Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-03-18

q
ishcd by death for every offence from the thief, Of =
shilling or the shooting pheasant upwards And wlv
has been and is all this; Need there be an answer,
, He y no runs may read." The laws 10 protect prom
erty made at the instance and through the niu
eacc If the wealthy. in government of property hold
c> Av the favored few, 10 protect them from tie nd
gent MANI. The laws protect Tie person from dan
nsa' oppression or seduction were required More
peculiarly for the protection Of the humble against the
mighty The latter were from their situation ciihc,
no. liable such aggrcssions or were able 10 viadicatc
their wrongs. Under such circumstances caa
any one doubt the result in government where all
power is i'll the hands Of the wealthy: IL Is not mat
Ter of wonder, that property should not only be Ill!
chief thought of legislatures, but should actually, in
tho language of tpsher. be regarded not only equal
but q! more Importance than persons III govern
mcnt where property is treated element Of gov
eminent. Such results may well he anticipated from
such premises.
! 1t ID not my purpose to argue at any considerable
length, proposition palpale rs the one under in.
mediate consideration and which has been in fact ad
.niti" - the ah.-t advocate Of the property party
judge l',rher who ha, given the germ of all that has
ever heel, s, upon primer ple By the opposition, lnad
the following declaration in the last renon al
nit -: general proposition. that in free governments
power ought 10 be given the ma jority and WHY.
The rue founded in the idea that there is identity
fhou.! an equality Of Interests III the several ne!
bcr- If Ia. body politi in wilic! case the pressnp;
NATURALLY arises that the greater number !o-ses the
greater interest Nuv tl- j, most direct and positiye
assertion TINT mans interest not III proportion TO the
amount u ssessed And the doctrine is true. Not ony
i lie VII" j. able To own br.pnc negro or one horse -
:lxoi. n,; the security .! that property ~ one who
Possesses hundreds but j. loatl ~ pay cyorftant
;axe> on them 1t i trUc upon the principle of III"
widow mite and upon every thing III u,a' 'afur"
~ shown IT, IL by experience believe VII n"t !: IL"
MED. Now ii this principle prevail. it can Is sao"r
irum fact that every part ot the State har" the Fam"
species d property I" protect at least the west hs< All
;t the AT cypress fears fer though, rerlap- III Il"
twu connie, in precisely the ratio II the popG!a-
ton get il this ct and ra'c be true, the ~ much talk
I'd al property Of the eat i safe ana the admitted
general proposition Of Judge r>her niu take effect.
that ROVER ought To be- given to the majority. But
there i in connection with tE> minor proposition another
error into which the opposition have fallen Il would
appear that with the 4" fr"f"us intent of converting
10 their use, d charm ~ the word nalr, II ha-
been colr.idcd that there J. majority III interest -
we'll - IA majority III numicr Ibis idea Is not more
urnio.> than weak The very word majority pr.cinl,s
every otlcr idea but a, "l numbers. If the phrase
riaior,y in interest Is intended 10 the idea q;
a n.n or,r If those o II interest, which in fact j.
tie .rc construction al the piirasctlen il nc
tier mgr. less than majority Il number. and
amounts nothing for AL are certainly III nterct't"
ON. .xcn.. But ihi, j. by means the impression
which i. maaut 10 lie made. The ie, intended Ia h.
con, cvcl--ii it rea9 has any a.ys:sc -ignifcation,
!. majority of interests Meaning thereby those POI.
scssns tie greater a"nt 81 property Now II has al
read? been attempted Ia lie shown that The great'r
lmoun If property does not give III. greater interest,
ior. in interest meaning something dierci', from the
msnrity "f numbers l. solic;sIn total per,'-sIo or
nis:pcati'n If the word majority which applies a'pne
~ numbers ana not quantity. II [ an correct III th;
he opposition stands convicted of cnd.ayorir. 10 prcss
into ;hcr service word t"p that i, dear 10 every
republican, The trespasS and "f'"ri coIsa have lecn
mos manifest, IT, however the property has been found
ana forthcoming I" H. owner "pon tis trial s!a b"
content But cry such effort avid the true is.ge
and true definition of their position is evidence os
tlcir consciousness Of weakness. 1t is never right
light uricr false color II L. unkind to fitch the m
ser nf your ayer-rie> and hurl AT them from masked
!ait,fir-. Let The opposition assume not only their
iru. position hut their true garb Theirs is not
for hut against majortic-. They the advocates
Of the whole hut Of class, section Of the few. not thn
,uanv, H.. rich, hot the poor and If their j.
worthy Of support. ls them its livery. rha
conclude the prcs"ui minor proposition As All appeal
iroln experience. 10 the whole history Of
and vc!! assured that no nian IN this assembly viii
contend from that experience that patriotism, honesty.
hi., If Justice and respect for property aud 9th
.r ri sht- the result ." the possession OF property,
that the .v:sa'.try 7" any country untrue 10
that country IL institutions. II history teaches
lhi. above all others il . the ,euinnc.,s ii man and
,hc cCrruliiW,- of power and property. The love Of
property may possibly ncra>c with it, accumulation and
l-r b rc$,ec; for il never. The owners Of ii n"
cs, capable .: s,g The mcl". 81 "xt"ring II from 9th
sr- In" petty, property holder Ir The destitute may
( II - with the lbs. OF that, and I" the same extent.
comes the los Of dc<irc from others. 1hr-e
things may lie. do not them. hui ii ~, they
|ain. their Bet over and above all tls i, Is
unr-a imgv co,lt,ndc that nais native love md
pet tr property. huwc:cr snail the amount ne may
i.->>. las h"nc>iy and honor, III enlightened
r.. anal III government oi public opinion u the nm
r,st :ad eur.>; of s.ic-.suarca.
Somewhat in connection with this j. the n, prop
os;on flat there exists in fact such anialoi,:,mo i
iutcre hi- been oontcnd'd for IS opponents
Ii has already been said tina, there specie, "f
property in til" East which nay he found in the
West and il = cont.n,d that there can he found
ncr.; Of til" East which conflicts 4ith the interest
ri the West-tlat the true interest of all Virgins
The The census will show tha; the VS.: deep
y nirre t" i'll the subject Of slavery her population
brn; the owners Of slaves sufficient c fd,
ity un'"r all Urinary circumstances upon the rnrpl.
Of pccnirv interest arnc. independent If cun.lcra.
ticn> 81 justice. honor and State pride But the West,
not Only Interested Ia the am"un, of capital invested in
slaves bit ns subject ii taxation, Tor long they ~.
regarded - property they will b. sub cct of taxation
a'ri must. upon III" most just yst,nl relieve the Wet
q! large amount "i taxation. his alone would insure
tn" fidelity al tie West long slavery nla!c
2r"an' az c;''r "t oppression 10 the white race, and
this would give ground al complaint Ia the East,
And while p,aknS ri the axaio! o: ,lavcs, IL, II"
correct an 'rr"r which have been entertained
II i asserted that -lave property Is peculiarly unfortu
nal" - sul"ct ." taxation: that II i not only taN"i
i>" bEt IL. produce yield 81 Its labor i also taxed
Now. hut mcn,nt'- reflection will how tha, III.
precise hn., exists IN relation every other -,r-
ci"- ii property. The product income from our
h"rsr- oxen "r arn- nr other property but proiuc.-
piano. watches money IL l"an other horses
farms, which III their turn become taxable All other
property vel! ~ iav.> reproduce, seifbv bcgc,ig
other property. !, has also been cu,teicd that r,avc-
are tempting and easy l.ct Of taxation this can h..
suard%i against III the -lmpl " Of all ways Adopt tho,
primer which viii receive the tied sanction e ,lIn
W"-t-:h" at "alorf1" system oi t:Xation--and ihca
the" slaves cannot be- burdrued than other prop,
cray ol equal value and it should Lc asked tia,
lc hurd'uc' with les. Bu, there i another reason
which must ever s"c'r" -la'c property from unjust ;aN
alton. The principal -nvc-ownnl cointir- oi the Hc.'
liz i'll III" valley, where of til" co.:c. slav.-
are very vital and predominant Interest Til. ynl.y
region oi tie STATE, nl, the ba,is al, ocate NUT %
Necessity br the ;rhlris ,i the Stat in conr-:
between the Ea,, aud West. b, the llsi- contcrldd
for ly opponents. The entire West i at the W..
tr"ll" mercy uf the Eastern minority with nroii1
Int their will The valley. though, they might ht wi
ling o do The tranAllc.iav district justice, have not
the power while upon the whit basis The only -ubrc'
upon which Eastern friend pretend 10 BE-
ta-oni-tlc III interest. must he ~ lc
p'ec!y and overwhelmingly under HI cu,r" # tn"
who" lntercst- least ia iho.r -ulc wholt
Identical with their Tie valley should j" ih" Hin
ter nl rglli have Gccl''ti H. WA