Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1850-06-14

the consequences whir, would e,,stc from completion
81 lr Manassas Tap Rnir"ad Ii cannot BE- mat they
" c ioNa o snci trade az won lead III The d!:r ton
"i A!exahtfa ami Baltimore ol snail
moderate importance Ii he tha they nn,i, la
perceive that II this improvement he completed the
tn'ife valley VIII be Coveted by web "f Railroads spread
Ing 'helr arms in al directions md draining into Aexln
ina ind Baltimore which she wanted only
ergs secure
But have said enough f,r the present. though volume.
nsh be- written On the subject. 10 The good q" the
citizens al Ei,hnond rr'i this srcaf isc conid, that
II can lose nothing By depending entirely upon own
merits. n & MAI'Ck
| Richmond, June llth.
! ... ...... ..... For The enquirer.
STATE CONVENTION AND THE EASls or REF.
RESERVATION
\ nalpry of the people Of Virnnin having voted in ia.
ipr o The call o Convention change our present. Con.
n,ion, desire Mc-srs Editors tn submit IL, ,e cons;dc.
ration Of your readers remarks npcn nc oc: u IN,
basis "i Representations This question %. great mag
hnde, and Is destined Ia deep interest The people
living west o the Blue Ridge pay about -,hiId If The
ahnuhl revenue and those living tie Blue Ridge pay
itc Other two-iirds minority Of the white population
resides west ana minority Of the Blue Ridge. In
loiu the slave population Of Virginia hundred aud
i'riy eight thousand, ri which upwards ol puf hundred
thousand were living oi the Buc Ridge, and some
twenty five or thirty thousand living Of game
range Of mountains We know not the number III .,yc,
now in Virginia. but think il likely, that the popu-
"n oi the State neary quite large present as il
vas ten years and The difference between relative
nunoc. o slaves III the Western and Eastern parts Of ha
Slate t''aiy ~ great then. East oi tla Blue
isif ncniiy all The labor is performed by whites. The
Wr.i claims representation labor but .o!es-cs un
Willingness III allow repre- Scniafinn lor labor the East
In tic virginia Ccn:cnion Of ISIS, and different; r.
RODS subsequently,. Western gentlemen have concilicl
and ilcnicd e idea "f granting representation the
o..e population The patriots and who Trained
Federal Constitution. did not however deem absurd
unIast, that slave, should be- represented. In the Fc,era
Convention lhe delegates llo The northern States opr
"-ta !" 'e representation o slaves while tie delegates
;i"i the southern States ronencd that thc slave popula
''on 1h"niA b. represented The sp Of compromise pre-
>nied and t Convention agreed that three lI,s q. lhc
r.1tc population should hc allowed representation.
| Ills provision ot the Constitution DISCUSSED hy Mr
Madison in c 5lth number the Fedealis, lie denied
% act that slaves are considered merely property, and
- ~ respect whatever as persons The true state Of the
L. that they partnke "i both these qualities, beug
sdct'I by our iam-, IN respect. persons and
other respects property The writer TINS cor. nue,: III is
.fetd on all sides that numbers ncaun. aros, numbers
Eir bond and irrtl the best scale ol wealth and taxation
y the only proper scale nf representation. Would
tic Convention have been impartial consistent, ii
lad rejected The slaves frc the list Of inhabitants, when
the shares o representation be caru,cd and in
serted them tie ss when the tarl n contributions
- 10 a!msted' Could II bc reasonably expected that the
southern States would concur in system, which consider
II their slaves III some degree men, when burdens
IL he imposed but refused consider them in the
light. when advantages Ia b. ronhrrd! In the
l., o c essay j; i said "Aer ALL may anoth-
ground b. taken which ihs ariirr OF tn Constitution
i'll admit oi sIl'l iprc ready defence! We have htr.o
proceeded "a the Idea that representation related 10 PERSONS
na' an! not II all - property Ia; i il IIst iet Ga,
N.aacni i Instituted m hSs far hs IrOction u The pro-
;sty than the persons Of Individuals The one a. well as
olrg nly therefore hc considered represented. by
ttnsc w.o alc charged with the government.
the justice and propricy of aiIom ing scutatin for
lie -layc population nainaincd by Alexander !laml
ro., II III Convention held III the State q. New York 10
rcid. c question ot r"iiying rejecting The Federal
Constitution:
The !sr thing ai."cr to -aid he, IS that clause which
aih,. representation tiro,ii ii the negroes Much
b. been said al t!ir i:n:oicw !" representing wio
..:.e viii ui their Whether this bc reasoning
:ic!araiion will n presume 10 say. I'ii
b,, rri!ers Gor>ramci hare tH lbs. representation
JL III
been adopted could b. IA ic Constitution %.
NV York IL will nwc,cr bv NJ means b. admitted that
o slaves considered altogether property. They
4, thoG. degraded Ia the condition al slavery They
persons known I" the municipal laws Of the States
hc. the, iniaiit. we'll ~ tie Laws oi Mature but
presentation anl taxation together, and one uniform
u,c ought apply 10 both Would il b. Just 10 compute
slaves III i "t ta.-, and discard them
"i lr estimate IN c aipo"nnleni "l repre-nati'rs
fHicars i,etlies
Let remember TINT General Hamilton had ie courage
aud independence these things 10 the people Of New
York nearly al! ri whose day laborcrs white men
II is under the operation o the Federal Government which
authorizes and uphois the representation ol ilreeiitls of
The slave population that cur country has advanced III pupu
,on power and prosp,gity with rapidly uneqlllrd by
nation i'll ancient modern times. Southern have
condemned the representation "t slaves in the
House II Representatives, and comparatively few Northern
have complained ~ this provision ot the Constitution
the slave representation gives 10 me SCUM t"cniy-"nc
members in the House o Representatives, beyond what the
South would have il tie representation was based white
.np.atiun exclusively Until recently the political power Of
con.cGeracy welded by the Southern States, Yet
~ petod have they exercised power 10 the detiment vi the
North Nhat injustice has been ione! wha, upprcs
been .rporatcd in consequence Of allowing
representation for The slaves of the south! None whatever
should bc borne in nini. that nearly all The
ol Ike Federal Government have been derived irnll i'm
posts, direct taxation has been rarely res"c to and o
tho slaves have seldom been taxed hy the Federal lc
4i-ilurr. II il hc Just and that slaves should be
scntc in the councils - t!l Union WHEN Their TAXATION
i contingent and occasional on hnw much more cnphatl-
iy Jls ani Wise Is il that tle slave population 81 Nir-
ei.i should he represented Legislature, when as
,, known the slaves subrc! to annual iNatinn ana
r.sa,t!rd rs one OF the main III revenue!
The who framed the Federal Constitution were n"i
professors uoiiica metaphysics, but wise and practical
They did not submit 10 the control and guidance
principles and theoretical views They respected
principles bat wisely modified and adapted them Tor
ie genera ,ond society. They did not believe that the
,nrsentaton ol "A peculiar property held almost exclusive
/, IN section of line Union. would convert the Federal
,ytrnmen into ari,iocracy olgarchy As general
posiiion they may have believed tha! the minority should
.-sc+s and exercise political nwcr but they devised
of government which docs not necessarily reflect the
viii oi majority, and they thought iii 10 grant 10 the small
states OF Rhode Island and Delaware us much power IN mo
senate as given the great States oi New iork and
irnnsy lyania.
When the Federal Convention met, the condition of the
Northern and Southern States Ill regard - the slave opl
ton was similar that Wes-gn and Eastern Virginia;
nnw We have thai torcathers recognized ana en-
forced the principle tH Prrty IS ened 10 rrPres'.ls
.ic No Nginan censurcs her course - UNJUST or IN
wise Shall wc initiate example, The wisdom ri which
been tested Is ncand experience n shall We repui'e
| il by adopting The White basis I!
Among sasa@ca property - IN oslnct ol comparative III
dtirrcrcu anl but little regard is paid t" lis protection "r
nr..rratou In n civilized country the wants al man nj"
- numerous thai property Object ol indifference 10 no
class society. The 81 The yar"ns means hg which
nnerty ran acquired constitute chief cmploym"n oi
IN pry Strong the attraction which exists
r. tween the sexes The attraction between persons and
property j. less persadna and powerful Men mol onv
.ire 10 have their personal rights protected by government
but their rights OF property also. government which
would protect the personal lights of men without protecting
IN! rights OF property would ba despos III practice be
liz name what might! In establishing Constitution
il is not only necessary IL fully Gund the personal
rights Of society but arrange and distribute political
power present o scctiuG u State any temptation
~ a!ri any Opportunity violate the sacred principles ot
Justice Nothing (sad Edmund Burke in lilo Ie'econs
ou the French evoutionl sis due and adequate representa-
of State that does not represent lis aoy a. Wen iS
il, property. Bn ability Is vigorous and active rinci
pie and property is sluggish, inert and tlnd u "eef !
b. saf foa4 The nrison ofabty urss 6; su VI H pre-
ppriion predominant in the rrpreSs!or IL must D. IT.
presented too in erfa 81 accmaati0H or Il s MT
r.LHg Jroicc,e These observations are !ust ana .ey ae
also applicable Ia Tho present condition and oi
Virginia II is ccagse The slave property IL h,d manly IN
tliu last and "in great o accumulation int The
puuplc II Fast desire and demand additional rcpf' ena-
tion tho and sa:es guarantee hc VIII" a'':
g:oui give is political pcfondera"ce t. ~ isoe Yves!
u The i.iae Ride who contribute annually about o1e-ihf
u the rcyc,ac ney claim Ills and nt.c tbs 5a>
upoa H.. .ro,ni that they tie naJoy and that The ma
,c, ought 10 rue. They tell us Of the east that sc haze
~ cacc TO appehend excessive taxation Improper dis
husc,nen. of the public money! that their intentions
har nf gfip..