Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-06-27

est in the community and common purpose to accom-
pish. What il this common interest and common pur-
pose 1t is the protection Of each individual OF that
community in the enjoyment Of his fe,. hlsl liberty,
his property, and his reputation. The next question
that arises then, s what constitutes majority OF that
community Is it composed of that portion of those
voters however small who pay majority OF the taxes
is it composed Of majority of those voters without
regard to their individual wealth. without
hesitation that it is composuJ Of the latter Equality
of wealth in all its members is not neoessaryto consti
tute community of interess Iassert that the voter
with 500 worth Of taxable property has iu-
tereat with the voter who has 100000 worth u taxable
property, and for this assertion havo.the authority
of no less parsonage than Ben aIi Watkins Leigh In
his speech upon herlgkt Uf suagein the last
ton Mr. lie gh said: 49, ..".s. e,'mr
The ownef of athousaud or ten thousand acres Of
land may safely trust the owief Of hundred acres
or oi ten win equal share of power over property
and especially over taxation; in bther words with an
equal atthe polls because the owuc Of tic smaller
,roperty rls. common interest with the owner The
arr lie mist fecl precisely Fhc saa kitil Of III,
est n every public measure which effects The owners Of
r.ul cta:e, either brnetcitly or njurio,siy And a
the plaa OF the poorer tree5lGef AID tho broader
lau,!s Vi his 'opcnt ieishbor are equally dear
i, Tie respective Of each will inite With
tine other 10 pr.,netGor defend the interests Of all
III the pGor freebooter contributes Tess his r:eans 81
!css the" blrticn is in proportion
10 the ability sind the nhre op!!tti:r freebooter fluids
anne scc.ty i'll the self-lo"e Of the pd6rcr, md
;hs vso.cr in that Of. the mnrc opuef' 1ulwe desire
j. 10 place the political powef OF the State in the hand
OF those who have community Of i1terc-: III whatever
bcfslls tho State whether Of veal or voc"
Here is sufficient end conclusive answer to all the
sor,i,:ry aud specinl pleading Of gentlemen about a
community of Interest Mr. Leigh was M uitra eastern
,sn-,l.tcrn in all his views and fellg-:lud he re.
garIcd community of interest as composed OF those
upon whose shoulders the burdens and re- possibilities Of
government were raccd without regard 10 their pro-
portipnae wealth. In other Words liz regarded each
and every ore e:the qualified voters OF tie State no
matter now small or how great their contributions t.
the government as having community 81 iatcrcs. in
whntercr bee! the Stlte "whrthr Of we. or wo. But
this not the only way in which they SEEK 10 .ro lie
plain, practical cn:unfonse'Isc meaning OF these pruG
sch, ri the bill ofr,hts. Tacy resort to that r.thoa
whereby the advocates of error have
ever sought to triumph over irh-and tI is 10 plant
themselves upon some position admitted to be true
and then iciace terefria ccc.u,::nS entirely nj wr
Wit. their prca:sca TbeT aver thai lie ,,.:s; am
Fundamental! principle Of republican, t,,Trr;inei Tia.
representation and taxation shall "a hau,I-i;,hani-
that this was the principle fthc A!;r;c.a revolution
ANA tmsit way consscrrtclby the Jao Of tie illus,
triouS heroes and statesmen Of that eveii:al period
Well so far, contcdc I'll that YOU cont c:.l for bu;
here We separate. and proceed 10 very different caiclu
s:ons The conclusion At which yo:l arrive H. tha. lac:
are TO be represented in republican eoyernu.cIt il
prurcr;iontU the aiou Of taxes they pnr TO t. .oY
erna-r: 50 that if minority % t.ia people, however
small, pay majority Of tl:c taxes fur tEv support o.;
government thu lri entitled 20 a na;ri;y Of
cation Ay conclusion is that no 81, of I2a., caIl j.,
rigtullv taxed in legislative GoIY where the, ar,
nat represented Nor: Iet is test III. tEc,s o.
Respective conclusions. 1fy your cyp:l-iuu be r.
then iias!n5e individual III the Stale 4; ul;nri;.
Of the taxes that invlial would lie c,!; led to elect II
majority OF representatives. and thus &c ruud haze n
y, I'M
crst, who could look around him and s.;-. 49,
81 am m2larci Of all Survey. .s,,...-... '.. -
' Ny right ihe:e J., none can diYulu--. o..''. III
- From Ia. Gentle all round to t.lc sea, t., ..
~ am Tod OF IT," M aad the b!lte."- -.
b.. this you would say could nat happen il, Viz
f;!iu Grant it, Suppose tlen tina: rsiiEs 4. couoa
the State paid majority OF the taxcs it,.s cnYrlu
sicn be rie, that county would be entitled to ma
iortE oi tic representation Of thu Stu!e Ii vr rep,
alIn t4at tli!a cold not :taPp.n 'sa will give Vol.
something th$. can hapPfuspas.hir; that aha- hap
l'si:e;i-son that ENssa :stls ninntn. .ifyour
roac!u:irn ! tru theilI nIuestl0a5 follows tina,
those c"untic, ami cities wlic! pav :. minority oths
ixGs, are entitled to majority eidhe delegate, in The
general s>spblyu Now, let how" ii, state
lie case wouid operate There are now III file STATE
liz Counties aud: cltles and it r.pucss that 81 81
'" these counties and cities pay more tasps than thu
nrr 5 nl, accor;lIn5 TO- YOUR 'wincip!ej these 27
countr- and cities. e1titiedto sGlne,lbers 81 III,
house oi tcctes, md to -. senators, w!e rhe ear
i!C co:ntlcs entitled but IL delegates nafi %
senator's. Wv, let how you h..; carried o.,
Jour principle Why, you have l;rea vse 81 cnuute,
! cites, paying majority Of taxes Ca: the support ri
government, 10 representatives n the house @f de,ega
AID Y The G cclntics paYln lanrrtv Of the taxnS
l0l rcpreS .atlTca ill., HE lcu<eoi delegates with t
same proportion IT, each ill the senate MT MY so
bit IS shall show before am done, Won have give t.
lf pr!;s OF COUNTIES. having InnOirT- ut the white
pupu t9!t and paying rnlorily of1he .taxe Z, ina
q ,th AnIl
this is What ypu call tho great p1nc pie established BIZ
the AMERICAN rolutioR--spIsyo Your idea Of the way
in which Representation aud. taxation are to marcKhaa
n-haul ler., BIT not dsue with yonr cor
c.usion yet Ii it Is right in the Stnts il is right "br!
tween colute3-apI. if right bctwecn counties: it E
right between individuals. So thst you mast give t.
each lndlyld4a ruteF, vote ut the poll. in prnportio
to the amount OF taxes he pays to the government
o!erTise how IS ln; orty il inter est in Your sonar
Of the term 10 govern tAe State What difference doe.
II make TO the voter who pays thousandGpitr. taxes
and whose vote is by that of another who p,rs
tea cents VIII the that other lives in ueenst Or il. III,
west2 Bat you notpr0pose this .ntiwhyti Ii il be
cause you would regard it - anrcpubc. n? 10 II /.
because you darsnot roposelt. il souwere to ttcrip,
Z" carry out Your principles youa@od opanthe eve,
ol the lbpril ,EleD at Your section of the State
to What your lnY basis really is, and then it wou.
very soon 80 down to tue tomb OF, the Capulcsr
again. II your CONFUSION 4e rc italtnScthGr exclucs
pcrsos rs basis ul representations and Requires ti
rrprcseDta tlon shall be based entirely upon txat:0r
Tor IL no other way can you give. TO hosc who pa. !:
majority of The taxes MA oritY of representation
Aud nov let ne test the ofvonr conclusion
by comparing: the pl Incl pie contained init with thu
method you hnTcresortcd to-, 10 ont and epctil-
ate that principle. You say that .tlc true principle OF
government Is To give to those vino pan minority d;
aScs majority OF representation and the method bv
which you adrtake to carry out your principle to
give to each cou,ty, city. eecnndistrict one AeS
gate iur ever. scStutyfth partof its taxao and one
delegate Yr every seventyfth part OF it's *ite popu-
latien as compared with the taxatinnad population Of
the whole State. This is practical illustration Of
what YOU mean When asserrtlmt taxation and repre-
sent atil must so hand nhansi {bs r.iect give to
tine counties and cities wing east of the Blue Ridge s."
rdeleacs i'll the house Of delegates and to the connties
lying west Of the Blue Rdgcrb:;. delegates These
eastern counties contain hite population u 4nl Or
and pay = tax Of S3473iS o.. The western, COUNTIES
contain white population f 494. 1856 ana ply tax Il
slSy,3lG 81. mea,l the upon Eric you n,
representation. Suppose nav, that instead Of Of
the white plpalaton0f eastern Virginia wis but 30l
$50, and, that tho population nf western Virginia wa
53J254 what then would be- the result Of yr;r con-
'b;natun cfmcn aud money, Why it would give to
eastern Virginia - Delegates aad western Virginia
90 or, majority of two TO the west: Here thea
according 10 your principle. and your C'vCayorite
m=thod of applying it. yon would be compelled TO give
western gaia with her large majority of white p6p-
laticr paying but little oiethrd Of tlc taxes tt
the Statea majority OF representation and to eastern