Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-06-06

"ilo hsu llplii Tue prosecutions OF Oroni"'''
IN the est rural pursuits very different ir" th0se
last OF the Blue Ridge Agriculture is deToeu 10 ar
crent staples They for the most part srazier ana
t" some extent farmers Slave labor l. not essential TO
agriculture. nd is there found in comparatively small
quantities The OF the Valley is sxmons OF acres
and 1racon oil the average assessed value OF colo per
acre Trans Allegheny us of about tWeity'siX
millions OF acres. Vi the average value OF sOS per acre
From the nature of their rural aud agricultural pursuits
free labor abounds, and is almost exclusively employer
III many of the counties. This narrative exhibits II
marked diversity OF staple, occupation ana product u as
well as Of the character OF labor employed, wic! ne
ccssariiy result ira marked diversity Of interest There
Is also observable marked diversity of personal char
accrstic not at al! uavcrabe to the West nor perhaps
I" the cast hey are Ill great measure descended
from the same ctnmnn ancestry though the Vest boast
considerable infusion of Scot eli Irish blood constituting
tscm an industrious frugal Intelligent thrifty and use
III race Of men, "n!nenly calculated to form the best
citizens of free republic 1t is obvious: that refer to
these distinguishing characteristics. IA Il" ecf'g OF dis
respect to the people Of either Of the grand divisions O"
our State but only to mark divcrse-, which result OF
necessity, from The existing order of things.
And now, sir propose for brief space To ask Your
attention to !bics ui population To not propose
to conduct you into the Crcan labyrinth OF figures YOU
will require no clue to effect your escape.
The whole population Of Virginia equal to l'.4 900
souls emitting fractions Of which $4,000 are found to
reside Eas Of the Blue Ridge, and J65"J0 W est OF tl'se
no,ntas thus exhibiting. in the East clear majority OF
same 10 assert II. claim to representation founded on
slaves " Sir. have not asserted such ciaIn and |
do not feel the necessity I" waive IT, But may say tst
Il community with onc.iilt It's population consisting "i
IN inferior class. who cannot be admitted Ia the rights
ii citizenship cannot afford Ia form social compact
with another community, not thus crcum>alred with
ont securing equivalent IN po;r,r. Tor any representa-
zion whici, che may renqnsl in consequence OF the in
icrortv Of the disabled class. Because by the laws ol
population numbers increase in proportion with the
,f he
.c- lis full proportion OF the means "l sub
,istc.cc follows. that the elevated elias can never al
tail. lis natural Dimensions and must necessarily exist
in condition .. nieriorit: Of numbers A"w eastern
VIRGINIA i lust in this conditon-onc-lIt OF her popll-
laon degraded caste Western Virginia is not thus
irr,ns ,l4cc and if Virginia shall consent to
reni. her claim to representation Tor her slaves ana
without receiving equivalent in political power she
will place herself condition of hopeless and absolute
dependence on the west
Sir. her, is the point from which We must start in our
efforts Of compromise. We stand the point OF our
whole population The Vest stands oh the point Of the
white population. These the points from which the
compromise framed in the federal convention. which
framed the constitution OF the United States and esnkc
sc;l the basis of federal numbers. The East has already
rendered 10 The West. compromise more favorable TO
them than tie federal number, and tlc Wes, affect ITO
| reat it with scoyn.
The white population Of the commonwealth is $685.
ESQ., Of which lUl 900 reside on the East OF tic blue
ma iori,y OF $4,000 souls. 1t is this numerical ma jor
v. that the western delegation assert inherent i'm
n,l;ahc i.diicsble right TO govern the commonwealth.
1t Is this mere numerical majority, that they rest
their notable demand There is 10 other basis OF rep
rrscn,aon which will afford even prctcxt lor their
dcma;A. Nj other clements Of society are 10 be dis
carded from TIE computation, except persons
and persons merely and ol these, ali Classes arc
10 be cxr!cl except such mas contribute TO sustain
T their prct"rsion. They adopt numbers and numbers
OILY III" t:rc basis Of representation, and .ncdatc-
" exclude !ro: ;ac computation al NUMBER. all such
ciasscs rs 10 NOT abound III the west. They reject
their own principle, OF the instant it millcs against
There arc within the limit, Of me sta,c ~ .lUiI
slaves. Of which 1000 are 10 be found east Of the
nuc Ridge and IS ,DM; the west The cast has as
yc asserted no claim to representation Of their slaves.
az pcrsons-lnlt Il they be rejected from TIC computa-
ten oil numbers it i insisted they mus. he regarded as
propcry-as property entitled 10 The protection Of So
cicty--wlch we insist, on!. be extended, by invest
iac roprictors with such portion Of political power,
shall be essential to the protection Of the principle Of
property. Considered property, III" slaves Of the
east, at the lowest valuation that has been suggested
here would he estimated nj the sum Of Sll3. UU0 900
Those Of the west may be estimated nj l90G0.00U
illus if we deduct the sum of the value Of the slaves Of
the west from :hc Of the value OF those Of the east,
there will remain. in favor OF the east. an excess Of
S1n+ G00,G9N Establishing the proposition. that there
i large r.epondcrance and orr Of the slave iu-
trrcs in the east. plcpondcrance equal to least
Sl0i 0G9OG, 10 which If we add the eastern excess Of
real estate OF S36000UoD affords the sum cf Sl40
600 COO Carried into the common stock by the east,
OYER ard above the sum OF the descriptions Of
property. brought by the west, 10 the common stock.
And thus the minority OF persons in the east will be
taxed bv the majority il the west; on $40 600. 900
more than will be taxed in the west, On these two art-
Giles of property alonc-land and slaves.
Il is unnecessary, perhaps, TO dcain the committee
with further references 10 our tables Of population
which refer OILY 10 the unhappy and doomed class OF
free persons o.! coior.
And RON, sir must beg leave 10 invite attention,
for brief space to tables OF taxes f,ray you not
TO lie alarmed. | shall not descend to the minueness
of detail shall mol involve you in arilnecaI ca leu
IatinDs nor lose the mazcs o statistical confusion
shall point only 10 a few striking facts, which rise rlp
like our western kills. 10 challenge ltcoi TO fix The
! The Gaze. then m:nrlc their SUBMITS with tie skies
Tie sum OF the taxes 10 be hereafter paid into the
treasury, annually by Tie people of Virginia, at the
rates of taxation heretofore existing, will be STA U09
as appears from the estimates of the aiter of public
accounts. OF this sum SI3i 900 will be derived from
the tax on property '4 900 being paid bv the east and
18T Cs) b. the west Now if these taxes may be sssu
cd to represent pr0portionatc values, the property Of
the east will DC 10 that OF he west, S3a7 600 is to
$751; 900. And it therefore appears that the Of
eIG0UGG taxes derived iroa property is paid b. the
cast over and above villa. is paiu bv tho west on the
same description o! property. Thus establishing the
proposition that tic eastern minority pays large
prcpnncrancc Df taxes over the western ma orty and
aord:ng conclusive demonstration that the East holds
/
the subject Of these taEcs. Bit large proportion Of
the property o. Virginia is moi reached hy these specific
taxes. The commercial and mercantile cap tal is tax
ell ony through licences 10 ;cnd The revenue derived
from this is equal 5000 900. Of which the
cast pays l:50uO and the west $50 900 IF The COM
mcrcia and mercantile capital Of the State bear the
derived from this source, the proper ton which
real estate bears to It's tan then this CAPITAL ~ az he est
mated al 5000 .G!o0n0 Of which .hc sum Of $I45000,
COO is held i'll the cast and :550Aa 900 in the west az
forng in favor Of the east of 500 600 900
demonstrating that majority CT commercial capital is
held IN the east though has seen asserted BY western
orators, that the commercial capital of the west was
equal or nearly equal 10 l:r OF the east. On what
data. this estimate was iormc and this expression haz-
arded. am utterly unable To conjecture If this sum
of 0,0019O he added The excess Of the east in
slaves and real estate OF uOO we have an ag
grcgac of 1890 100000 Excess Of taxable property in
the east This sum is 10 be augmented by the OF
the east in property represented by specific taxes other
than slaves and real estate, which excess may be mod
crately estimated at the OF 500 600 900. making
the eastern excess Of taxable property equal to the
enormous of $3.50 0GC 900 But all the property OF
the commonwealth, has not been made the subject oil
taxation. The untaXed property of the State has been
estimated b. the gentleman from Berkeley at the sum OF
s1O0,OOO,00O Of which very large preponderance is
/ -, no INST The Ell, hapr estl-