Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-06-10
of their own interests you are Of yours THIN rh.
danger is to be apprehended' ""''

al
Lancaster, s'o1o ,noehurto8e, 4l96
! NIiddelsex, 2,3I2 Washington, o 39I
! Prince William, 2,498 Warren, l1as
Richmond County, 1879
Warwick, ee3 2as3g
Greene, 500
| Patrick, 1880
29,e39
Row beg leave TO inquire as an abstract propo,i
tion suppose that UP 10 this time and in the present At,
itude and condition Of this State, we had lived under
colonial government and that white population n
695 900 persons had assembled in this hall through e,
representatives TO make constitution for the people Of
Virginia for the first time 494 900 from side of the
mountain and 401 900 from the other, would YOU then
claim what you now claim this extraordinary and ex-
horbtant representation of property greater than the
representation of persons would you be willing to
COMPROMISED think there would be no hesitation on
the part Of the 40l 900 to compromise by taking half
the power and if they did not compromise, the
quence would BIZ that they would either have
sttution or imposed upon them by the majority Of
| 49,, 900.
Now take it that this city of Richmond may be
garded as very fair type, miniature specimen OF tho
State of Virginia. and want to put question through
this Convention to my constituents We have here III
the city OF Richmond what may be regarded as the tide
water district that is the Rockets and dock portion Of
the town We have what may be regarded as the Pied
mont district mean Main street. We have what may
be regarded tho valley district, commonly sbTn u
Butchcrtown Laughter And We have also what
may be regarded the trans-aleghany region, that
part of the city il which live called Screamersvile
ILaughter Familiary aud vugarly called Screamers-
VILE but now called the northern liberties, by which
name have christianed it myself. Well now Iwant
put this question to my constituents of the city OF
Richmond: suppose that under this constitution tho
trans-alleghaly portion Of Richmond, embracing the
whole OF ShOckoe Hill well as Screamersville)
and the Valley, should contain voting population
in the proportion of 100000 TO 100000 in tide-water
and Piedmont: suppose that the large property.
holders resided chiefly upon Main street or in Pied.
mont, and Tide Water, or Rockets and there cams
Il proposition for tho division of power between
those two sections, would they consent to give to
that minority holding property on Main street or in
Piedmont power the masses OF voters in trans allie
yhany and the valley Would they recognise the right
wealth of porer Themselves in addition to the
influence that always attaches to wealth. and If prop
should bo divided equally do you suppose that there
is n i'll Piedmont Richmond that would bo
happy to jump at the chance of dividing the power
with the majority, especially with the securities that
proposed i'll this compromise Or would they say no
am rich aud you poor and you are subject to
dominion and copro and if the wealthy few of Rich
mond would dare hold this language the many who
poor, what would be their indignant be As
they would answer in Richmond, let our answer DO
to the State. AS you would be dealt with BY your
selves so doal you with your brethren OF the west.
Well, now sir, want to say something upon this sub
ect Of taxation have proposed an ul raiorm system
of taxation and to my mind aud in my judgment there
Lut system of equality in taxation and that is to
make every man contribute to the support of govern
ment according to his and his ability. Our pres
system operates nuriously and oppres-ively
upon large portion OF the commonwealth. If ten
combine together to form common community and if
each of those ten has $4,000 Of capitol and
thinks proper invest his according the dictates of
his Judgment in houses and lots the second invests
his in slave property the third invests his in merchan
die the fourth invests his in manufacturing stock the
fifth i'll bank stock, the sixth in railroad stock, tho
seventh in drugs and medicines the eighth horses
and the ninth and tenth in unproductve lands waiting
Tor rise or Ill any other species Of property think
proper 10 imagine my opinion is that the only fair and
acceptable system that be adopted is to make these
ten men pay equal sums upon their respective CAPT.
tai to the support of the government. know
why one should pay all aud the other none know
no reason why should be compelled pay tax upon
the watch i'll my pocket that may BE- worth sixty or
seventy-ve, hundred and fifty dollars and all
other gentleman who has chosen lay out his $500 or
$1,000 on DIAMOND breast pin ring should lie ex.
empted from taxation. know reason why the poor
man. who has for his convenience the convenience of
his family, common clock upon bis mantlepece, that
cost him from three to five ten dollars should be re
quired to pay tax upon it whilst the ornament upon
his wealthy neighbours mantlepece that cost two thou
sand dollars pays no tax at all Sir despise deua
goguesm. l nm demagogue. 1 am no Aatterer Of
tue people, but my sympathies with the Of
the people. am one of the 1t is implanted
III ME by my creator as part OF nature. l know no
reason why the poor in the country who has
horse which Is necessary for the susenanco and support
OF his family should be required to pay upon that
horse whilst his wealthy ueghbor in the city who has
COW, perhaps worth ten times as much as the horse
should pay no tax am for an equal system Of taxa
ton upon the rich and the poor alike Let those who
have The most means contribute the most money for
Inc support OF the government. And from what class
the chief objection to this system of ad paloren
taxation you will find it to be from the large property
holders and why Is it because they wish to hold
property without paying the necessary tax upon -or
Is 1t because they desire to throw the burthen Of taxa
ton on those classes that can't as well afford to payt
jim either case am for enforcing it,
When tlrst determined to submit this proposition
did not stop toinqure what would be practical opera
ZION upon the east the Piedmont the allegheny
went fer the principe that has been adopted in
eight States OF this conederacy and In lees than ten wears
Will be adoptedn thrtyone of the States if there arc no
more States by that time, and God above knows how
many there will be- But did not content myself with
the mere principle determined to work out it's prac.
teal results and it's practical operations propose to
show those gentlemen who have dscoused here 30 eo
quently upon the inequality of this system of taxation
Oh the eastern portion OF the country, what will be the
practical effect Of this system propose to show that
the east so far from paying larger amount Of upon
tins much cherished slave property will pay much
smaller tax and that tide district of this State will
save $4,000 IN taxes by adopting this ad paoren system
OF taXatIon Piedmont will S24 600 the valley s3
900, and the trasalleghany will save $4,000 which
deducted from the present amount of in this State
would create deficiency of s94 OO0 which proposst to
make up by imposing the same rate Of taxation upon
property that now pays no taxes at ALL propose to
evy taxes upon the furniture of this commonwealth
above certain amount. which leave to be determined
by the discretion of two thirds of the legislature
propose to lay tax upon the capital of the merchant
instead of his sales propose to lay unon tho
banking capital of this commonwealth, upon ase rail
road capital, upon the manufacturing capital State
stocks city stocks, corporation stocks of all sorts
very large portion Of which is now in the hands OF for
clgn capitalists paying little tax in any way.
The number of slaves Jet taxation in this State
at 40 cents per head which the rate proposed the
last Legislature, is as follows:
In tide district there are 90 1854 taxable slaves
which, ut 40 cents head
makes SSs T0bs0
In Piedmont there are 1881
tux 49l36.4O
In the Valley, 21,457 tax s,5soSO
In Trans-Aneghauy, 1882 tax $4,000
Making lol,so5.sop paid on slaves
Whole number of slaves in the State 7
In Iidewater district there ITS 6sl slaves wttn'
ut an average of 5000 each, would make s3515fs";
tax on do, under ad valorem SYSTEM mt the rste oil