Richmond semi-weekly times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 184?-1853, 1851-07-29

aristocracy such as this would become, would be to
me the most detestabe. :
Two thirds OF the voting population under the new
Constitution Mil prove 10 be those who hold slave
property; and IS il asked of sacrifice the personal
rights OF two thirds of entire community, to appease
tne iears or indulge the preludces OF the other third
only because they are propretors OF the peculiar nsu
ton OF slavery? 1t so, my ready is, that will
see no white man robbed of his personal rights his
tura equality, to secure favor with the master of any
slave; or IN other words will make slave OF no lUhie
man to secure any black slave from taxation, even
though 1t should be oppressive which under my propo-
sltlon was absolutely impossible.
Well, might ask, as | did in the Convention, "Why,
in what age do we live we in the middle of the
nineteenth century when the schoolmaste is abroad all
the face of the civilized globe when men are every
where asserting their rights and throwing off the
shackes of desposm, when thrones and empires are
tottering and tumblng into the DUST before popular
freedom and popular rights, is it for here in the Old
Dominion, in This old Commonwealth OF Virginia. to
engraft upon our Constitution principle that proper
ty is entitled to more weight, and more repre-
sent ton in government than men II / stood
alone, out OF the lbs members upon this floor, should
stand perfectly erect among my constituents, my
saveholdng ard property holding constituents
and say 1 trample such a principle in the dust"
feel proud OF the opportunity and of the privilege of
standing up here, as one OF the championseeble and
humble as am-of the power of the people against
The power OF property. will give to property its pro-
tection, but will give it nothing more"
What l said in Convention | take occasion to
repeat here. have nothing TO take back nothing
modify, nothing to ask forgiveness for these my
principles proclaim them from the housetops, fling
them to the breeze-upon them will sand or with
them will fall.
"There is in my proposition" as also said in Con-
vention, ga surrender of nothing but prejudice" There
is nothing but surrender OF passion and prejudice TO
reason and Judgment; surrender of hostility to har-
mony, discord to peace, ndivsbility dissolution
these are the surrenders that propose and thess
prepared to carry OUT. And now, assert tn at no ba-
sis can be established that does not give majority
the slave slavehodng interest of the State as sixteen
representatives from the Valley, representa- large slave
holding interests will always be found ting with the
East upon every question affecting that pecu proper
ty-uness they sef-sacricing set of patriots
than can be found in the East, which none OF us are
willing to admit
1t has become quite fashionable for public meetings
to resolve, and tor men, who ought to know better,
vocerousy to proclaim that taxation and representa-
ton should go hand in hand and that one Of the prln-
cpes contended for by the fathers of the revolution
that property or taxation should be represented.
pronounce it a calumny upon the name and fame of
those great and sterling patriots. They commended
for such principle; they asserted such claim: thew
dreamed OF no such absurdy, and point of fact so
Tar fromregardng property as entitled to representa- on
they acted upon the opposite extreme when in the for
nation OF our first constitution they gave as large
representation to the lest county TO the largest
To the poorest the most wealthy; to tho county
OF Warwick that now pays S60l taxes, the same repre-
sentaton as to the county of Loudoun that paws S4-
$50, and twice as many Richmond now has that
pays $4,000 in taxes This itself is sufficient an
swer to those who have grossly misappeheuded the
hand in hand and who have strangely misunder-
stood and misapped the principle contended for at that
day.
But if to see the principle more clearly de-
tined, let us look to The Declataion of Independence
where the causes of complaint all enumerated
What does say! Here it is: "When ia the course of
human events, 1t becomes necessary for people 10
dissolve the political bands that have connected them
with another and to assume among the powers of the
earth the separate and equal station to which the laws
"of Nature and OF Natures God en'itle hen decent
respect for the opinions of mankind requires that they
"shoud declare the lohich impel them to the
Separation" Then OF follows enumeration of the
Is the refusal on the part of the British crown
to allow presentation to taxation, or to property in
any FORM to be found in this enumeration OF causes OF
complaint Certainly not. What we do find here, is
a complaint against the crown
For imposing Iares on US asthout our consent''
That refusing all representation; not to the proper
ty of the colony, or to the taxes paid but the colony
Itself; and when 1t is pro Osed to exempt any portion
of this Commonwealth from representation in the Lee
g'sature-that is subject to the taxation imposed by
that body, then will this principle of the revolution
be applicable, and not till then
Has the arisen in the East to justify an appeal
to this princple Is complained Of any where that
is denied TO any part OF the Eastern por-
ton of the State? / have heard of none Has it ar
sen in the West! Go there and enquire of the 100 900
DISTINGUISHED majority who refused an equal parti-
cpatlon IN the tax-levyng and Incorporating pow
er, in the power to make war peace in short in all
legislation OF the State matter 10 what subject II
may relate Ask them if, in the language of the De-
cara,ion of Independence they complain of US in
the East,
"For imposing tares on them c,ttout their consent?
and it they will agree to make appeal 10 this great
principle ofhe revolution, let compromise with them
30 far as TO agree that we will make reference to it
hereafter.
But did not leave my views of this basis question to
be ascertaned by inference or deduction In the
letter referred to, said "Ths Iapprehend" he ba-
sis OF representaon Twill constitute the chief difficult
ty with the Convention IN coming to harmonious and
conclusions and must, at last. to great
er or less extent. be a subject Of compromise "
Immediately alter this etter was written, left the
State, and took part, directly Indirectly in the
canvass, though often and urgently pressed to do so;
and did not return until the election was over when
found had IN my absence been elected a member of
the Convention, and of course elected with full know
ledge that was favorable to a compromise of this
question. t
What right, them has any to complain that ad-
vocated compromise IN the Convention +? ThaI was
right IN the conjecture that the question would have to
compromised, the result has shown; and the only cues
ton proper 10 be raised s, whether compromise was
better or worse for those represented than the one ul
tlmately established. Upon this subject each one must
Judge for hmsei have only say tina at last one was
put upon us that could for YET bad as it is
prefer to the particular ired basis herein beto dis
cussed, as presented by the committee and if there is
any part OF my constituency, who think either of the
two propositions submitted by me would not have been
better tor them, for the East and for the whole State
nave yet to hear OF them. 1t is surely fault of
that the East did not take my proposition when the
West was disposed to give to them as thew were bv
q unanimous vote.
Every feature OF my compromise has since been sub-
TALLY adopted excepth equality Of representation and
the only objection heard raised that was not that it
would not be satisfactory now but that in ten or fifteen
years the West would obtain another Convention and
establish the white basis and how is now by the pre-
sent compromise The West has majority of IA in
the popular branch the East ten majority in the Senate
to checkmae and defeat the popular will to arrest all
internal improvements in the ate and thus relnguish
all the anticipated benefit to result from the millions al
ready expended and in IA years the whole question OF
basis is to be submitted to the people, when the white
basis will surely be established What Eastern mem
Der would prefer equality of representation as long
as the Constitution endured, to this Western majority
joint ballot for IA years, and then surrender of the
whole?
But men in the habit of talking about ",nirea
basis" as if it were something definite and determined;