Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-05-27

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deHt %pon him for his employment, and therefor h.
was not free he considered that the poor men CT tn;
east We're much .irccr than the poor men Of the west
ana what was the cason he gave for til That they
were surround"d BY much larger number Of wealth.
men, upon whom they were dependent for their support
anu consequently they much freer Now the gen
teah II he had recolece,! one fact would have TO ind
u the!e was any truth in his premises at ALL it wou,.
nave api'ed w:th more force the poor rnen nf tho
east th;a tue West. DO you not know very tat
III tie west tie poo. man has the slave to conlpet
9th kim for labor. White labor therefore is pucI,
in demand IN the west than the east Wkenev,
that is the goa :Ii the poor men the mosE indie
. pen!au: par! of the community Why, have travel
led through of the free northwestern States and
one OF the greatest objections had TO Ohio lGdi,:.
and Illinois was that the pooreet class Of the people
i there the most independent while the her class
u The wcai;ncr class perfectly dependent upon
them They could gethe they call it there, with
out cVur;ns the favor Of the poorer cnses If gen:
t:cnn invited company . a!- hous. to dine, il his
help his COCK or his house servants ha been previous
Z IS Il little micd with the gen;!"nan his lady they
would coS!cr thai good opportunity for taking their
: revetg by leaving them 10 provide for their company
{ themselves. Tins Is one illustration, Of the indepcL
deuce :" the poorer classes in Ohio ami tic
wealthy are compelled 70 Weld 10 them in order 10
procure those services which IRE so essential to their
comfort. Now ho; is i; in western Virginia. Thoro
lis competition bc.ween white labor and slave labor
and there is grca5 demand Tor white labor Colsr
! perfectly independent OF Iii. rich neghbor, a. his
rich nribor will take il favor if he will work for
him. 1t is matter Of very great importance to tho
Of property that he employ these poor aborers
|. And it is this account, that ths poor
independent i'll the west tan III the east In the
their places taken b. the slaves and il is for that
very pun pose that had rather trust without
property III the than in the east fgcntlenen ard
disposed to give these white without property tho
right of suffrage unless You give thon equal repre-
-entaon you doing the srosssst injustice YOU
extending the rig int of suffrage TO twenty
thirty thousand non-prorerty holders in the east who
ARE dependent upoi! OF wealth. and who not.
freemen, aud You permit those men to vote down
= larger number Of ."n-property holders TO whom you
,tcxteld the right OF suffrage in the west, that free
f you l. and feel their freedom rs much do and
will come to the baln.-ho1 with neutrality-suspicious.
~ We would. will not go over the argument Of my
friend from Berkeley. (Ar FArLESHn) have alren-
dy consumed more time than intended. Icall the at
entiOn of the Committee to it, because it forciby
demonstrated TO my mind that if YOU could only give
property protection through representation By in tho
first place, prescribing property qualification 10
ter you cannot protect property BY extending the right
Of suffrage universally and then apportonipg repres,u
tatof upon this mixed basis principle.
Bat gentlemen will ask ii property cannot be protect
ed BY this basis of representation, how is DO pro
tected wi tell you The very best protection which
yen afford property, Is 20 come forward with tho
maynaniuty which We have right to expect from Eir-
gInauS, extend the rlght OF To those who
give that kind Of evidence of attachment to- and inter-
cs in the Commonwealth spoken Of in the bill of rights
and give those entitled to exercise the right of suf
TRACE, an equal representation ! would give one
cc, for the safety of property, where protection is ob
tanned by wrngng it from the hands OF the freeen OF
the land The Scst protection YOU give property
il 20 ADOPT that kind Of government which will secure
the strongest attachment al the people for it. gov
crnn@nt protect cour property well must be founded
in the affections of the people: You can never hsrc
such government if you sanction this system Of rger
dema which has cheated the people out Of their right
ito lair representation in the Convention convened
frame their organic law. and rely introducing such
provisions into it NJ will induce them adopt it, inclr-
ding the obnoxious principle OF representation. Now.
constitution that ia tn go down to our posterity. and
one that will be WORTHY of Virsins only not
be ratified in this coercve manner but must be ratified
b. the free unbiased and unrestrained choice OF tho
people When you have constitution Of that kind.
You h.ve a constitution which is founded III tho aec-
tons Of the people, and Tor one VIII never DC AFRAID
To LIS. under government where the people shall havn
prcic:cn IF i Hsst 3. ye pS III
possess would be- endangered by them II the govern
m,, was l,sc, upon the affections Of the people Be-
wet er gentlemen nave offered give genLlc
mex restrictions and GUARANTEES, and that offer has baen
NET with contempt ~! iS'ia, and secuted rs worthy
10: consideration. 10 not :nscld to offer any re
! ,,r;ction or guarantee western, man. will Only
vote for such think Necessary to protect the ri-hs
Of nv constituents and think such will Project
their rights will protect the riShth Of the people "t Fir.
yina Ono Of these guarantees which think lard am
slave-hoder would protec; my property Is the lsGci
alus.d al rG.orent svstcB @. aX.on was sorry ~
bcor eastern vc.cuicn make such complaint about
;, onrr.,s taxes imposed nr: slaves. IS II not wei!
known u .u--o every gentleman who hears me, That
we have species al property that would bc"r taxes
better thar slave property ~ 10 property can TO con!
verified into ,-, ut fair price or y.cl better
income from its hires than this kind OF propertE be-
li.rc il has been demonstrated hat tils property i;I!
| not been taxed as high lands. horses mules. &c.
Mr., VI. GARRETT Doe. the gentleman mean to say
tha, is customary for slave owners to sell their slaves
to raise money to pay iher taxes
Mr. ANDERSON. mean property wLicll men cnl'
convert into cash its full vala" ut any time or hire
out for high r-lc" VIII Dear TAXATION DETER th"l lhb
which can be- sold rcne, hired out at great sacrifice
Tina, is what mcan The history of this government
uroyes that slave property has been more lightly taxed
than any other taxable property IN the commonwealth
make the declaration slave owner, reIresr' az.
a large number of constituents who own slaves. lh":'
i. no tax more cherrully pay than the tax which
my an nv slave property feel that the taxes which
II INV upon INV lands horSeS and mules, are much NOR"
o.,rois thnn the taxes which pay upon my d nrcs be
cause large portion of that property /. Echry !cni
.xpense 20 me. \ large portion of my lands yields me
nothing. Ny mules and horses are mn expense to Inc
during good part of the year. while that potion al
my slaves which ! pay tax are all or nearly all
profitable to am willing t go rs far AS the com
ittee have reported, IN order 10 s;illhly eastern ic
Though lo not think they have any just claim 10 1t =
and exclude from this I'D raore1n tax, as matter Of
compromise that portion Of slave property not now
taxed and which hns not heretofore paid tax. 1t
seems to me when western gentlemen go that far east
ern gentlemen ought to be prepared TO meet them, and
o:g TO regard it most liberal concese!tn on liza
prt of thu west Is it most astonishin. tut gen
tlemen who are constantly raising camor about their
slaves being in danger oi onerous taxation and the cau
rcr from the cgsl#tng 10 dcStroy the value
Of their slaves, should in tie very breath reject
so reasonable proposition as th."c raoer" syS':sn Of
taxation. which proposes protection to slave property
that will last as long the constitution rof sha aS.
II il eas:lv demonstrated that if you prohibit the iegis
tlature from leyying my other than an at raorrs
and limit s application to the cass of ssres taxed
Won have provided The mott ample protection against
any abuse whatever of the taxing powers You Will
then tnx only such slaves as are profitable benefit
which you do extend to landed property i'r lands
are taxed without reference to that fact Is is not
markahe then that any gentleman should eec such
proposition but most particularly that any senticn.H
iron the cities should reject it. have lad the honor
of serving for many years in both branches n the egs
ature and have always thought that tho tax or tho
towns and cities most unjust and If any gentleman
will take the trouble examine the revenue laws be viii
find very unjust distinction between the cities and
towns and the country the taxation on real estate.
NV experience is (and own town property that