiuhs' usy "l'' unuer such system, soon come to-
se'har' ar agan marry You will have provided by such
oNe' al Dom shail belong 10 the same hands. Power
WIZ oege' money tnd money beset Power-elch will
MAKE Tue 1000 tIoeds on And when sucn the les
sons "heh he history oi such governments that
no more etcnes u.s. "hen the solemn and Impressive adj
o' VI ''e Pns' are before u.s. snail we dsr gard the
in"s a"u erect our pohuca ehlce on 50 ha=aTdOils
Io"nua"oi whe.o the tax-iayers are
ne roPeiyo"eIs-"here tue hand thatnfc eta the bur
ueh 'ees none o. iS pressure but exaos ior It's
J'y'neh'' uhd o'SPeiiseS Tor It's own benefit.
IL matters not what your form o! government or by
what name II may eaeG whereye. you lodge uncon
tolled authority OF taxation aud appropriation You there
estab Is the source OF all political power. And no people
who have to snsain the PecUnaTy wants qf their govern
ent who have TO bear taEann for that PURPOSE will long
be Tree, or deserve to be 50, fail in their oRunc law
to secure 10 themselves proper responsibility on tho pnrt
OF those who levy the burdens upon them people i'm
Guet WIN Ihe Nue sPn OF liberty, or correct opinion
,a,;c von - quo ounualYn ~ aHsf rfprt
invnIuabe uriyilog, n riy ,ib o. @ nu
ON men and their dc.csrnn. % I 80 ~ 2sA-
And as liberty and an. Ip 80 - a"u
y,nccJ in Engl,nJ ,,i,,',aip d $500, s,,"'ii'n' au-
g., I.,noo ,, I e,o'u oi uu O,c Oct
,nnonnccd ,nd rnn,s,,i ~ ~ , lOi'.os lru'h was
,yo,o ono and ioJ,hi 80 80 ato quo representation
,h, go, r-nSo,,.,oa r,I % 'l' Pl'"o'Pe' such
bscL ropscJ mr. E,o.,i - 49, '"Y w" centuries
10, ,en,cs.nt,,iy, ,,,s.,. " -" 81 "i-HV SFugsS