Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-06-10
CONTINUED :
x,p1 from First Page.
IN eastern counties! No; it is :

tt.,ues. Mr.. LYONS that YOU shall Fernil
tbs ,trsy Of ills Commonwealth, aud tise des-
TIMES 6 the State, to be controlled by the non
properly holding but legally qualified voters GU Tue
Cc.aa!ouw Aud he would not trust the pro peity
Of this city, lie SAYS in the hands Of the quasihea
voters, being themselves nonpr"perty holoes' WV"
lc me illustrate Hare. for example. is the city OF
Richmond that upon this mixed bass Is gl'en lotI
representatives with white population Oh i''ooo ana
plviur into tn. public treasury S6".uou anu Hactou
over which would cnttlc her upon the hooi VI Tue ie
.laure 10 eleven representatives, one upon her popl-
ion avn ten upon her taxation. 1ct you give her
four and BIZ; foar You "bon to extend and will
extend before sou sc, through with TIE deliberations OF
this Ccnvci ion Il, ri hi Of Suffrage to every free white
male citizen oil the Commonwealth with perhaps some
slight aualica which every j. able to acquire
And when suffrage Is thus extended, there Will be per-
haps soinc 5000 Of voting population Ill this city There
will hc some IKE six hundred CT evena housa!'d OF
those 5000 w9are large property holders VINE .e re-
mainGcr will j.. either small property holders. or non.
Eroperty holders. At any rate they are not counter
anon. the property holders They are The common
people liz to be trusted with the ceAtf9i ." ''e
property OF The millionaire, or upper e!iS' "S 'n'' -
h:ei as We ASPIRE TO- i Question arises upon Tue SUP
ict OF tayaton end appropriation for the purpose Oh
Constructing railroad widening and extending Inc
James rive canal for The introduction oi gas OF VIZ
toy INFO the CITY of Richmond Well, these I'VE nun
t,cd propertv holders may sar We do NOT waGS 20 ee
taxed we DO net want orr property taxed lor any sue
rurn,a - either Of those mentioned We are well enough
oti as il is we have got all want and we do not wnl
any more ana tcy therefore put up their Tour cnai
dates in opposition Ia THIS system OF taxation ana apfo
pria;i,n VIVA! sa~ ,nur small property holders
5etttlcncn you NAV have enough. hlt we nave not We
want 70 make little more, and our interests WIZ -
promoted and Tie general Interests OF TINS great gun.
!aonwealth will be promoted By suDecthS your P"i:n
" to taxation in the same proportion INIT we 'e W.
in to tax property for the e%te'-loh u nn
ar canals or the introduction Of water oI gus lHc
cone to the polls. They put upthe!r four canaioes III
opposition to the four candidates ot t!!' pfopsi'S n"
~ Z I ,lI1-n
ce 500 votes al the polls while the Others get o!o
H. that representation of property inaSite 'ie
800 ,roncrty holders would rather have one candidate
against Them than four and If they had eleven OF one
the ZOO would beat the one or eleven just u easy as '
four Now that sou call representation OF properly
SO do not l. But that is the priuclPc-th:t proPe!
entitled 20 representation. v ell according 10 III,
n,e, while Tie subject has been very lnucn taheo w.
am while the proposition mas Dse'' ,hc
federal convent ion that adopted the constitution oil Inc
Init ed States and while it was claimed III lhe CONVEX.
t:n that framed the present constitution OF NirSa III
1899 The ncic was asserted. but Ii was abandoned,
AMI has been carried out mowhSre that prolerT - v'
titled 10 Representations II is new principle; sty
u.w prnc:. not now for The first time advocated Du
u principle never adopted 1t never was within ll'
Concentration of the ORR FINAL trainers oil our govern
meat, The constitution q the United States does iot
recognize il; ii recognizes basis Of federal numbers
which Is founded upon NJ white persons aud t.rce'ltS
al the slave population Slaves partaklllS OF tie nNel
character OF persons and property tWoi'hs Oh 'heHi
were regarded as property ana 'Nee'htu' 't' S'"A
What was the meaning of the bill Of rights which was
established by illustrlous ancestors III was i',n
cd to exhibit the fundamental truths and principles ur
on which government should be based 10 you l'u am
ib;,, IN that bill of rights about the representation Ct
nrnp.rty. Nvt at ALL Protection 10 property You Go
ind in various Representative" I" property n"
where hope may be pardonsd for thus introducing
the bill Of ri! the cosler't" oi TINS convention
So we'll iurI!rd rs il i il regard 10 it;and "a often has
i L..r referred 10 but am addressing myself H." on
X 10 the reason ani Judgment of the eastern meGtrs
of this bIv but to eastern gentlemen generally "t -
INV own constituents in particular, whom am utter-
mined shall have the opportunity OF Knowing nj m.
.i.s an tLis question Even if it took the last dollar
have on earth will have them scattered broad.c;'
through this district and as intend these REMARKS !"
operate upon the judgment G" The people so lar a.
',ova The cau3rv 10 ruurcc them, be- 10 make refer
cucc 10 lh- bill of rights familiar to Ms, but not familiar
10 NIL of them Ii commences with the declaration:
.'r,a all men are bv nature, equally free and Jude
pendent aud have certain inherent rights OF which
when ,lcr enter Ato l.tac Of society, they caalin
v n compact, deprive Givcst Their postcrtv name
~, the endowment .! lf aud liberty with the means n
AcorlxG and property and pursuing aud oE.
tanning harplness and safety.
There is nothing there about giving Fo'rer 10 proper
tv-o!hinr there about representation to property
but it speaks Of possessing property hat Is 81 Ey
the possession secured 10 them by ro'cclon Did they
make any disposition of the Po~er Of the Government
YES they dill l. ii vested III property! No! no! no!
ut AL The next clause in that bill of rights re'''S-
THAT al po,ssr is vested in and consequently dc
rived from, Tie people
Not 50 with this enlightened age in which now
live Free principles have taken retrosrcssive move
,nent The principles Of freedom that arc extending
themselves throughout the civilized globe have been
checked, and here in this consccratcd sp"t-n tins Coz.
veu1ion of Virginia sccs-in this old commonwealth ct
VIRGINIA III. principle is about I" be subrcrcd. lIl
pom. j. 10 be given 10 tropetM and not to persons Aud
This bill Of rights goes 4" declare that when anf
government shall be found n.'cqua" to carry out th"-e
purposes. Il majority -"f what "i property. No.
..,.inoiority Of the c,umuaih' Does t!,c word com
muuity mean property. ~ majority {" The commit,
nitv has the n,le.a>le inaenablc, induhablc r.i';
10 reform alter abolish in such manner as shall b"
deemed most conducive the public veal. There IS
the power There is where the po~er of government Is
lodged by this declaration OF fundamental PricpieS
But il goes that no man, OF sci OF men, are
entitled TO exclusive separate emclnments or pfvi-
}cp.s from Tie community. This is what your bill OF
RIGHTS asserts, as to the rights Of property and OF
persons.
H. this representation that YOU propose to give 10
wealth not privilege - iAe representation thai YOU
propose to give tn. richest portion of this Common
1rcith over the poorer parts q: this Cnmmouwc ,it
nrivileu to wealth. Then carry the principle o.; aud
give to the richer counties OF this Commonwealth 4
greater political power than to the poorer counties then
carry your principle still herout, and apply equally
10 III. rich rs well to the poor nlan. and give him
power also equal TO his wealth if the principle is sound
1t comes 20 this.
would here remark that feel most proud OF the
opportunity and OF the privilege OF standing up here ~
one of the champiors--ieeble and humble Us a;-oi
the power Of the people against the power OF PR" 2:ty
I will give property lis protection; will give '"rc :;
and before am done, will show that the great ash the
vic. and the good men Of this Commonwealth who .E.vc
rome before us-the men who have passed away from
The scenes Of life and whose spirits may now sperntend
our luoors, have endorsed the position that occupy
Now have said that Ivy the proposition A, it Is pro
posed to give more power property than to persons,
and that il offers representative for every 10000 per
eou. and one representative for every $1,000 taxes and
fraction; l2,nuu free white pcrso,s, and $4,000 and
ION of taxation.
men will not blame me, presume, it, occupy
he opposite side of the platform upon which
,ldHis directly the contrary principle, that
t only entitled to more power than
ding to your bill of rights, that they
power in The Commonwealth.
'amcd If have endeavorcd TO
'ostion into mixed basis
ns t:er rule. About a
many gentlemen com
"proulisc, and who
:yed basis, lprc-
presenting my
'crat:on oil
tive of