Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-04-01
.snecal,v conlap seeing that out CT seventy

especially complain, seeio5
five members are from the west
9;nr hv this process given ample security to per-
sona rights it incumbent upon the parties to inc con
sttrtionol compact afford the same security TO te
rab,s If nropertv And this is done by similar pro
III other aoiety of the house of delegates Is I"
he chosen upon different principle, which VIII secure
@ 3ars Of every species of property from inc ahuoe
nrdeus of taxation and which the majority o1 n@ho@rS
r;rht he tempc,! 20 impose. And this Is done Uy suo
;t,,i,o for the number of white inhabitants, the amount
,yenae which is assessed on and paid by
ovnrr norton Of the commonwealth; and dlvl'ng Inc
. hr s;zntv-fve, also, you obtain the ratio OF taxa
on 70 each delegate This applied indiscrlminately to
I'll the counties of the State as far as Is Practcae
gives AN equal representation east ana west
ss:on ~ the amount c! taxation. Il makes no lnrid
o distinction any whera and affords no cause OF COM
I;nf 70 sny one 1t is intended to protect property
r rbe vest as well as the east and it puts 10 price
rnon western eemen that i: does not put upon THOSE
in rhe east III that it gvesto the east
wills, II gives 10 the west twenty-seve delegates Out
th i in proportion the actually Pald inoo the
treasury And this is perfectly just and r1gn II pro-
10 be protected should be adequately protect
M and the only way TO this result ls 10 give 10
it, owners proper repre- scntalon, whether ney fesio
eost or west repeat, that these appor'ionmhts Vl
ranresectation are made upon sectional principles
The know no dividing lines. but run through all parts
nc Tie commonwealth, and deal out the same justice
BIZ the same rule to ALL 1t true, 1t gives by comoin
g both tie white and property CT TAX paying oasis
majority Cf fourteen III Tue AOu'e Va N~ -
!, the Senate to tina. portion of The State lying east OF
the Blue Ridge But this is simply because Z proper
tiona amount ofinterests are found mere We are tod
that the march of empire is westward anu tiaI at
no very distant day there will be iounn nsJFity OF
rsonal and property interests beyond, the mountains
When that nsriod shall arrive we shall have no right
TO complain that those interests shall carry with them
RIGHT to such representation as Wli give the Prepon
dernece 10 the west We shall, without murmer yield
norcr 10 others which ingenuity on the par othe
49, baph reN a N prCv tha am
IF bv those who now, Of right hold it. No. gentle
men. we have never abused the power which We have
so long held h. solitary net of injustice oppression
nor have we assumed any superiority YOU, you
100 frequently intimate by claiming to base representa-
ton upon the mixed basis'' You would refuse this
moment take the power and pay the cost of govern
ment. has been rendered you but YOU were silent
You demand the ri ht to control the government
while you would impose the burdens upon us. And
you not content 10 appeal to reason and ARGUMENT
you appeal to the passions and preudlces Of yoy con
stitueuts sustain your pretensUns By attempting TO
convict Ct disposition to value their persons
al few Cents. You hold up TO their view a raw
head" which IS withou. vitality, and though it may
alarm, cannot possibly hurt them. II Is truly an sr
gu:rent cd c ptandum ruigws.
Bat it is said that personal rights paramount TO
property rights; aud mans person is more sacred
than his property it should receive the greater protec
ton If the life of single individual Is to be put in
one scale and all the gold OF California in the other
there Gun he question that the former shoud out
weigh the latter but hs does not affect the argument
that equal protection should be aordeln your organic
law TO both And my firm conviction is, that there !.
far greater danger 10 be apprehepdcd to the rgt- Of
property thuu OF PERSONS. You may turn 7our child
loose IN the streets Of this city IN the darkest hour Of tic
night i may wander up and down through the streets
aud lanes of the town, and II II escape from accident
ven will find it safe in the morning. will harm it.
Eu nut gold chain about its neck and predict That
though il may escape unhrmed, the appcDdaye will have
a!l. into the hands of the night prowler. And il the
pcsscssor Of the chain shall be Of sufficient age ident
~ tie robbr and testify to the the his life will in all
probability be forfeited Iepeat 1t there is far great
danger 10 be arrehended 70 property than per.ou
Suppose, II you Please, two Communities sh: exist
wiki prope t. and one without 1t, and both without
law in which Of these two tribes would YOU prefer 10
se;tlei Without hesitation should choose the latter
Nv life and personal liberty would be much more Sc.
cure In the former my property and life would
be sacrificed to the unrestrained cupidity of the pupu
lace.
In the best regulated civil communities ilnsenths
OF the civil action Excluding actions Of SANDER and OF
It and battery grow out of the possession Of pre-
perty Nine tenths Of the murders and arson and all
Of the hglgres thetts and rcoberles attributable
the cause and yet the holders Of property are
far representation is cerned, to have protec
ton dissent from proposition illogical 50 con.
trarr 10 COMMON sense.
We have heard much during this discussion about the
expenditures Of the public muuey, in the varons por
lions OF the State, for internal improvements doc
uuent has heen ordered to be printed which will throw
much light upon this subject. wish l could avail N.Y.
self OF the Information it will contain That document
will show that out of the Of money that
have been expended in the State for internal improve.
meuts very small pttance has been expended that
broad section of the commonwealth denomnsied tide
water " and not one crumb has fallen 10 the share of
ttgt particular section from which come. Few also
are the crumbs Of Office allotted TO tide-water II is
true that the legislature Yesterday performed
honorable 10 themselves, aud complimentary to the
section alluded TO- but still! more beneficial to the
cause OF Justice tbrou bout the State by the selection
of gentleman great ability from tide-water to fill
the highest judicial station IN Virginia
In the absence Of the document referred to- ! have
been furnished By the second Auditor with an extract
showing in what proportion the funds for internal i'm
provement have been distributed throughout The State
The aggregate expenditure for internal improvements
up to October lst, 1885, IS eleven millions eight hun.
dred and thousand hundred aud seven
tytwo dollars divided among the several sections OF
the State follows:
First grand division of the State from the board to
the head Of tde-water 5798,323 T8
Second grand division, from the head of
Underwater to the Blue Ridge 7,4455s5 II
Third grand division, from the Blue Ridge
to the Allegheny 2ll5,763 SIS
Fourth grand division, fromthe Alegha.
ny to the Ohio river l,s54,oes 60
l1,s5s,772 90
now propose to show how the first tele of expendi.
ture Of S79332S.7s has been distributed in tidewater
The following short table will show:
To the Lower Appomattox Company,
Q7sl) $4,000 60
To the Dismal Swamp from 1871 to 1887 10000 90
Richmond Dock $1,000 %
City Point Railroad 10000 90
Portsmouth and Roanoke Railroad 4O6,6bO 90