Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-05-20

cause their property is In danger OF pcns o rr,, T.
,nprehend not, for the alleged ca'Se uoo' "o
the inference 1t cannot be prcsumsu 10. vuo !,
.' - s.r thew have failed show II IN ms arGu
mem, What is commended: - IA r. sbo GET he Ii
west desires internal Improvements ame MI; newer
majority in the legislature anu EXTENT Those
VI a W., tnop the people oil inc west hul
lnermi, me 10 say that gentlemen WI" nv =, iion
when we come 10 that part OF inc co's''"'' , ~
limitations upon discrelionar, i
themselves , ond although we desire II
no, tho movers VIC lodge in the hanus OF inc so,eln
men sball not be crippled oS resa'ie.,onS 40
leal !ne Pun ph Won in SO limiting them as TO prevent
W. ~ f them whatever, if that Is possible, and cl
NY NV a. hi eject have already been made here mat
mar, Of the report Of the comi.ec hloMn -
i '' an derive from equal representation, ana
Mne' nah.nd is all that can be demanded OF u.s.
n oys r. the east an equal and fair representation up
on The floor of the legislature IN pr9pof,on; 20 anei.
hrs ~ sneak for them and tell when their proper
-, i; in G,nger: to demonstrate with the majority, II
! bere must necessarily be majority OF the west THINK
ng one way and from the east thinking another 10 r"
monsrae with the majority and show inc contemplated
INJUSTICE # any is contemplated; and what more CAM
hcx ont Are they prepared 10 say that the men OF
Tho west will be deaf to their remoEstrances: Is there
any Thing in the former history of that portion OF the
Commonw cah 10 lead to any such hcltl: IS lherc any
: thing 10 warrant such lear:
AK gentlemen. seriously whether they do believe
,ba, The legislature even with western majority, IS
yoinc into reckless system OF expenditure 10 the rum
iof the Commonwealth tsell: tell you we nave more
sense than that in the west We will not Kill the goose
h, laws the golden egg, if you put upon that ground
We wish 10 see the affairs OF the Commonwealth SO ad
!mnistercd that II may not only GO US present Soo' p
continue do good through all time % come; ana
. hat is all we desire. Not particle OF evidence can hr
drawn from our former history from any thing thai we
i have done, or from any thing even that We have DE-
n manded this Aoor that will lead TO the inference al
h We desire the power to which we are entitled IN osne
:, TO plumber the east do not mean TO say that some
r. Gentlemen may not have expressed themselves more
strongly than have done in reference to ths Succ';
but il is not seriously thought or seriously contenae
here that any thing than just and iar aomnls
= tration of the government is desired by the west anu
lei me say that gentlemen have no right 10 demand. ,'
in order 10 give what they deem an adequate protection
10 their property shall be deprived OF our higher ."
equal rights. The rule of morals is, that when man
ha, incurred an Obligation and cannot perform IL, with
out doing an essential injury To himself he IS released
~ from 1t. not speaking OF legal obligations ou
Of the rule Of moral Obligation and ! repeat 'ha
g when man has an obligation OF this kind imposed
q upon him, and there is imrossibity TO perform
II it, without essential injury himself he is by TIA
IL means released from the obligation This is prccscl.
- the in reference 10 the matter under consideration
However strong obligation TO protect Your proper
It's. and we admit that YOU entitled TO the ampics
," protection that be given cannot give you ina
& protection which inequality OF representation "o'
afford without directly njuring ourselves and therefore
he obligation far unequal representati"
y is concerned We have right TO equal voice IN TIN
L. government in order 10 protect ourselves Ii Is MOI u
u lie presumed that out Of five hundred question
N which may come before the legislature will draw tn
{. lines between east and west We of Wood co'ntv-th
g, county in which live-demand that We shall have on
r. equal representation in order TO defend our pecua
Ii, rights against fellow-czens Of the ncshhorn
20 countcs as well as all Others We Of the northwest dc
n. mand that we shall have equal representation
fha riph nf hat
MI the power OF the middle southwest We demand id
ire the whole west equal representations order TO rrt
ay er her against injurious Legislation from other quarter
mr. ana to all others concede what we demand. \:
~ ian We ask, can surrender the orty TO wine
md an equal representation entities It is matte
zen whether II nIca majority OF minority as regards II
our prins inan We our equality of represent
hon without doing injury ourselves: ne1nEmres1aer y
majority upon the floor of the legislature is majority CT
for all other purposes well that Of the protection ~
property. We have rights and some interests u
that need the protection which equal representation
will give US low do We know what may up Al II
the next legislature: How do we know but pro- c.
position may be mootc the very first day Of It's next Z
session. in which the west is directly intcre,cd and n
perhaps not having reference to property but TO dearr r.
rights and dcarer nerestsfor there such; How L
do know what he the condition Of things
two YEARS. ten years hence, for making this p
constitution not for day, but trust for long SERIES
oil years hope we may so make it that il will last Is
hail century least and how do know what is to O
during that interval: You ask Us to give out Of
hands aye 10 lay down tarncly and sbmssiyelv. e
the very thing, which, if am correct in the views )
nave deemed II proper TO present TO the committee the
God Of nature his great bcnciccnce placed in or hands
for protection he lot in land Of free n
dom. We cannot discharge duties to the conmni- Il
" OF which we are members, unless allowed
equal representations and certainly there may be many
things against which need protection where We NAV !,
not have it without that equal representation. i
But If should concete-whic do not mr,n 10 do
if should concede to the east that they are entitled Ia
representation IN consequence of their property, sill
mud practical difficulties in the scheme whchis pro-
poscdn the pending amendment we'll in proposition
y. The first Is that taxation is not and cannot lie,
far of the value OF property do not under
stand gentleman upon the other side of the house n
claiming this simply because they taxed greater
amount than They claim it us something !l!.
property the rights which they have in reference
TO property. That is the way in which they claim it,
Now say, taxation is not and be lair meas i
urc OF The value oil property. IL will b.. "f no 10
contend Tor one moment that specific So ic
cause they not regulated with Immediate and direct
reference TO the value Of property They NAV lrrips
To extent, have it in view, BIZ, they arr not ~
sessed in proportion TO IL I'D rni1n taxation comes
nearer To the desired result but there is also difficulty
there. All property cannot be taxed and even under
that system ii s not desirable that it should r Til"
convenience Of the community always 10 be regarded
would be ufrngcd should you eneavor do 80 There
are articles which should properly be exempted from !
Xaon proposed in the report Of the commit tee
on that subcc, before you. Again. this tax may
vary from year to year it may shift greatly within Il
period of ten years Take the OF iuctudti,n in the
value at property, and suppose We go fr
years with property actual worth about what it is
now and then We have for three four earS property
falling far below that value. and recovering again before
the end of ten years 1t may be that the ucuation is
general throughout the State. 1t be that it cy-
lists only i'll reference to kind Of property that owned
ov i'll section OF the State. and then during tn.
three four years the value of that property was de-
pressed the representation having been apportionc
when il more valuable the owners arc ENJOYING an
undue portion 81 the representation. made little
calculation i'll order ascertain the difference in the
relative representation Of the divisions Of the State
founded upon the actual amounts Of taxes paid in 1919
and $50 that is without reference the new assess
ment of lands. find that the proportions Of the two
differ to the extent of threefou OF Il rcpren
atvc making difference of one and half in the .u-
ority. This is something, and although it NAV not be
much it still tn establish what am cnico