Semi-weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1852-1853, 1852-05-22

The district represented by the gentleman, is
composed of the counties of Buncombe, Hender-
son and Yancy. 1t contains population OF 49,
O57 whites, and paid into the State Treasury IN
1S47, $2,152 70. 1t is represented IN the Senate
| by one member, and by four in the House OF Com
mons. The district represented on this floor by
me- has white population Of s,64O, and pad TO
the State Treasury in 1s47, 1858 90. Thus we
see Sir that the people whom have the honor 10
represent this floor paid into the State treasury
in 1917 SAG 10 more than the constituents OF the
gentleman from Buncombe, and are represented IN
| the Legislature by two members less. Should the
| gentleman from Buncombe succeed In his wlshes,
to change the representation in the Senate the peo-
pie of Pasquotank and Perquimans, although pay
! ING largely more revenue than Buncombe, lay
wood and Yancy, would be unrepresented III the
Senate, and would stand as two to four III the
House of Commons
Now, Sir, appeal to the gentleman's own fair
ness, and ask him if he had the power, would he
commit such rank injustice as this In what are
his constituents oppressed by the present arrange
ments of the Constitution {? They have largely
the majority in the House of Commons; no bill
can possibly become law without the approval
of the Western members, and in the Senate his
has an equal vote with my constituents, although
they pay much less revenue to the State. Does the
gentleman think it grievance, that, because he
desires splendid scheme of Railroad extending
to Tennessee he has not likewise the unlimited
power of taxation, which would enable him to
throw the larger part Of the burden of such Rail
road upon people who have not, and never can
have, any interest whatever in it !?
Whatever may be the wishes of the gentleman
from Buncombe on this subject, 1 will not believe
he speaks the feelings of his people. The land OF
the mountain and the torrent is proverbially the
abode of the free and the brave will not believe
that, whilst they cherish fondly the inestimabe
blessings of freedom, they would, knowingly place
upon any portion of their brethren most Cypress
i've burden. Why, then, gentlemen may say. re-
ject Convention In reply, vote against a Con
vention not because doubt the justice and fairness
of the people of the West, but because l have no
confidence in the politicians who would fill that
Convention. The gentleman from Buncombe, who
would doubtless play conspicuous part IN that
Convention should it assemble has already told us
that he desires the power, and the means, to make
an extensive Railroad Such being his wishes,
he would think it all right and proper, and would
be even able to convince some of our Eastern po-
tcal aspirants that the interest of the State would
be vastly benefited, by transferring the right to tax,
from those who pay, to those who do not pay.
No man in the Senate is ready than my
self to strike from constitution any feature that
is burdensome to the West or to give them any
additional guards for the protection of their persons
and property. But when gentlemen get up here,
and coolly tell me, they wish the right and power
10 put Ill pOchcl, iIlOu-
ey without my consent, to cut down mountains and
fill up valleys, from which can, in no conceiva-
BILE manner derive any benefit, they must at least
expect very severe scuff1e before they succeed.
What Sir, was the object in the formation of gov
eminent? Solely and for no other purpose, than
the protection of persons and property. Property
is exclusively the creature of government. And
when to this fundamental principle of all govern
ments, there was added, by the American revolu-
| no IV1la haf
ton and representation should 60 together" our
ancestors supposed they had perfected the designs
of this institution.
l do not believe, Sir, that the wit of man could
devise a more perfect scheme for the security of
the persons and property of an extended common
wealth, organized upon republican principles than
the present basis of representation as contained in
our present Constitution. The House of Com
mons represents persons for although the basis is
a federal one, slaves being in the eye of our law
both persons and property, still the House of Com
mons may be said with truth purely to represent
the white population of the country, that popu-
lation has vast numerical majority, and alone
speaks through the ballot-box, and controls with
out effort and without dispute the proceedings
of that House. The Senate is based upon taxa
tion and is intended to secure the property of the
different sections from invasion, from being used
for purposes alien to that property in which it
could have and feel interest. 1t is based upon
the plain and obvious TRUTH that those persons who
pay for the support of government, should have
some voice in appropriating its revenues. Mr..
Madison said in the debates the federal consti-
tution that wherever there is danger of attack,
there ought to be unconstitutional power of defence"
This was the opinion of one of our greatest men,
before the discovery was made that perfect wisdom
resided in bare majorities, whether that majority
had any interest in the subject or not.
Now 1 would ask the gentleman from Buncombe
how long would the taxpayers of the large tax
paying counties of BERTHE, Halifax, Warren, and
New Hanover, have any control over their prop
erty If it were not for the protection afforded them
IN the Senate against mad schemes of internal i'm
Provement, and other prodigal waste of public
money?
No persons are prodigal, or liberal, if you
please, OF money, as those persons who do not
draw from their own resources and the only way
to make Legislative bodies economical and consid-
crate, to keep constantly before the eyes of the
representative the responsibility to his constituents
Now, Sir, where would be the responsibility of the
gentleman from Buncombe, safely entrenched in
his mountains, to the people of New Hanover, az
ter having voted to tax them twice as much as his
own constituents, the whole of which tax was to be
spent IN giving him good road to Tennessee?
These principles, Mr.. Speaker, appear to me too
plain to need much illustration and if it were not
for the agrarian notions which, under the mask of
republicanism, insnuating themselves in society,"
they would meet with no dissent, because they are |
perfectly fair, with foundations deeplv laid in the