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


erng in any manner to impair the gifts OF tic slave
colder without his conscnt-a provision hat woH'd meet
With the unanimous concurrence OF tins body
Then what is meant b. the dangers that may assam
property i'll this States As cX blamed by Ill; they are
% lie found il an abuse Of the taxing ANA rcvenIe APP
.o,riatin. powers Of the legislative department OF the
Government. This is the evil apprc!"!dcd; and Ii Is
,ca!l,t this evil that called upon to adopt some
r!eo,:atc lroyis in our organic law.
IN what form does the east propose to guard aSalns
his ,lu,,er Why, il is by giving to the east c'ntr"!
# The representative power. npon the ;oun't that II
natans ic larger aggregate OF taxable property within
Is limits II procec,;s upon the assumption that power
l.nr.;,.l with them is safe from abuse it mntcrs not
rom what individual that power Is Immediately
l.r;ye; whether from persons themselves directly IN
crested in property or no.. Now my constituents 40
not hanoen to reside il this favored Scc,ion-thcy are
not within the circle OF This caclan;e rcsic-'id li'>
ye = large an,ouut of taxable property subject t" the
c,ion of Tie government, and before can consent /"
surrender that property into Tie hands OF eastern Gus
ndv must oak little into the practical working {"
heir scheme must he satisfied that the safeguards
,ey propose are raI aud mol fictitious. mus; be sat
sIl th- il j. \ 3i; iona H!.. intended 10 scclr: prop
.riy, ard no. device 10 rct:i sectional power. II
,e really plan which IN is operation viii -if! ''it
interests oi property it will in that ASPECT, carry with IL
recommendation IL ii my constituents; b4t II 1t
oe naked bald, nli>guiscd cNpeucni to rts;':h set
.;ouai ,owrr without the a ;.."st protection 70 prop
ertr Whatever it viii he, All! should be- university
condemned by every man III my di"trict no matte, ""''
ni: have Dcen s previous IMPRESSIONS upon ''' ''"
.ect. =,
We have heard ,eitei and reiterated Tor i!!e last
or weeks in this hai! ;at constitutional guarantees are
mere hunbu.,--G-cnoi hu!bI-> 1t Is true, pul hvF
rli,.Inss h,uilur,--snarcs 80 the Enw;rv really
thought the eloquent gentleman from Buckingham would
noyc explode! with Indignation whcii lie came 20 cX
,css the height i:,ll ,ict .. lis contempt Tor thcn
iut the mixed basis in, there are told, ;sa scictie
that will protec; property, AMI protect |; cHet;u'ly
| And Vet no Gentleman ts lar co'Nesccndcd I" Ell
tighten rs rs the g,o mo in which ii will afford that
desired protection; Perhaps il deemed so >cli-cri-
lent proposition - "t Ia require any such cXin"n;
non. Now. am little ncrcJI.ous = 10 this quality
:ch is a:>,ned for IL. Hd !. therefore, ask how l. Is
lccomps,r,ii Why, shall DC told by eastern gentle
msn here i Senate al fifty :,i House OF Delegates
i one rci ami fifty meiherS. We take half o.
he representative power OF each body, set that hall
part :.!n ourselves nearly tir iuurths Of H. and
cal! that half the representative nl property 1rc
far understand YOU @cnticien bal YOU might As Well
ct apart the same amount q" power. and call II the
Of bays and rvcrs-ot Your crabs
nd terra r; Tor any connection that can perceive that
has wit the protection OF property. How, asa,
that ''ai q your representative power give nj
tc~auce the ice OF property When thrown by the
elective battery into Senate AMI Of Dele
Gates in what form do hey appear Their" Is tn 'red
tel agents or Representatives Of property: u III re.
4uir. thar /! o representatives shall thr>'cs own
doll OF that property which they ;r"cS- {" repre-
sent No y" you require that =. constituent body
which sends the, tcr" shall one dollar oi that
sroperty Of wic. .nl call ihca the protectors No.
Then it i possible may have IN lus"ivc!; dele
cate from pcnnvlcsS eastern constituency transformed
bv the magical operation of this mixed basis principle
into guardian and protector OF the property OF TIE
State, Not an imaginary or Improbable sha
presently show YOU Sir! ii constitutional guarantees
hurbus the mixed basis scheme, a. . scheme to pr"
tcct property .av BE- installed into the dignity of the
vcrv prince Of hunhIgS |; Is Bchon!"n hualbus
aughtcr.
But. sir, propo 10 treat this subject with some
ravitr Tor ,he e,rcsSness with which it pressed dc
inands l. and viii lay down propo-'icns which
call ur., the gentleman, tNr. Goo. - wo see i
taking notes to max and rciutc II he can.
say that III the structure OF representative republican
government there arc but two modes in which YOU
rive anr available protection 10 property. Oae b. re-
trictn. tie political powc: Of The S:atr,a lis ora
tain heai-al the polIsto those who are interested iii
property This is most u-i,i!lv done hy imposing &
property qualification upon t.e right {" ss,it-;a. and
ls rs ro, enlarge that qualification do E"H Increase
the iu.aace Of property. Some times its done b. i'm
pos:u. high property qualification upon th"s, VIII are
mad. eligible tn III vnur representative hall
This latter provision however. most usually accoma
ME, restricted Suffrage aud Ev 'c regarded as Incl
dental to it anl is designed merely additional
srguar,; TO the policy indicated BY such restricted ,u!
fragc
Ii this mode of protecting property a. the polls Is
ected rs ncxpclcnt. for any then there remains
no other bu; Limitations embraced IN the Constitution
withholding from the agents. created by suffrage, any
power To abuse aud Cypress the interests of property.
There arc no other modes kn""n 10 the wisdom "f man
none known history known 10 tI" government
of this OF any other cn-ury b. which any smbsta'l-
till protection can lie given regard The mixed ba-
sis lis of preceding property, G":,s'Y". i!Et-
,ory and without substance il holds tie pronis" TO
inc, II h..
,lerstoul upon ;.S point and desire to have the diff
Guilty rc"vcl If an Iahorin; under any fa'iacv. u:
proposition is that whilst n. pre!essei ohjcct OF This
plan Of repre- iatnn is 10 give rrotcc!lont proncrtr i
is wholly inntcnt FOR any such rcs. and that it,
and only effect is to give power 70 section Of the
State to Tie wrong an, injury Of another. IN the v:!w
which a ROW treating this question, an proceeding
upou III, assumption that powe- and property are 20 be
divorced Il. The roils-t:, s,:r%cc be according
10 the :. Dor; n III. commit a: sub cct what is
terIc;! universal without any irop@r' qualification
Cor it has hac distinctly announced ch'dra by III"
Gentleman from Iia!ify OR EpMuSD'l that such i the
sentiment :md determination "' The East and it may
now i2 REGARDED tn. fix ID and scttc; determination
Of this body IN this aspect then INV can the mixed
basis a!cri any protection 10 propcrty lHssucs that
property on y find security by being, allowed to u1:-
cipc equal terms with vcSona in H." partnership
OF government and Sc: Wholly src~a:.!s property
in the from wn;c!, this power 81 government
derived I: gives power &.cios and i%r;,< because
o: the existence o proper: III those section. md lis.
trcts and vests the means ii controlling that YER,
mower III those who have interest il that rrorer;y
DEM TIA! in State where universal suffrage pre-
walls where vou permit those to con:rc! your represc-
tation who have property themselves tha; yor CT,
upon any arbitrary principle OF giving power to dis,
trcts have that property represented with my effect
in your lcgi a:ivt hall It is idle dclusion It i,
refine ~;,hs;r" under which power and not protection
is sought Property TO have an active and potential
,c;cc in vorr REPRESENTATIVE chamber mus. hc abe to
speak n Tie polls If you divorce poker and property
there-it is a divorce scn'o mHri"o"i'iever 10 De
rc;ilcl AGAIN rs an active element in The same sruc
turc of government If you strip it OF It's influence
thereir Won extingui>t its voice AT the Only point
where representative power created II IS idle t"sr"a
os it as existing in your representative system at all
To show il all It's proper coloring the utter inlty Of
this AZ 4 scltne for IL" protcc u property would
rco,i:fc perhaps more intimate knowledge OF the social
:, nditiai Of the Fast han ut this time possessed
e Nevertheless; believe ,he facts which | shail lay
bo!o. tbs committee lie sufficient for M present
purpose rs m illustration Of NY views, and Will her"
call 20 M aid portion Of the argument OF the gentle
man froi! the city Of Ric!,aoui (lr N ErDlT) which
on.ht Of ,cr to lrin him TO t''a conclusions t"
which have arrived lie tells Us quote his own lan'
cascc that property needs protection against persons
that rho Interests Of property and persons are not iden
tical: Il in every community there persons who
hoa pre-. "ty aal icEgcr nmnber Of persons who Go