Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-04-15

But We are still thrown back upon reroutonar
LINES My friend from Loudoun (Nr. JAHEEY absolute
ny hiied tins assembly with awe, by his magnlfccl
eulogy OF the constitution of the United States Il
framed and approved bv the Father of his Country
or, felt. and We all must have felt the emotion
winch hs eloquence was we'll calculated to excite
But hr Chairman, think that this : not the first oc
cason i'll all probability upon which the great
"ashlngton has been invoked in combination with hi
services in forming the federal constitution to have
influence on this Question 1t whispered /" me b,
bird of tho air. that time last summer, in Iii
canvass for seat in this Conv"n.io M friend nigh
nave been seen on the hastings with cop: Of the con
stitution of the United State. and portrait "f Wash
ngton in his hands calling on the citizens Of Iouloul
10 pause before they adopted Ia" principle OF equa
representation, lest they should ow the Father
lot his COMMUNICATING them to adopt and stand b,
The principles which he has advocated here. Primes pie
Tor which he says the Father Of hi. Country pcrrcc
lilo and honor i'll the struggle Of the Revolution Ana
he says this principle of representation By property
ipersons combined, down to IL, calonzed b. tn,
services and the labors of Washington himself And il
it true, cir, that fried from olloun here upon ar
suments of that kind Although am very glad to
MN Mt all times; STILL must confess that with his opin
ions should have been much more rcoicc u have moi
hiin on some other occasion. Laughter.
but Nj Chairman, is tn" grir !rman argument true
Can our friends the other side successfully appeal
that clause OF tho constitution ni the United States which
i1es representation and direct taxes according tn,
NUMBER OF the inhabitants in the several States, count
ing threehlths Of the alarc- Can icY. / siv. slc
ceastuy appeal To that feature of the federal cnlsu
lion as an argument n favor Of the adoption of the pro
position which they make here;
SIR there Is no analogy in the two cases none what
ever. The constitution Of the United States is an in
strn'nen which confederac srpcratc States together
mainly Tor tho purpose Of conducting and managing cx
tenor affairs, leaving the internal Of the
ieral States to their management Tile States by
itheir representatives. met in the convention OF lISS
winch framed tho constitution equal sovercigI. Ihc
purpose was, to leave thu several Stale. still sovcr.
and independent to all subjects pertaining to their III
terna domestic affairs, and part with more power
10 The general government than found [,
arm that goYerren! with authority protect and de
lena lie whole 1t Became Important question u
determine how the people of the States should br rep
Resented III the national Legislature Il contest
10 some extent bet the small State, and the large
States-to extent between the northern States and
the southern States, and to extent between he
interests Of the Atlantic States and what antici
pated might bo the future conflicting interests "f the
western States 1t finally settled, that representa-
tves and direct th"i be npp"rlioncl among the
aevera Staea according to their respective Numbers
which was to be determined by a,iln.; IL the whole
number of free porsons-incluius those bound to
vice for term Of years, and excluding Indians not
taxel-thrcc-ftha Of all other p,.ss-. Here ii will
be perceived that the number vi inhabitants wls taken
a. the scale Of apporlonnent both for taxes aud rep.
rcsentstion. Threeiiihs nf III. slaves, persons not
property were agreed to be included for bath pur-
poses. In tho Congress which framed the articles "i
confederation the difficulty had prrtent"d ITSELF
upon the scale Of taxstinn and contribution There
no question of representation then for the States being
anvere gn. were equal, and gave cqla votes, without
regard to inhabitants But il became necessary to Xix
some principle by which tn" States We're TO contribute
their shares respectively the expenses a" the OF
Independence in which they engaged. 1t was dif.
hcult procure valuations and ASSESSMENT. Of tn. prop
erty Of tho several States upon which To found IN" con
trhu,ions. They agreed - tak the number 81 in:ir
Iitgntsns sufficiently accurate "IpaEr: u She wealth.
,oi thc States in lieu Of valuations and l-,e AND
each State bound IL contriu!tr a. the common r!
according to its number OF inhabitants. including hr"
hiths Of the slaves At this time the northern State
maintained that FOR the appnrtlmcnt "f taxes all tn
slaves should De counted "lhrr inhabitants. Mr.
Adams pnd that the slaves of til" sni pro'lr
"a o. the fishermen Of the n"rt-whilc the representa-
tves from the southern States .ii-i that the slave
should not be counted all q. il included. il s!n!t
oav bo snall portion If them and thar iI"T 'rcr" %
email cotlparative vau" inhabitants. Il WAS -!
ustei a. thrce-tii:l,s Of their number When acwar:
in the convention Of 1883, III" preston of Representa-
tivu arose, parties and opinions r"vc". ir' III,
northern States song To rt slaves altogether. Will,
the southern States, some Of them, claimed repre-
-entation for the whole number This difficulty, also
was finally adiustri hay" seen. b glrln; repre-
-entaton To thrc"-ffths Of that class u persons.
II was admitted il the discussion that the rgl: r!l'
Of representation III State the lumber Of It's rc'
Inhabitants need not remind those familiar with tn
history Of the period. that this adjustment
matter Of compromise Tic northern States, mainl,
ANXIOUS for their commercial interests content IL
Weld lhi. representation, tn secure what they regaris
The greater good Tho southern States. in all prabI
bitv would not have united i'll the government unirs
this representation had been obtained Thrg vii
ling to have their slaves enumerated for taxation if the
were likewise enumerated for representation 1t was
bargain they had right to make. aud which II wa
their interest to make. In constructing government
.of the exterior where were to be united wit
States in which alavery did not exist at all it was pc
culiarv proper that We should have a rcpresentat"
of that interest. We got it, II Is in the bond, An
palsied he the arm north south that snail he lift"
against it.
But what has this feature in the fedora! ro'-tu
ton to do with the question OF representation IN IN
ICorlmonw wealth Of Virginia The States ii tn. mo
aud the people of those States differ wldcT rom rat
other. They differ widely in races, in climate ant
,nroducts Some Of them are commercial planting
and some agricultural Statcs-sone OF them have IN
institution of slavery others refuse To tolerate H. m
here making constitution for single St"tc; IL
lone people governed by the same Laws accustomed
the institutions, educated Ill the same sch"o ~
engaged in the SAME pursuits State where slay":
exists b. law in every part and section "f it. ana wh'T
slaves are dlsed and being dfnsed throughout II
its borders.
Mr.. hadisons opinions, as expressed IN the Con,''o
of IT'S, have been quoted against vs. He DID, rs
representative Of Virginia claim that thr"e-n- Of u
slaves should BE- enumerated for the purpose 81 tax.'"
and representation in the house Of " LII
United States. lie right i'll dong So bn' VIII
mir did Mr. Madison do whc h. was called upon '' :"
are to make constitution Tor the people OF irS'a;l
lie WA member Of the Virginia Convention Of 10 .!
He was the chairman Of the Legislative committee
that BODY He advocated in that committee tAr ''T,,
ton tina, representation should BE- based upon the if
white population exclusively. As the chairman o. 'Hl
committee he reported tia: principle OF :'FSs''''
Ha voted for l. in the Convention AID al''s 'is '''n
men, offered b: Judge Green. to it'"r Tue E''H
i, .stion combined" i! il Mr. Madison ''i ht;'i
vote for the plan Of representation a u ~"
bo constitution but he voted for X alter IL ocean
manifest that his own report could moi be au"P'ea
So TOO Mr. Jefferson that name once :" Py'SH' II.
riuia NAV quoted authority i'r c.
n ,Is State al ara familiar with hi letters 70 SIR h'
cbral in 1916, in which ha advocates e''lA'.'it' IN
ba ais of the white population aud III spSaSilS OF Una
clause Of the federal constitution 10 WHICH h''' f'
iierred he Gays:
at ia true that in the general constitution our o;at
il. ,lIoved larger representation on account {" II
slavrs But every knows that 'a' va
. matter Ct compromises caW'uia'"h D''"e'h con
Acting interests and opinions
IT, Gentleman from Io,.loun or. JASsry) :rs%c'
.ha, we're hors. representing secloi's-and IN "rt
li, h,,,6, from, ila federal c"r>.i!No:i, he seek