Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-03-25

Nr SEESOS-(CONT1HUED)
,.., population in the several districts
number OF Inc ~" Of which this basis Is
Inc o." ,,xa,ion By n!%" ,scsa,urc, 40 tha, YOU
o the represeA']o lega,cs throughout Inc state 10
roua apportion - ,porton ms the several districts
re.resent taxation ~ a clement into tn" common treas
have contriou' .%a, that strikes me III '"'o''pm'ips
nry hS i. his-ths. however mucl. intrn
EQUALS the white liter. BY way OF illustration
,;raly they "', ,o,rla,ion il represented Dy one
s,np5.c white l ",I,n b. another column stand
column qua .;as II vour population m.p" ,oo ~
ing sac mite inhabitants anu ~, the same size
s0ooo' VIM. they would be rea'Ney 'e san.
10000 dosr' u would reach the same altitude
and il may u ,r mixed basis column Shouio ueS'l'e
exactly. r ,bat your taxes cohtri'"'eu , ANY, ~, '
so per ecu ma aggregate amountea 20 "". " ,.a.;sal
,reas. ;,. column then would DC Would ha
i als oi the original dimensions the nooular basis
relatively :" c,se q white man w'aiu De Valued 1t
men :. pn, suppose yonr element " ,, ~, w
- w. =, ,;mn;sh and yonr taxat".' >"9uu -
"a Ssoo ma !; il then one quarter VI ~ 49,,
IONS vet relatively it IS Ire-1 " NAM then wonld no
SONS - .io 3, cents And ii it should ever happen
Va'e ~ ,~.s contributed into the common treasury
Ill la reduced to 100000 as II miSh' De- rs Gun
IT demonstrate then Your taxation eol"ilii wouo ~
-l.t fbp
W." , 70 vour population column lhen the "h.e man
eq",,, Ia va,ued Mt lal Cents. Might It not happen
% in the course Of events our taxes would ne reau'e
" 100000. Suppose that IN Few years Tie rehsol'
u,.-yes even tho neutrality-suspicious. OF ,he
~ of internal Improvement should be realized III
r,nction of ali these great works OF internal
r.,n,nt II is expected they certainty VIII
LARGELY TO the public treasury, and be source
~ ay.uue to the State. They are not LEGAL OBJECTS
x,,I from one end Of the State 10 the other, ana
alIy tha spt
YOU can,o therefore, oca!lze or sectohaiAe 'he 'I.
,m whence these revenues will Dc derived II say
h rov,nra derived from these works OF INTERNAL 'ih
movement a. has been the case III several OIL te suites
+, he Union becomes large az 10 oovlae the heceH
~, nj Great degree of taxation, IS II not very
Mo that Al no very distant future the direct tax OF 't
,;a viii no, equal sl00,o00; When that day arrives
,hc noollation OF Nrg mia will certainly DC more 'i'n
soo 600 white population, and then the "hi'e ,ie',
Of the State will not be Tained al ~. cents ,cau.
$50 enaeayored bv th. method TO illustrate the prin-
,,. and show its operation and now submit 10 every
candid man in this house, submit 1t 10 an intelligent
worawheiher stripped Of all It's ornaments disguises'
and pretexts the argument Is not solely anu purely
,ha, wealth shall be equal in this government TO tho
White popula;ion: Yes, that wealth - to DC repre-
.sn,ea IN his State: No matter what the amount OF
,ax your principle does not apply 10 inc VI
the tax but TO the existence OF The tax 80 long as
1,ycs are derived by impositions, however trng inc
taxation OF the State be entitled to an equal repre-
ycntaton with the inhabitants OF the Stale
After what have said, ain ne. warranted, and am mot
in fact constrained 10 denouace this mixed basis as Ut
ter!y ., war with tho true principles oil government
with the American doctrine ot government ana WIN
the consecrated and repeated sentiment oil virginia
herself on this question VI representation lhen upon
what does ii rest; The argument cannot sustain II.
There is not an example in the tnon-thcrc Is not an
example on the western hemisphere-,here 10 mol an
example in the hahitahe world which sustains this
mixed basis This is bold decaration but ! do not
make it unadvisedy There ID not an example TO sup
port it to be found anywhere. 10" aeed not tell me
tt,o rNln md
her case directly Even South Carolina, who Is rather
oious believe with gentlemen who propose to adopt
her doctrines has adopted it. She went no further
than 10 adopt 1t in one OF the houses OF heregsae.
Sbe Aid not seek to adopt il in both branches, and its
dontion in that house received the ratification OF
The people Of South Carolina The people OF South
Car5,ina were never called upon-were never suffered
TO pass their judgment upon this principle. II was
aaopted b. The legislature itself After what we have
seen the legislature of Virginia do in calling this Con-
yanton and iafusing into this convention 0ill TINS
odious mixed basis principle. how much respect are
en TO yield the voice OF the legislature as PROOF OF
public sentiment anu public Judgment VIII not
Weld 10 it one stTers influence. II is true IN the va
;ons states of the Union, thego may DO some few ex-
anples found not to support the proposition OF inc gen
teman from Fauquer, but which show some variation
from the popular basis in those States anu auoe 10
This point Tor twofoid purpose. In the first place
refer 10 it because consider it to be the only pre-
text-if may use that eApress!on-that gentlemen
can employ to justify this departure from me popular
IL
in extcnua.ioa Of tie doctrine, they shall take with
them if can send it with them, the otner principles
contained in these constitutions VIII sho" nat that
doctrine which departs from the true pancpes OF re-
nresentaton is founced, not soctude Tor the secu
rity Of proper:y-no tho correct principles oil govern
ment but il springs from hercsles OF opinion and prn-
c;nlc And | will send abroad the spirit which
neryaes the constitutions in which these doctrines are
founded Let sec what doctrines are louho IN ,nosc
nhe constitutions which have discarded the true basis
If representation | think that tho spirit which per-
yades them is manifested by the provisions to which
shall refer and it satisfies my mind Mt least that they
are examples utterly unworthy OF our imitation.
Here il the first one-taat Of Maryland she has
based her representation upon federal numbers at least
take that 10 be the basis Of her representation, al
though il ia exceeding difficult to tell what nor consti-
tu;.n is from the manifold legislative amendments
which have been introduced into It, II IS constitution
,,t has never received the ratification OF the people Oh
MARYLAND The legislature there amends the constlc-
ton The slave population OF Maryland IN lo5o was
but 90 00o twoffths OF that amount gives the federal
number which is but 5i,S3o Wei, here IS florioa ,
She has based her representation both branches OF
the Legislature upon federal numbers, and the federal
number OF her saves but b. 300. Then como TO
South Carolina there they have the basis oil repre-
sen,aon in tie house snla- 20 the basis principle Of
the gentleman from Fauqacr, tho basis compounded of
all the white population and all The taxes raised by the
legislature AMI the senate 10 based upon an arbitrary
anpor.ionment OF representation according TO districts
How nearly thst approximaes TO OF departs 'roa the
!, IS an ARBITRARY basis What other provisions do We
find in the constitution OF South Coroiina' We ind
,r governor there is elected by the legislature the
people never have had opportunity sf eectns t.ei;
governor We tind that the electors OF President and
Tce President are also elected by tho legislature ard
the people have nothing to do with that election we
fud there the singular qualifications for ONCE
the governor must have settled estate to the value OIL
sl5,oo9 sterling, clear OF debt State senator must
have freehold estate TO the value OF a3oo sterling
le,r NJ d.ht III, resentati must have freehold
estate 10 the yane of fl50 sterling, clear OF debt or
ten negroes and SEQ acres of freehold land: When You
see the qualification Of these representatives ana inc
other provisions which pervade their constitution yon
need be at 10 loss for for the insertion Of inns
odos principle of the mixed basis in the constitution
., Sou,n Carolina Here is North Carolina. Her SEN
ale is apportioned upon taxation exclusively her
house Of commons, 1t is called, in imitation oil inc
popular branch OF the government in Great Britain is
based upon federal numbers, and she has some singular
qualifications prescribed for her officers. senator
., not have less than 800 Of land in fee, and
suppose ii that doctrine prevoed in Virginia some OF
Tie counties would not have man to send, and posi-
biz some of the Eastern counties member OF the
h,. NJ commons shall not have less than 100 acres OF