Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-04-25

reas mlns', how much they we're embarrassed by the
contradictory IDEAS of the rights OF men and the priv
;!2sc> al riches inc committee of constitution do
eooC a ADMIT tat they "hollv rreconcilable Her
the principle OF contribution taken between man an
man, is repro5ated As null a.. destructive to equality
and pcrncios, too, because it leads the establish
ncnt OF an arstOcracy Of The rich. However, it mus
rot he abandoned And the way of getting rid OF tn,
diff uiy Is to establish the inequality as between ls
,snf and d:nGr,as leaving all the individuals il
each department upon an exac: par Nor does il sr"u
- Aaicr Of great Importance whether the efi.a:l' "
:cn DC injured By masses or ndiS liiay. An indvId
ual Is n. o the same Importance in mass represented
BY few a in mass represented by many 1t woulC
N De too much 70 tel jealous oi his equality thai
The cccor has the same franchise who votes for three
$ members a. he who votes for ten
III Now take it in the other point of view, and let us
suppose their principle CT representation according TO
contribution, that is according riches to be well ina
s!ned and TO be necessary basis for their republic.
:. in this their third basis they assume that riches
ought to be respected and that Justice and policy
, qirc that they shojh: cnitIc men, in some mode
other 10 Il larger sEa" in the administration of public
affairs; ii TO be seen how the assembly provides
Tor the pre-cmnence or even Tor The security Of tho
rich BY comforting, virtue OF their opuence that
rrrr measure Of power their district which is de-
:ici to them s.rs,;aNv. readily aimt-iRdccd lay
it down ~ fundamental principle-that III republi
cal. government which has democratic OASIS The rich
do require additional security above what IS necessary
To them in nolarches They subject to envy and,
through IVY. oppression. On the present scheme
is iEp" bic t. divine what advantage hey derive from
the aristocratc preference upon which The unequal
rccScut ion o the .nasscs is founded. TIC rich can
not feel il. either support 10 dignity or as Sccu.
ritz 10 fortune: Tor the aris"crac mass Is generated
from purely democratic principles; and the prevalence
yrn H. it in the general representation has no sort OF
reference to- o. connection with. The persons upon &C
cc,i Of whose property this superiority OF the mass is
Established.
II Tie co;ltrycrs Of this scheme meant any sort of
ay,r To tic rich in consequence ri their contribution,
thcy Il; 10 nave conferred The privilege either on The
in,. :vt a; rich, class formed oil rlch per-
,or H. historians, r. III. cent Scrvius Iullius 10 have
DOT, Ia. carly constitution oi itome.
H., rs suppose III district ct Is M easy
s,ip, sti0iE contribute much hundred OF ms
1 ncirtirs: :..anst these he has but vote: if there
were II one representative for the mass, his neighbors
would nqysc hir b. hundred To one for that single
Representative. Bal enough But amends are 10 be
male him. How: The district, in virtue of his wealth.
!, to CHOOSE ..y ten members instead Of onc-that is
TO saw v payi. very large contribution, he has the
happiness Of being out-votcd hundred TO one. BY those
not avs property lor ten representatives, instead oil
| acing oayoild exactly III the same proportion Tor 4
d lslc member.
| There i, II good deal in this work Illustrative
ii ii. sane Jews which have not time To read, but
which cor.le,d to the careful perusI Of my friend
from Lordoan
uayir. req! ritse Vi, IS OF IIr. Burke the French
scheme Oh ny,; bass which PROCESSES like the be-
torp Us b.; rnre nitio give TO masses an influence
wic il i, MES 10 the individual owner of property at
the polls, ! icit curious TO know what Sr James
Mcintosh Ia, to LAY in reply 10 them 1t is we'll known
that Ia ph,ishcd Il work o very great celebrity cntI
t.da Indication Of the French Rcvoluton, the OBJ
..t .: vi. wa, tssail III the positions which Mr.
urk, lad ken i;h in regard 10 that revolutions and
20 the constitution WHICH ~irt.n iriAt lie performed
his task with ::re!! vior and JsE, and lew OF Mr.
Burke, po,iioi.s .srap"t :3uc'ous ordeal OF his
-.pl- i!ur when he cailc To tits portion of Mr..
i HIrk,s reflections ;Ec trench constitution the merry
|isru ;i.:,v; down lis acknowledged the lu.-
tee Of that iJuke ana declared i!, feature IN tho Gal
lie consultation 10 BE- wholly ind"ir'sbie
Unjust :,:ow says hr wi:h the same iranIne-'
snu.l >or,,rcatiun ui the admission of territory, sci
c,,r;;l,, n elements catering into the proportion
Of Representation TIE representation OF isno ana
molcv i, industrious reiH ~ ancient if"oGice -heA
oniv b. rpres "f'a, and poi'"Go" alone ousnt 70
regulate IL" niber OF representative" whch any ois
Mu:.;c-l uiau think mentions fter6're Ttpn6ir
in Lola where the rcporon Of representative. depu'
led b, c,h state, i'll ratio com"uhlcd OF It's pop
4 ul;.tn AMI IL. contibiticn. There might be some
pau.ii;f;; i, this Institution a. ont comH}crated ta-
Lpca1 NJ Suites; but il j. gros Is absurd IN common
u wealth H:.. vlly il such slate, the con
Irritation % Ill being prop1rion"t 10 Their capartH IT 10
relatively equal and II 1t can c"S'%r any Hn':al
claims il bc at the eH c,st OIL equal rights
NcL4toat KS IL ~
H,t WHY cd resort u the authority Of the states
m.u of another age and Of another country 10 oemoh-
: rut the utter nb"ci;y Of that system when con-
n. nIcals OF protecting property! IN" representa-
,i ;n euyc upon ill.,. ..lsitc., AID not upon the IN
i,yi,!u,,, pl4s the property. when have living
,ts,rr al. around Inc in this hall. from the east
y who have !ue! t!e most authentic ana conclusive
evidence, That nett Ter they, nor Their constituents ha,e
Tho y.ry .i:c.; c.,u:s.acc IN the system Us sal"
i -, ,i ;,,ter.t Of property. | read with much
,,r, an ,tteut;or vi the addresses and e&posi-
inns If or,;ou-so far at least a. they We're paD'Eeu
= !, -, p.hr,ou, paper.-t'&Ge hy the Candidates to
III p.o'c Pricr "ths clcGlio, - IN. ...i -.
I Ii / ;-:tn;! have no recollection :" o"e ,L 49,,
: submitted iy ;.ur eastern g'nrl"n;1 " '"s
ri. district prior to that election, w'' u' 1t ei
r.c. yl.i.c th: he ,.nrlld sustain IN t; o"u! CON
stilutioa limitation uppn the 'aSs me ue". %
and rryr,uc :.ppr"priahs pcwers u inc es"e'' ''se
4 INV can Indicate fourteen gentleman IRON Inc east,
nov, m,, ,Li floor all advocates of the mixed basis,
who clr.c ,rcctly urIcr that pledge to tne c"h'uiI
,n;s Why resort TO constitutional limitations Us
means OF protecting property II you nave an! conn
erce IN the efficacy ard virtue OF th@ 'Sl "'-'s Pr
4 ,;nI, WHY did Your constituents exact from yoi
e n.d. that vou should lie up the Lands ol your own
,ro..:atiys ara / an abuse "f the taxing ana APP
rropr:.tins powers, they had any eo'n1ense III
+ -our system OF representation as 4 SalcS.ar" "shs'
In. sam. cyi!si Gan you regard your 'eascs ~ s"
Jar institutional! limitations IN any o!hef l'st 'h'l
E w concessions clear and indspulade forced from you
nv ,yj.l:,r which the human mind souid not resist
= la, ...:r mixed basis sclem: affords no prcecuoh
wiatC. 10 the interests OF property cp"n winch no
vo or . your constituents now rely Tor 's protec
I ion + X upon the mixed basis reprcsehi:itlon or
mon . wise anJ udicious system OF limitations II
I :, y,ur constituents determine between the two
yii,h would they select their most :cllable sale
n,yI, ';hcy would tell you, if your purpose Is |"
. r no,.,r to the east take the mixed basis u you
,yil fl protect tie interests Of property aa'p' 'n'
!, system Vi limitations ,,, .s.,,roroo
Docs H.. history Of the past afford r' any assurance
1'ar plan of representation yie"'.S VIZ .rrJ
,h ,r.ry Of tj. State to an easefh nalort' alords
. ,f.nlarI against the abuses OF the taxing ana APP
: 'r:,ri,ti,,, ,,owety of the government why Sir
tl tlr common sentiment of almost every man upon
tbs ,no-I hit aim sayo every eastern man upon
80: t,or-wlTu s.y tina. it does NOT. Inc eDor-
: , i, b which now hangs over our trensuryIen1hi
admit, not so much for it magnitude as lot ,he
- ,oca. and proitless purposes ior "h'cn II mas
!, r. - CONTRACTED tell that IT does NOT. Anu Il .hl'
am majority. with its representation resting some
,rb, upol property qualification IN the elective ran
" ;. . heretofore proved barrier against abuse
rh,, MAJ we no, anticipate from the same majority rest
Il i h.i,cr NJ it will d", upon system OF universal
= IT.. il wich as have already seen, majority
ii r r., voters contained in county are not asSessa
n ~ Win SIR collars of taxation. n,
g, Tn, gentleman frc,a the county OF LonGoun W.
e 1>yry\ admits me lorcs OF the view Whlch h' ~"
I'll I.;r. nf This subject bun seeks to evhde us iocs
% inf r:;n IL that under the Old constitution py ",.n
9 FL. cast ,.a majority Of hyfour IN Inc seheIa. as
snm(v we had cn debt Of bnt iltue more man =
i. ,i;n n dollars, that since their majority has nesn
-, .Lo ou,nrl ed cons, tuition to twenty-five,