Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-04-29
IE,,,itsueS fysM3ssst PxSeA

ofthe people than any oP'nion "ii.A
sented.
Nr. WIS.,. in his scat E;s'sus. @ n" u'isc5
Nr LYONS Al, hut tn .tl.e: - 20; -a.slFci
r:cmsstves tho people tesaei n+'a' ='i i tne oe,,
are honest and 10 trustees :itA s'occ lac = Si
what danger there is of reelection Of either cor
rnnt or neompetent iudge ask if dstrus of the
popular exercise Of the right to reelect is not a's
uust Of the elective body. it is not then cohi's
do not comprehend the subject Your JUICES .h =.
righteous, they IRE not righteous conpeIe r.
are not competent; the people have tho .Np os.os,
perceive which Of these characteristics they
perceive it they have the integrity 10 ue.'u . 81
IN regartl to it. or thew have not Does not Tue
thing therefore result in dstrust OF the capacity OF
integrity of the peoplci Why should Inc seh'ietAi
entertain these apprehensons tDen -, =.
tI oentem,n had another and still more peculiar
idea which it seemed to me, sprung from TINS very
Same sentiment of dstrust and that was tna1 In
iudpe was never to be permitted to DECIDE cause oe
tween two parties, where one OF them hao Voteu lo
him and tho other against him and the reason Tor tina
was, whats Why that interest, or passion or corrup
ton might find it's way into the breast Of the Judge ant
and he might be induced to decide against the man wh'
voted against him. and in favor of the man VINO Vole'
for him. And my friend from Accomsc with view to
prevent it. would have established tuch an utoPiS a
has not been heard OF since the days Of tho famous
Hewoud have established Judiciary system when Wouio
have required that whenever two parties should appeal
before Judge whom of them had 'oteo lot, ana I'
other against there must he change OF Tue venue ant
. new iudye called in. Of whom then was this dls
tet + not of the people, If the judge dsdided II
favor of hi. friend and against his duty would not a
nt.lesnt people at discern and correct the ABUSE
Does not the argument como to the CONCLUSION that YOU
must not trust the Judge because you cannot trust Ie
neoplei Is it not concession that if the judge 10 liable
ba swayed by passion interest corruption that the
n.ople are liable to be operated upon by tho same ~
huencesi Apply the principle OF the gentleman IRON
Acconac to this power of taxaon-tnat the indvidual
q.
that every man will at agree that 1t IS not rgnt 70
give the power OF taxing, to man who mas not gwen
snfioient evidence 10 the language OF the bl. OF Shs
of an interest in aud permanent attachment 20 the
country But presto change these dear peoe ~ Whoc
gentlemen speak declared at ea ao to oe Liable to
be governed by interest or passion but ar, t0 move
upon the square, and always 10 dec6" 'rcr"i 10 the
right! Now the cvlIi.rr, VI ind !cnals,
and honest individuals will make all hontst r5s ana
dishonest individuals dishonest mass. should Ike
to know then, how it Is If individuals VINO conn.,
socety NAV not be- trusted III the exercise OF nc
high functions of the Judiciary without these powerful
eusrds thrown around them, that when you assre
gate these people, and thereby increase the OF
dishonest and passionate exercise OF power nero Is no
d,nr.r to be spprehended Why ths mass IS composed
f ;drar.ls who as individuals would not be trusted
TO act upon the rights Of another and yet tie may
h, tru,ted to DO the very thing and under clrcum
s.nces too, where the temptation TO abuse Wouia Dc
much stronger than in the of the Individual!
and which however wrong it may be- in mJ heart and
and most deliberate Judgment, entertain! And am
glad too that the gentleman has discovered That am
for prncipis which ID not sectional one-~Mch IS
applicable to the east we'll to the west and which
is founded in dstrust of our commonsnatu as much
in the cast rs in the west.
Ee SAWS that it is no longer eastern and western
question. No, and it ought to have been such
question. And have not the slightest doubt that If
had the power and the ability Of the gentleman to advo
cate my side of the question, that 1t would De triumph
anty sustained by the people OF Virginia, Whether OF
the east or of the west The question to what should
be the basis Of government We shall establish IN Nirg
MA is not question of power merely but one irvor
ing the preservation Of that greatest boon 10 ns lo
erty itself Liberty regulated by law Have yoa any
liberty if another man may be allowed to bid You staud
and deliver to him the produce OF your LABOR your
Is that liberty regulated by law No. every
, ron trs east the west unites with me in say
!rx thar. 10 ~; naa Oh this floor VINO :" iii
not .ss 10 AID dcnounce such an idea as soon as or
nYooIy, else Well You accomplish that object BY
the form OF taxation what 10 you 90 Out
the 7ery thing Of deprvng those who labor Of the pro-
ducts of their labor without their consent and without
their power to resist it. And does that bring you st
once to the position assumed by our orefahers in the
revolution 1t s the principle announced IN the NTH
resolution of the colonial Congress id 1855 What w.rs
the resolutions of Henry the colonial legislature
aina when our forefathers first took ground this
subject but that the free gift of the colonies
to the crown and that neither King Parliament had
the right to tax them. Nay the Colony of Virginia in
of The resolutions offered by Henry proc that
the man who denied that proposition should be held
be an enemy Of the colony, and treated accordingly
The tnid shrunk from it, but the firm friends of liberty
under the lead of Henry affirmed and sustanedit What
is the principle we have affirmed herel What is the
converse of that propositions We say give US gov
eminent which shall the princp pie that they who
pay the taxes shall control in levying the taxes And
am told that advocate monarchy despotianl or dis
trust the people, bct:.usc maintain this proposition.
Sir it ia which will never yield while live; so
help me God shall consider when do it, that have
lost all claim to look back to lineage in connection
With that contest shall consider that have lost all
claim to say that stand the revolutionary ground of
nv forcfathers and upon which the liberties of this
colony wrested from Great Britain. What the
question thenl They claimed the right to tex They
who did not pay the taxes claimed the right impose
the TAX: and what the declaration of forcfath
ersf Why that they might take our lives and bathc
our land ia blood but they should not force upon US
that principle Ny word for it, if my friend from Acco
mac had been alive in that day, his clarion Voice would
have been heard and his arm would have been upfted
ia defence OF that principle. And when that prin
,iple is involved now and appeal to the record OF
our fathers bloodstaned it is and fresh in the me-
nory Of every when we appeal to the recollection
the past and stand prepared to pledge ourselves to
maintain the doctrines that they bequeathed to US
heir most sacred legacy, am to be told because do
I that am advocating what the blacksmith, the shoe
maker or the mechanic will rebel againsts Would to
Sod they all here l am ready unequal as l am
IN the contest with my friend from Acconac to 60 one
b. one man to man, in the crowd just you please
10 have ito the blacksmith the mechanics and the
aboring men in my own town--to the men who have
toiled and toiled until they have accomplished for them
selves comfortable residence in which their families
are qnetly situated ct home and put the question to
them-"Shall another man who has interest in your
wealth. and does not pay tax have the power to levy
tax upon your Ny word for it, that for every one
Of these thrifty Industrious Woodworking and honest
men of our town who will go with him. will produce
n hundred that will go with mo. Loud applause.l
That i. the question. and that is the principle. am
ready to meet and ready to say it any where acri
ice of myself would be very small matter in itself
but if there is any thing in such eacr6ce, ae capa
BILE of makngit. And whatever share may have in
the confidence of the people of this commonwealth.
public man. am ready to lay 'iow' .yo. tha altar.
Ny family and my fate my fortune and their fortune,
are in this common contest. II my constituents are
pleased sacrifice Inc, humble am, upon that ques
ton Twill say to them, do it. will struggle on.
not struggling for something that is of vsue but
am struggling for them FOR practical liberty for re.
publican government. And am silly enough, suppose
It will be called to look back Locke and Montesoueu
not to Vatte because he does not treat upon this
branch of the subject of law, to make proper to
refer to him. though have heard him drawn into this
deb2te-and am ready to refer the great writer's to