Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-03-07
N,sH.pei i,rcsh fastP.gs.l

ha, be who contribute. the support OF the gov
eminent should enjoy most authority IN the government
that taxation and representation. corrcative terms
and should exist IN equal ratio. | will avail myself Of
the present occasion 70 declare that understand and
unequivocaly admit that one Of the first snd great duties
government Ia to secue the IN the perfect
,aent Of his property wish this to be explicitly under
stood But cannot conceive how necessary, or proper
that in order to the rights Of property in one or
ton ofthe community it is also necessary and proper TO
invade tho personal rights II the other portion OF the
community. In other wc- = deny that property can
be the proper and legitimate olegislative power
or that taxation can !, the legitimate rule by wSci to
appo,tion the legislative fawer because, 10 grant l's
would in the matter the suffice; OF discussion ne
csssar,y infringe the ndeesblc unai'enao!e f'Ss Oh
amajoritv Of tho community.
repeat that the docs not oppose Just anu equa
protection to property repl the ln=lnuation that
The western peope arc acuatea hy any sinister Pur-
poses II is true seeking Tor power but IL Is be
cause belongs it is because that 1t II right that
re should l.sve it, Let me tell eastern gentlemen
that such inuendoes from them with lad grace,
whilst they claim for themselves. ill open violation OF
the principles Of popular sovereignty, the very same
Dower which they unwilling t. enrust to Us. 40
not gentlemen perceive. that they. mere, decided
minority of tho people are assuming 10 themselves 'he
right to control far legislation can the property OF
the majority CT the people You say the cases dieren''
You say that the minority possesses the mos: proper
pays the greater amount OF tEcs, and therefor; an "
iitrary exercise of power by the majority would at''
.,;norv could affect u.s. Allow such to be the lac!. Inc
effect is the Same principle ana character oiicrs OF
y in extent SO that are de:oahch as wrong ,nc
exercise of power By us whilst yo', are claiming 'he
right even though in the minority 70 exere:ss inc sv.y
same nower yourseves would be authorized to refer
here think to the fable Of the farmer and the Ju's''
and the OK that was gored :,
The protection AFFORD to property by means OF al
lowing it representation i'll the legislative department
az government is wrong because the principles o we
,loto u,rsk
nartiay The mixed basis does not and cannot operate
Like on all sections, and more especially II caho "fe
rate with equality en- Individuals The principle -
therefore re IDEALLY wrong and practically anti-rcpne
can because ii inevitably produces lneqnaty lthA
! can demonstrate such t. be the fact.
What ia the object of constitutional law! lacknoWi
caoe that il is in part protect the minority lis great
object however. is to protect individual rights 10"
hall this protection b. secured: Not ny giving eacn
;nd;v;draI the control of i t'aton That would be an
,hsprd;ty But il it almo. absurd to give any NUN.
he, of individuals less tran tie majority such con'ro'
n in any number less tn majority, why not III Ten,
five or one But individual rights cannot be secured hy
any legislative majority whose will IA unre-trane ny
positive law and fixed limitations OF power. Inc VII! oil
tsgat;ye bodies like the will of individuals is change
III variable and huctuat;ng Hence the propriety OF
written constitutional LAW by which the people in their
original sovereign capacity strict and regulate ne nc
lion az their legislative agents and ali others by definite
rncucs end rules which cannot be trnsgressed with
az. their consent This il tho reason OF written c"nsti
.ntions and when these organic rules aia we'll Defined
he Interests of ndvi as we'll as of sections nrst
ra secure IT gentlemen fear to cnr'ist the taxing pow
~ in the hands Of western majority, let them provide
, constitutional. limitation Will it be said that having
The power, we will disregard any such limitation! Let
RIO * what becomes Of western Interests in the hands
of nm eastern majority. You will say that the undue
exercise of arbitrary o|cr over our property lives ahd
liberties will be prey.nted ny the Exchanging ana I'M
ehanyesbe rules of constitutional law. lhope So But
tn tlr
the west from the east why should they not DE- strong
enough 10 protect the east from the west 1t ia said
that Il is bad rule which doat work both way. Do
gentlemen seek TO est.l i he principle that the ire
sponshie, ln,tnating ". ! legls!atye MAJORITY, re-
presenting minority o; the eope will either
the east or the west the welfare OF the majority
or the minority Surely hot Therefore, If c0nstitu-
,oual limitations of power are necessary and adequate
8; the protection Of western rights SO think they vii!
lie ADEQUATE to protect rights And hence that
Legislative majority not only unjust but unnecessary
Before proceed to show more nnutcy the partial
and unequal oraion Of the mixed basis Of renresen,
discussed the other day by the gentleman nom Augusta
mr. SHsPrEY and to express TO him r. obligations for
the able elegant and eolucnt argunG; with which he
sntert aimed the committee. allude to Oh ortR
alton. Now, I do NOT now mean tc c1--ait myself
,rrevocaby to that principle. will wait for further
discussion At preset. can nothing objectionable
in il, What better security against discriminating aud
nppressiye taxation could gentlemen desire Let every
species Of property be taxed according IL II; vaue-et
~ one species of property be taxed CHER than any 9TH
r species Of equal vare-and what ground can there be
sor complaint or alarm And what prcext can gentle
men urge for property representation in order pro-
Gee, i, from undue taSatlnn This al ualorem prin-
4pe TO me to be just and of easy and equal
application With such 'st and plan limitation Of
the taxing power. why, how the rich entitled to
more Legislative power than g. .:eghbor, who though
less wealthy is entirely equal in virtue and intelligence
and every other characteristic of good citizen; 1t is
,fnc, he pays more tax lie Contributes more to the
support OF the soyerun But ought he rot TO DO so
One Of the great object, Of government. is the protec-
zion of property Well the citizens property is protec.
ted and he is secur,i The enjoyment Of it. What
more is he entitled 10 Being wealthy Than his
neghbor he derives more advantage from the govern
cnt aud ought in justice TO contribute more to ia cup
port.
Allow me to illustrate the equal operation .: equal
or cd o-eo taxaticc citizen east of the blue ridge
is worth $4,000. citizen west Of the blue ridge is
worth $1,000 According to existing rates of taxation
which are "a cents ON every 800, the eastern man
yorld nav ten dollars and the western man would paw
one dollar The former would therefore, pay ten times
the amount of the latter But he is ten times able
50 paw and s ten times much interested in paying it,
ior he derives ten times ~ mncn advantage from paying
u. There s therefore. injustice hardship i'll the
operation Of tho principle Thus citizens equally
hurdened ard equally benefited.
Now, contrast this mode of taxation, with tho praci
cal effects of the mixed basis plan OF distributing the
legislative power OF the government according IN taxa
lion BY which it is proposed to the property Of
The minority by comforting the legislative power the
minority Do this fairly, and it will be seen that ths
system partial and unequal in its operation and ef
ects, bo'h scctionaiiy and personally. Why there
arc thousands OF the citizens living in the trans.egha-
nv district who po.aesa more property and pay more
taxes than thousands OF the citizens living in The cs
ontane districts and vet because your wealth
is greater than ours ese eastern citizens are
be vested with political power than citi-
Gems who nay twice the aaount Of taxes will venture
70 SAY that there may be found west Of tho blue ridge at
least twenty thousand tax payers who pay greater
amount Of taxes than twenty-five thousand eastern tax
payers who might be selected and yet these latte. have
more weight and clothed with power than
the former. Is this JUSTICE Is this with the
spirit end requirements of republican equatyi H.w
docs it happen that man paying dollar OF public
revenue BY living in he vicinity Of wealthy neighhors
ID entitled TO weight in the government than the
man paying twenty dollars but who resides in the midst
Of community that is re- vealt.y' If property be
really andrghtlly the Of representation should
not be every whore equal! rcprescntsdi Should not
those who actually pssess the property and pay the
tsxes enjoy the benefit Of the political authority
connected herewith! Certainly DO principle can be
sonnd which operates partially will further illus
trste this idea. Mononsaa county has population Of