Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-04-11
rcnat;nued from Fourth Page

-. nJ blacks as the best measure of wealth, upon
which wealth he wished to base representation ;,
Mr.. pinckney desired that the rule Of wealth should
Ia ascertaued and not left to tho legislature; that
,ronerty in slaves should not be exposed to danger
under government instituted for the protection u
property" =. 49,. $50 that the States
should elect the same number OF senators sa,Ia b.
all acts of sovereignty and authority the 'aees ~
ouaIJv taken" So in the appointment OF ohcerS anu
tb. adjustment of salaries but that IN passing laws
zach State should have right OF suffrage III proportion
to the sums which they respecife!is eon't w
might here stop merely alludlnS ~ :'e TACT that III
49,. - constitution which was the result of the de-
bates and to which the language have referred
II ia provided that anu taxation Ahouo DC
annort;oned alike Now ask gentlemen If that provl-
";pp :; tho federal constitution and the quotations
have made so far they partakc OF aristocracy-so
far as they disregard the rights of persons and degrade
freeman BY giving to him or his section Ut country
equal political weight with another sect'oh-to not 80
hcrord and are not o!uus IN these particulars
than any thing contained in the proposition OF the Se-
tlcman from Fauquier or - me report OF the commit
tee. We do not ask Yru to base representation ia Tue
legislature upon taxation wholly hut we i'et w.
ern brethren halfway, far rs that gre"' pm -
the federal constitution Is invoi'eu ~, orson tsv
the prot lection of property VIII protest pel'Tn,
conted mot nothing ought to be protected by arect
representation but persons We meot them hai-Was'
and tender them in the proposition We Offer copr"
milan which in all conscience ana reason IL doeS see u
~ 49, sbopld be willing to take. Did We stand here
MI ofcr them the great principle contained IN tue ted
.ral constitution they might object ana ln'i7t tina.
-wero degrading men. and putting men on lever WIN
Ilors and cents We only ask lou to take our prlnc
,a IF tsxaton and combine with it the principle Tor
b;cb the west cont ends and of those TWO elements
compose the representative power II VIII give Us
Government which we believe will protect most ehcent
f. Tho RIGHTS of persons aud the rights OF property Is
bs b;ch will operate upon all sections OF the State
equally and protect the rights and interests OF all Is
an adjustment of legislative power which undertake
to saw no human ingenuity can perTert to the peru or
unequal protection Of any right OF any freeman OF tins
Commonwealth on either side of the mountains; 1t Is
that adjustment which we believe provides the only
safe protection that be given to property N your
government. "a it not AJAX. just princlpes heen
argue here to show that property Is one Oh 'le cti
objects ct government. Will not even 80 ~ III " u
Gove,neur Morris in the debates on the federal constl
tu1on when he saws that life and liberty were Sener-
ally said to DO Of more value than properly n "Ieu,
rate view of the matter would nevertheless prove ht
property tho main object OIL sociees'
stale wa, more favorable to liberty than tho civilized
ond ncieptly 40 for life It preferred by oil men
who had not acquired taste for property 1t WAS only
renowned for the sake oil property "h'h coud on pg
secured by the restraints OF regular government.
need not assume that position but will assert that
Droperty is one of the main objects of government and
as mich mn object of governmental protection "a per-
sonal liberty and personal rights Why for the proper
tv which man holds he will endanSer ms life; ne
considers his personal rights bound up i'll the property
that property must lie regarded equally an OBJECT OF
protecto-as mich entitled it from the government
and Just liable to abuse and wrong as personal
rights will remark here, that when you uiueFtahe
20 form, government, there are certain fundamental
prncpes which are to control in its formation; there
are certain great political truths which have been
worked out by those men to whom have referred TO-
day, and which have been tested BY experience, anu
which will be approved so long as free government sna
exist But those engaged in tho work OF framing the
organic law which they are TO apply those great tu
aInentaI principles practice should nave due regard
20 the circumstances BY which they are surrounded
need stop illustrate this idea ana nave referred
60 it merely to show that if we could not maintain our
proposition to give protection to property as general
PRINCIPLE vet, regarding the peculiar circumstances
which eIis in this State and which are likely to exist
we can fully maintain its application and e1pediency in
this particular case.
It has been wisely and truly said by one of the most
distinguished statesmen and scholars OF the present day
{Brougham Politics is einently practical and e1-
detrimental science 1t docs not teach us-t docs not
permit the universal application of general ma1ins
without regard to circumstances more than the sci
snce of mechanics teaches permits the engineer to form
his machinery upon calculations snd figures on paper
without making allowance for friction the resistance OF
the air and the strength elasticity of materials
Thus when we who have met in this Convention, ind
conflicting interests in different sections OF the State
even if We could find i'll the examples set before US
aud in the lessons which have been taught U.S. great
principle which mil ht apply without any Objection
spirit of ton-with determination to yield
rreudices aud to apply those principles according to
crcunsa nces in order that might allay this excite
ment h. aun,osty of feeling and govern our action by
m unbiased purpose to adopt that form OF government
which shall best protect all the interests OF property
east aud west appeal, then, TO gentlemen OF the west
to point out in what contingency the rights OF majority
of the voters & this Commonwealth can be put IN JeoP
ardy, be abused, upon the mixed basis plan Without
equal abuse Of personal or other rights {" every man
in tho EASTERN portion of the State. We propose no
prncric here which will authorize the Legislature to
favor tue east against the west or taH west against inc
east We advocate, the contrary one "hGh operates
generally and equally all over the olaVe n"'e us
and have not az vet heard one who mas sho"i mat
under this mixed basis the personal rights Q! any man
will be invaded or endangered III INC vi uo
State is not in the power Ua cnso But
M. pS,on of affairs and imagine the west to be III the
name position that now are paying the larger share
of taxation and owning that property when Is the mos
reliable source of revenue-and ask western gentlemen
oend;Jr rhether they would feel as safe under the
nrncnle thew contend for as they do under the on"
which we advocated If then they cannot show tina,
tne principle We maintain endaiSers some personal
riphta or operates mustly towards them ana iaVor"hy
trds another section OF the State think they mus,
eoncede that there is really great, controlling cop
GRAFTON why they should insist so strehuousy upon Lhe
basis of representation Ia 1t not manifest that hse
owning majority of the taxable property-et 1t be
uher
which must supply most of the revenue required, would
be liable to suffer when those having less OF that prop
artv would not feel to the same e1tentf Look at the
nrsc. operation of your III Its exercise OF
the taxing power if you levy tax even now upon
more heavily upon those who own tho larger amount OF
nroperty Take the same amount OF voters east ana
west aud any law which is enacted TO raise revenue n
taxation will draw from the east where there srsat
amount of taxable property larger amount OF taxes
than It will from the west Is not the practical effect OF
tho case then unequal in its operation upon the two
sections Now there, in any view you can take any
probability that there be, in any law IN regard to
personal rights which may be enacted this inequality OF
aneraton There cannot be two opinions upon the sub
ject. rr,;o, man orc,,,,
with one another every day Is it not principle which
is found in all joint stock conpanies Do not the stock
holders vote and have power in their meetings for hl-
.nes, in proportion to the amount of stock owned by
each and does not the who owns greater amount
of stock have greater weight in the concern than the
MAN who owns less amount 1t is in all partner
ships and associations 1t is the principle which is &C
knoledped in every days transactions and 1t is one
mich SO far from being unjust and oppressive as g"n.
tlemen have characterized it here is the only just and