Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-02-20

shall proceed to examine the relative situation of
he Eastern and the Western divisions OF the
State in several different views. In doing so, il
IS lar from my purpose to reproach The West win
its poverty, as some gentlemen have charged, but
solely 10 furnish fair and candid exposition OF
he actual condition OF wealth, population and
axation, that each party may see the extent and
he foundation OF The claims OF the other shall
conduct this examination in such manner aslo
excite the least possible sectional feeling and pre-
udice.
l, is true, the Yves, contains small majority
Of white population, and that statement embraces
heir whole claim 10 majority of representa-,
lives. Let US very briefly compare The Two grand
divisions in other respects-and first, as TO 'o'al
population. By the census Of 1910, ihe has, OF
The mountains contains population OF $685.
the West population OF 49,, fascinating The
total Eastern population nearly twice as great as
the Western. This vast majority is 10 be totally
and is 10 give 10 US no political
weight. The slaves in the East number 1895, 29O
and in The West So, 737-being more than Sc
ven TO one. Yet, this great prePonderance otihat
peculiar species of property and persons is 10 be
denied all protection in The distribution OF repre-
sentalion. The federal numbers in The East are
Gas, sd2-aad in the West 800. This emu
meralon of persons, which constitutes the funda-
ing and the Southern slaveholding States is ui-
terly repudialed by the report and bill oil the mi
norily. Take tie bill Of The majority, and each
Eastern member would represent in the Conven-
lion lO,346 persons, OF s,3lS of federal numbers;
and each Western member would represent 1929
persons, or 1916 OF federal numbers. Each
Eastern member would represent 5, 100 slaves;
each Western member would represent 945.-
You are called upon 10 make still greater de
parture from the federal number basis, and 10 lay
down the unqualified principle, that slaves are
no, TO be regarded as persons--and as property
they are not entitled 10 representation.
thy are merely fit subjects for taxation and OPP
preston, and are TO have no relation to repfesen-
ation persons property. or sources OF taxation.
This is one view Of The claim advanced BY the
report and bill OF Tie minoTiiv-lct us examine
another.
The landed property OF The Eas, is assessed at
Sl29. 72O. 1S3-that Of lhe West al $50, 209, 746.
The slave property Of The Eas, is valued al $780,
900 900, and that of the West at si1000,0o0.-
The Joint value Of land and slaves in The East
is two hundred AMI twcnty-ninc millions OF dol
lars-thal of The West is ninciy-six millions OF
dollars. In these Two descriptions Of property,
the value in the East is mere than double that
in the West. The West, with ninely-six mil
lions Of property, ask from US the right 10 man
age, control and administer two hundred and
twenty-nine millions at their pleasure, without
sand slaves they demand a surrender Of all pow
er 10 control thee hundred and ninety i've thou
sand. They bring these proportions of wealth
into a common fund wilh Us, and By their bill,
claim the entire management, taxation and ap-
preparation OF the whole. There arc still other
views.
The total revenue taxes of the State are
606,907 dollars. of which the East pays Age, 1873
dollars and the West pays is2,4l2 dollars. Of
every hundred dollars paid into The State treasu-
nv, The East pays seventy and The West pays
thirty And they who pay thirty dollars against
seventy, claim the power 10 tax, 10 any extent,
and TO appropriate The funds 10 any purpose they
deem expedien,. To show more clearly the tn'l
extent Of this claim, we must LOOK TO The ac-
,ual disbursement OF The revenues Of The Common.
wealth al this Time A simple statement will ex.
hibil The result:
men,a 1922 900
" Virsnia !, $4,000
Delucting the total revenue Of The
West from the expenses of govern
ment, the balance OF expenses OF The
government paid BY Eastern Virgil
mia is 94O,OOO
The amount paid by Eastern Virginia
State Is $4,000
Tota, revenue paid b. East $4,000
Total revenue paid by line West $4,000
In other words, The West pays ihree-aeycnlhs
Of the expenses Of the Government, and nothing
towards the interest OF The public debt; and the
East pays tour-sevenths OF the expenses of the
Government aud all Of The interest on The public
deb, which is paid BY taxation. The whole in
terss, on The public debt payable from taxation is
thrown upon the East, with iull share Of the ex-
penSes Of the Government-and that portion OF
The Communwean.. which pays nothing towards
the interest on the public debt Oil three-sevenths
are It's fair share OF the ordinary expenses OF Go
vernment, demands the power 10 increase the
public debt 10 any amount, TO appropriate the mo-
ney 10 any road, canal, ur Other object, and TO
tax 10 any extent One division OF the State con-
tributes thirty dollars and the other seventy dol
lars, in every hundred paid into The treasury
The division paying thirty claims the right 10
call for any amount OF contribution il pleases,
and 10 distribute as il peases when paid in
The proposition is susceptible of other exPosi-
lions.
The East pays into the Treasury one dollar
and fifteen cents average for each white person !;
the West pays forip.nine CENTS In The present or
ganization OF representation, the East has seven
weight Delegates in this House, and pays into
the Treasury in the ratio Of IS, 46s for each De-
l.ga,e. The West has fifty-six Delegates, and
pays in The ratio for each SO 257. In the Senate
rial ratio the Eas, paws $22,430, and the West
Sl4,S3l. Each Eastern Delegate represents,
in value of lands and slaves, $2.945, 600
each Western Delegate $l,7I8OO0 in value
of the same property Each Eastern Senator
represents Sl2,O9O060, and each Western Sena-
Tor represents S7.4Oo,00O in value Of The same
properly With this great disproporton OF pop.
ulaton, federal numbers, property and taxation,
we are told BY The minority OF The Committee,
tha, "lhe gross nequalilyot representation is the
evil mainly complained of all others are merely
collateral and incidentally" that persons as con-
,radis,inguished from properly should be The con-
s,iiuen element Of equal representation, and any
departure from that basis, Is $50 far change
from a representative republic TO mixed mo
narchy." This question is lot 10 be settled by
charges such IS these, nor the powers Claimed,
to be granted to these demands.
The bill of the majority gives . each County
the same representation thatthe Counties respec-
lively have in The House Of Delegates. The re-
marks in relation to the distribution OF represen-
,a,ion apply equally to The House OF Delegates
and the proposed Convention. ne gentleman
from Wylhe, (Mr. Leftwich,) knows full well
the unequal distribution of slaves, property taxa
lon and population, between the two grand divi-
sions oil The Stale. He knows that some relation
between federal numbers and representation, be-
tween taxation and representation also, has re-
ceived the sanction OF the wisest statesmen and
the truest patriots oil every country. lie knows,
when he offers the white basis and proposes 10 ex-
clude all representation OF taxation and FEEDER.
al numbers, that be is aiming q deadly blow at
slave representation in the Congress of The United
States, and evelling his arguments against the
compromises OF the Federal Constitution; that ne
is recs!esslv pulling down all the Constitutional
Safeguards 10 property; and when he looks al the
Republican precedents, sanctioning the relation
between taxation or Federal numbers and repre-
sentation; and when he examines The actual con-
dilion of things in Virginia, and sees The stern
array Of numbers on one side and property on The
other he candidly admits that there is sufficient
10 blind the Judgment OF any man, and if he re-
sided on this side o! The mounans, his judgment
would mos, probably be blinded, and he would
advocate Eastern Interests and refuse 10 surrender
Eastern power. Idoubt it not, MIR. Speaker, and
before close nv remarks, | trust that shall be