Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-06-10

and the concluding sentence reads thus: ,h;, few
g TIC Indebtedness Of tho State has, "i ~ ho
wears increased at fearful pace. ms Is NV hc ey
com;nq nlace TO dwell on it. may howe'e, ,ro
cscd ior saving that the constitution the mower
clauses the one forbddng 10 the for any cor
10 bind the State as security or other or con
uor,ion and the other nibting the bsron1
FINANCE of State debt directly OF M ~ case of ;yor
the sum of ten millions OF dollars cNc'p' :"
. or Instruction. ,.,.,,. my op;nions on
'i1,e 'ius uie,a3 pnortant topics which may com
manJ ,ba attention of the Convention. - NJ, i is
opinions YOU shall think can str't Eonvcn,i9n I'm,
render YOU such service as can III VI. ths dis
must say that have nGl'cr I h. accompanied BY no
;btv and TO meet which !" decc"
~, ins he Sustained tya sptrh 81 e0nceSSto"
atd compromise. ~, ;n,tprc ne Robert {;
in's n.y. ~ comments TO make upon it. am
v. hrr =, find the gentleman not indisposcd 10 com
promise proceed, sir. nave no luflncf i'ilaiN'
20 make upon It, h,;o ~ ,b,t ,ort or IN.
~ ,rt,ich l. submitted, which related TO the
%tpa, e Tho al roirem system OF taxation. under
~ - show that in adopting the I'D raofem system OF
,y,i 90 substitute for the present unequal, unJas
ard oppressive SYSTEM we prevent, under any crcuin
;,nrrt ,,c man having ~ pay all and another MAJ;
Inme wis.,, 10 show that il YOU will adopt the first
proposition of my compromise giving an cqnaiity OF
REPRESENTATION 10 each scclon oil INC Stalc' ahu trh
aout the al ruorem system OF taxation either po'to
i he St.
,ii,y Of imposing tax Of any description or denoin
oa,ion upou any particular species Of property whoV
opusur the same rate OF taxation upon every Other
description OF property H. the commonwealth; III other
ords that il would not be IN the power OF the western
porti, OF the State TO impose tax upon this much nc
loved institution Of the cast OF one mill on the dol
lar without imposing the tax OF one mill upon every
description OF property throughout the western country
including their stocks OF horses, mules, cattle, SHEEP.
nors uncuvated lands and every other description Oi
OF
rom this subject Of taxation. These western gentle
men not so apt to impose taxation upon ttir oi
people Tor unnecessary purposes and Il they did M"
C>.l constituency are rot likely 10 enquire II WIZ!
:u.al3osure and tranquility.
Tie next clause OF Ely compromise proposes TO lnnnSi
! prohibition upon The legislative department OF The
government to public debt without 1T The SANE
i:mc during the session providing for the pay
Vi tie by increasing the rates and per cent
Sc vi taxation in such manner and to such an eScii
IS will be sufficient to meet the payment oi the dri''
when il becomes due Now the obJec, OF that Is lhiS
Ne ali know what has been the result OF what 10 tcriicG
this og-rong system in the Legislature OF Virginia anc
ma; bv comb nation of interests there has been lltt
iitcuty found ut various PERIODS III making large eN-
rara-a unnecessary and improper appropriations It"
:aris the construction of works that were purely ioca
N ,hcir character. There is than one object Il
accomplished BY the adoption OF tins portion OF me
PROMISE In The first place, 1t serves to arrest I'm
royldcnt and cXrarugant appropriations by making lie
cdlac representative who contracts The debt rcpo
|
ayuent 1t puts it out of the power of the cSlsial"
. create large public debt and throw the RESPONSE
lilly On his successor 10 provide for the payment {"
hat debt He goes back home to his constituents anC
giving account of his stewardship he is forced t.
cEnos ledge that when he made the appropriation he
,royidcd lur its payment by the imposition OF the aXe
.vcessary to meet It, This. take II, will he very con
siderable restraint upon lmprovldent, unnecessary an
.Nraragant appropriations at all events. But there l.
another grca, object to be accomplished. What vii
-. il, effect upon the character OF the State Nila
sill lis effect upon the public credit of the State
y hat will be its effect upon the public stockspl III,
State: What benefit is the State 10 derive from IL III
,ha view: How much lower will you be able TO obtain
money with the means OF payment provided al the titnt
the debt is created: These are questions which need
not bc argued to this intelligent body Of Each
one will understand them for himself.
The last Of this series Of propositions declares that
10 bill appropriatiny sum OF money exceeding -
oliars shall become law except hy the o: a
majority OF the whole number elected 10 each branch
Il The legislature.
Now what is tbs effect Of that: This alcsius of in.
cva! Improvement is admitted by gentlemen 10 be tn,
ole Of al this difficulty in respect totaxation ,t
appropriation. That SUBJECT Of in ruai mproveinc;.
undertook to show yesterday, was one Of te'npnrar,
and short duration that it could not last long, ard ta
Il ought 10 be arrested until those great works o
.n,cr!,:, npro cement that had been commenced wcr
completed. Now undertake 10 say ,ul ,ucrc Is t..
here from the west who not prepared Ia q.
graft upon constitution prioItion upon the lo.i.
azure interfere III the win The
gUncrly of the east ask for response, il there /,
am here from the west who is not prepared to vote IL
guacaucca constitutional larancc, that the lc,s
at,lrc shall not have the power to Interfere with IL
rights Of property in slaves. ask him to say So
SEVERAL WESTERN MEMBERS. Not ono, no;
one.
Mir. Bolts. Well then, that question is serti,
ow, ii your ghts Of property guaranteed and you
re Guaranteed against undue taxation. and then they
restrained rcm making an appropriation Of one dol
OF that money, without the cooperation Of the east
that is the danger to be apprchended: From what
this uneasincss that they be robbed
If their property by their western brcthren And what
is it that is yiedcdby the cast, when you give them
equality Of representation, with this checkmatn
power upon them so long this constitution exists
;iow favorably does that proposition contrast for the
cast with any other which has been submitted for ON
considerations Under your mixed basis which is here
proposed, you may, as said yesterday, retain the sole
cover OF the State for brief space of time but that
oowcr will lie dormant and Unused for the next ter
wears. But under the next census your power dc.
part, and departs forever; your power departs and
with it departs the protection to your property Ten
wears is long time in the life of an old man but what
ii in the history Of government Is there an east
here so blind to the interests Of his constitu-
eat, not to the difference between real pcrma
cnt security, and power which is to exist for only
en- years.
have regretted exceedingly 10 see the spirit that has
prevailed upon the part Of eastern gentlemen express
ing their distrust of the Why arc the west to be
tistrustcd Upon the great national theatre Of the
Union, you take the grsund that man north of Ma.
sons and DXons line is to be trusted but all south OF
that line are trustworthy. There has been detection
in the southern ranks. Some men, it true have been
violent than others have been for CARRYING
matters extremes, others for concliaton Some
have maintained that the question would never be set
led and Others have believed. that the disaecti,a wa
OIL: temporary, and tina, all difficulties would be healed
nd al! d!ssenons would be at end. But where i,
..rc south Of AIasons and Dixons line
:ho has proved rcacherous to the interests Of the
South. Not one. And with all our assertions there
IS not one who likely to be. But here in the virgi
MA Convention the idea is held out to the northern abo
ilon,s that Virginia herself is not to be r,sted-hat
you dare not trust your brethren Of the west with
this great and important question of slavery Do vol,
10 justice TO the west do you do Justice to the east
10 you do justice to the south by holding out the idea
hat cannot trust the west upon this question When
ask, have they proved rccrcaut to their trust or 10
cir duty upon this question: Ny friend from the cony
i Ncckcnburg, (Mr. GooDE) and other gentlemen in
nc course OF this debate, have made reference TO rho
KS alton OF 1852, at the time Of the Souhamnton in
r:ettio: when there was proposition for the cman
patton of slavery in this State. My friend from Prime,
Gorge (Nr. RIvEs) referred TO the Journals of Tho n
;tsature to show that not western man had vord
against it.
1t is no part of my business or nv duty to come
70 the aid OF the west upon this question Til
\ ,tot;t, -