Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1851-03-25

NAV be organised 80 as to impose burdens
,on The entire property of the State that viii
impair its value and endanger its existence.
This legislature, organized on the suffrage
basis. would be composed of agents rejecting
the opinions and wishes Of equal numbers Of
tax PAYERS; and on the mixed basis, would
consist Of agents representing unequal num-
bbers Of tax -payers--not in the exact proper
|aion Of the amount they we're to pay, but In
& ratio approximating that principle--that
Is. in the proportion Of the number Of tax
payers and The amount paid combined. And
it is argued that, without any restraints on
Legislative power. the representatives Of the
smaller number of taxpayers are safely TO
be entrusted with the power to pass laws at
fecting life and liberty, and also to tax the
majority of taxpayers at their pleasure. be-
cause their responsibilities TO their constitu-
ents win be sucli a. to secure moderate pub
lie expenditures and low rates Of taxes,
whereas, if the suffrage basis be adopted,
those who levy the taxes will not be respon-
| sible to those who pay them; and that,
whatever restraints may be imposed on the
legislative power the majority Of the tax-pay-
ers will ultimately throw of those restraints
and destroy property by excessive taxation.
And here allow me to say that ! am surpri-
sed at the sneers Of Eastern gentlemen at
paper guarantees" as they are pleased to
call all limitations on Legislative power. And
what. / ask, 10 your bill Of sights--declared
by your courts TO be part Of the constitu-
ton? What Il your constitution itself, with
al it's fences against the encroachmcnts Of
power, but paper guarantees z
And to what do gentlemen invite us to
look as in itself perfect safeguard against .
public debt and excessive taxes? The gen.
tleman from Fauquier says to the mixed ha-
sis: It will secure property, good govern
ment, and viii save the people from heavy
taxes. The danger of public debt in con-
nection with the white basis was alluded to
in the convention of 1922 80, by several dis
| tinguished members Of that BODY i remem-
Der the name of Mr.. Morris, OF Hanover. and
of Judge Scots man whose genius we have
all been accustomed to admire, the memory
of whose virtues VIC viii ever cherish and re-
we're. And il was then argued that heavy
| debt for internal improvements would be a.
voided by the Mixed Basis-that all other
restraints mere mere paper GUARANTEES" and
| worthless but that the White basis would
lead to an enormous public debt and q waste.
full expenditure of public money. Chapman
johnson, and she others replied, and predict
ed that the compound or Mixed Basis would
produce the very results which have flowed
from the provisions of the existing Constitu-
ton, although it secures to the East more
more power than the Mixed Basis. Hepre-
dicted (and his predictions have become
prophecies fulflled) that the Mixed Basis
would give to the concert Of the Western
vote more power in respect to internal inn
provements than was taken from their num-
bcrs- --that Western members would move
in solid phalanx, and that, by combinations
with Eastern interests they would secure
their own purposes, whilst. at the same time
the public debt would be much more swelled
and increased than ifthey had the power to
carry through the State those great schemes
which would connect its Eastern and West
ern interests together and make them one
Such wassthe prophecy. What has been
the fnlflment? Why, we have witnessed,
under this unnatural and unjust apportion-
ment of power, the growth and developments
of a system Of public Improvement and ex-
penditure well calculated to alarm the judi
cious and the prudent The condition of par
ties has been this: Seventy nine Delegates
and nineteen Senators from the Fast, and
6fty-six Delegates and thirteen Senators
from the West: the Western members rep
resenting majority, and the Eastern mi
nority of the people the Western members
feeling no responsibility resting upon them
for the general course Of legislation
bering that they we're put under the ban in
1929, on account of internal improvements,
and seeing, for long time, in the members
from Eastern Virginia an obstinate determi-
nation to deny the West all improvements
and to close their ears to all appeals for the
development of its resources. Thus situa-
ted, how natural was it that the ffty-six
votes Of the West should stand ready to
combine with any twelve members who might
desire an Improvement East Of the Blue
Ridge. #
| proceed now to consider the last danger
to property the power in the legislative body
to discriminate in imposing taxes, between
one species Of property and another. If !
have satisfied any gentleman that there is no
danger from excessive taxation, but he still
breads Western hostility towards slave prop
erty, his fears may at once be quoted by ad
ralorcm principle Of taxation. Strip the
public agents Of all power to discriminate
fix now the ratio of contribution; graduate
it to suit all the great interests Of the State
establish scale Of taxes which may not be
changed; let the actual or the annual value
be the test as mar be deemed best. IN INV
opinion the ad palorem mode Of taxation ID
just, equal and uniform; it conforms to the
principle that the obligation to pay taxes is
proportioned to the value of the property to
be protected--to the ability to pay
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/ CALIFORNIA NEWS
i Arrival Of the Crescent CITY.