Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-04-25

I'm tl:s statement i. will appear that lands paid
r,.r cent of the rcvcnu"-saveS l"'. per ccli.-
roIai property other than slaves 20 per ccnt.-und
licences 70 per cent.
let L, nuw ascertain. far rs We can from c!ci-.
and con cturu sources, what would be the operation .:
an al ,lIorca upon the entire taxable property 81
tn. Slate.
and and lots assessed in 1850. 1T :21i.6so..6 ~
Slaves, al $500 n hcal. li2,3ll 500 "a
lCapal i'll merchandise and all
other Sub ccts i'll which license ov0GuG.0QQ u,
tax collected,
Bank stock, money loaned st inter
est in public and private sccurl- 5o0o0,0co Ct
ties corporation stocks dc.
All personal property other than looooooo &C
! slaves,
sI6.0Jl,j2G >.
Professor Dew Z gentleman III whose accuracy ma
all have confidence estimated understand the real ana
personal property of Virginia i'll s@i at SG9"UJo,o
The increase in the value of real estate alone from 81,
Ito 1850 has added S63,0000VQ to our real estate. nc
increase in the value OF slave property ha, moi been less
than $4,000, 900 since that period that my estimate
at the present time, compared with his i'll ISL mast b,
l,ieemcd within very moderate and reasonable bounds
AZ al v;t.orcm cf one mill TO the dollar--9il.
ithousandth part OF dnllar-on S7G1 n'o,UUv d! prop
crtv, would yield revenue Of $4,000" /" which: Il
the aw process, Eatoral seals and those ollcl
specific sources Of revenue above Indicated, lac a'Ird
II which together make $iI.21" ID would in:Ic
aggregate revenue i,oTi Il, or $i0.oDn more than
our present revenue.
| Now, sir what is the enormous burden imposed Oh
slave property by this r, Of taxation Ten tiolst'l
dollars worth of slave property would pay la: Of to-
dollars! Is this opprcs-ye A; Present no nir VII!
question the fact, that slaves have "r many Gears pat
paid less than their fair proportion of the taxes Will
Hands are taxed at mill per dollar. hor. It; about
three mills per dollar. slaves taxed inr. than,
-; the rate Of s. of one mill DOLE. ! there any.
u, oil.
OF this commonwealth: | can see nothing in il that
should do So.
As Shareholder mv.cli-a= the representative I'll Il
large slave interest this floor, could nal~ arg valid
objection to that property 80 far as taXat"n i con.
ccrncd being placed upon an equality with al the
other property oi the commonwealth and icing r", aired
TO bear its just proportion of t.le public burden
could not. Ii is not only productive properly it
owner, but 1t Is expensive ad bUr,:cnsoi" ;r"-.t
i" the State and that when IL" stakeholder
reflects how much Of the time Of he General Assembly
is umcd in cgis!atin for the safety and i.ro'crti"
Of that ntercst.how m:cl Of the time ii Tie "'r;
consumed in regulating ana controlling I'll" civil and
criminal relations which grow o: :,low lar-'"
Expenditure !rr State police Is required H. il" pre-,
cncc, and that ano>; 4; any moment; tie whole lsy.;
cal power ana treasure o the commonwealth hr
needed to defend that institution from fore: Il 4 r>-
ion--hat il il not asking too much r.Guif" that il
shall he placed footing Of equality. i"r ,, lie
burdens al the State concerned with Ill ether InG-
of property. The nj ralorcm system will 10 10
Then, if his system be adopted, what becomes ." H.,
ie:r< Expressed by til" gentleman iraI i .'.;ax. Mr.
i.nMuy ~ thatllthc suffrage basis >:e"! :cYa;I ahihcy
rate a. taxation might IL imposed apCn slave, than .;'o
other property. according their respective
Ia not this objection scatter! /" tie tai Aud il
there any (" appr"l'l that Xii! lGn'!-" i i!ir
Of those sheds, I" which Tie in .!nallve i l".nmI
from buckingham compared II, annexed "a Ii" ln..
building aud which world he swept awar b? NE ir-t
,l,1rrs ind i4,
could prompt them IL &i;r" this fundamentals. provisions
Has the sy'cin ever btrn Introduced into ii" tinnca.
practice Of an. STATE viii afterwards ab.n!rne il
Has it Increased in favor and popularity wherever
III has bee. ;:!cd!
| The Gentleman from Halifax CIR nIi,<r.,, la
gtntr! :.l"t!:.r objection THIS SYSTEM ii xa'inn
..-n1n. oct Of the hi price of slaves price H.! ond
heir i,i- ,!ncsi.c Waite, attrbul'. I" u" :prr;' d.
!aI t,r .ilcm III the planting States. lt:.,n", itac'
ANY IT, portlilcc to TIL. 1b lection. IL i hot "'l IT,
Ip.olEcc any difficulty i'll the State Of Mar .iani, which!
III tn. respect. similarly situated will; Eirgins. -
most, it is objection to the dc;aS. ot 20 ii" ryc
pie" I've certain may rel $ on the General hs>c.b',
30 adopt that node III valuation which will lie !"i:d
Inn i "rnfcrmablc Tie ends OF Justice hey 4" '!c
the court. will the evil. of 3: ;1ci If .c
iiation But besides, these variations will al Be lnr
I;Y residing i'll the respective counties "t III
State who will doubt Possess the requisite in:c
t.cncc sympathy which the population, t" ;;t:ar, ii
against ;liv pra,tc; injustice.
The next inquiry i as 10 the apfTo:ra'in. power
lot the government. am prepared 10 at!m;: it''
this branch of the subject i attended with -rear! ,IIit
Guilty ard embarrassment than the adoption! oi air 'a"rc
Of taxation. But the difficulties "a: from!
nncrabr. They do hot result !rGm tie want 81
adequate rcnicGic, 10 meet any conceivable evil tia"
can be suggested but they result from the c"niIict'
views of every portion al this State without the >''
est REGARD To eastern western locality and 'ii
the condition in which find nur>cv"- i1f
the great internal npro cement in.crc-: ii HIS cc!l
Imonwcalth is concerned II We We're Ike North Carroll
ina and some other States which have undertaken
ANY works OF internal Improvement hcr partners .:
sole propriet"ro. if situation Ike that :"
Maryland which has now nearly finished her grcat
schemes Of internal communication. !ik" New YER
which has already completed her system the SUI ~
would b." relieved ~! all difficulty BIT have nG
fortunately expended too much nf nur :n- III petty
and local Improvements To the n"..lcc; e th"s" great
arteries Of trade which alone are worth: 81 State pa
tronage These great channels Of cor.n"rse ar" E""
our hands unfinished. with millions 81 oar money u.
vested III them and IL has therefor" hccn'm" or iii
operative duty, as mere matter o ccono: " i'iailrc
unless We intend to sink all that Ne have invested ~
these enterprises not 10 destroy the por. hU' L" "cc
10 regulate H. and TO guard in future from abnsr
am no enemy 10 liberal and enlightened ;:cr, {" ~
trrnal Improvements. seek to such s -y>te"
from the weights which lav, heretofore oppressed j.
wi h t. ave 10 il direction from which urea. ii.G
practical State RESULTS may flow.
IN looking At the policy O many OF the States, ai'uA
ted rs we are and which have in their constitution
sought I" guard against til" evils w'ch hay" ~ ~,
urnusy influenced "ur police. find q var":r Of t.'
guards. which have IN found in practice Ia 81 S2r i!"
purpose J have ...,:dy presented one scheme I" thu
body myself, ans my colleague. OR. llrSrEff a. chair
man OF the committee guarantees has also re-cdi"'
valuable sciI23 OF proposition iu con>idrd!!' -
the convention. The gentleman ircm .-oi!'l'. Nr
JASNEY) has indicated those limitations upou this pow
cr. which in his Judgment would be .iiicc! IL guard 1t
from abuse. without destroying the benefits which ma
How from its exercise There is difficulty III reaching
\ correct conclusion this subject d, moi propose
upon this s..sicu for have not the strength /" d"
to go into any examination of the CON EttlvG merits 81
tn, several propositions before this BODY Ii will
he time enough do when have these limitation
more directly and Immediately under consideration.
1t is sufficient for lac able state t:.t far
the district which have the honor tn re;rtSer: Is con
cerncdand believe. far the entire VALLEY i con
ccrncd-and SO far any expression o OPINION has been
heard from the entire west this floor, tiia' there VIII
be an almost unanimous concurrence of opinion III in
posing such proper and wholesome limitations pon tia;
power rs will cifcctually guard it from abuse. Nor"
Than this no one has right to demand.
Vow sir it is conceded tht these limitations will al
ford al the proper and necessary protection against =;
abuse of the taxing and approprlatinE power, Of the
government; that in truth they ator. ~ efficient an!
certain protection where the mixed basis principle ar
ords But it is trurnphantly asked, gas csSoa.