Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1854-11-15

members" A contested election in either
house Of Congress, If proper case is made,
will probably put an end to SO outrageous and
palpable violation Of the constitution
We proceed fourthly to answer the objection
TO our principles, that If foreigners residing
amongst us are taxed without being allowed
the right Of suffrage, ii would be violation Of
the assumed axiom; that taxation and repre-
sentation should be inseparable, and that no
man should be taxed without his consent
However just this principle may be regarded
as general rule in governments, there would
always be numberless exceptions TO its appli-
cation in practice. There are but ono or two
States in this Union whose constitutions could
possibly be so construed as to admit females to
the polls, and yet in all the States the property
of .fcManes sole is taxed in like manner as the
property Of males There are ten females in
the city and county of st, Louis whose aggre-
gate property pays larger amount of taxes
than is paid by five hundred males of the same
city and county, who voted at the last Novcm-
Der election for President! Nay, more, there
are hundreds of persons whose names are on
the pells Of that election and who have not SO
far as it appears ever paid one cent of taxes in
their lives Now, let it be remembered, we
are not complaining of this state Of things,
but refer to it plain and direct violation BY
law of that principle, which we are charged
with proposing to violate. This same princi-
pie is palpably violated in taxing the property
of minors negroes, and non-residents, and Of
foreigners during their residence of Ave years
anterior to their naturalization. But il will be
answered that "cxpediency" regulates the ex-
clusion Of. such persons from the polls. To
this we might reply-that though "cxpedi-
ency' forbids their approach to the polls, this
cherished axiom, of the inseparability of taxa
ton and representation, if true equally forbids
the levying of taxes on their property. We
suppose, however, that "expcdicncy' again
steps in and lays the tax! But suppose that,
as a general rule, all males who pay taxes
should be admitted to the polls upon the axiom
we are considering? ought not the converse Of
the proposition to be adopted, and all males be
excluded who pay no taxes? If the payment
of taxes were the basis of the right Of suf-
frage this would surely be correct.
Again If " taxation and representation are
inseparable, and should 60 hand in hand" Gas
has been maintained would it not follow that
they should exist in due proportionss Does
not this principle require (for exampe) that a
county paying ten thousand dollars in taxes,
should have ten representatives, where the
county paying one thousand, has one repre-
sentative? Well, then, follow out the doc
trine, and you are unavoidably led to this re-
suit, that he who pays tax Of ten dollars
should have ten votes, where the man who
pays one dollar should have one vote But
our opponents would say, this is a monstrous
aristocracy Gentlemen SO say we, and this
is your doctrine, not ours We say that this
axiom has been abandoned in the formation of
our federal and State constitutions. We do
M cav hat cftcha r,,Ia ba srct
do we say that our forcfathcrs niusty COM
planned that they were taxed without their
consent by the British Parliament We agroc
that it would seem to be correct4nnd just to
follow such a rule TO limited extent, but as
there must necessarily be many exceptions to
the rule if adopted, and as "expediency" must
be the basis of these exceptions, we know of
no reason why our proposition may not rest
on this "expcdicncy." BY reference to the
constitution of Missouri, it win be found that
representation is apportioncd to counties ac-
cording to the number of I" free white male in
habitants, and not in proportion to the amount
of taxes paid. "Taxation and representation"
therefore, instead Of being "inseparable," are
actually and efiectually separated here.
Free white male persons, and not property,
form the basis Of our representation. Per-
sons, and not property, form the basis also Of
representation in the popular branch Of Con-
gress under the Federal Constitution. In
some Of the States the rule is different. lin a
majority Of the States, however, population is
the basis exclusively. I'm two Of the States
only taxation is the basis Of representation in
one legislative branch. In two Of the States
the basis is mixed, and depends upon COM
bined ratio Of persons and taxation. In some
Of the States il is apportioned to counties, ir-
respective Of population or taxation. But in
no State does taxation form the basis Of repre-
scntation in both branches, and in only four
States is any regard paid TO taxation, in the
apportionmcnt Of representatives in either
branch Of the State legislatures. To what ex.
| tent therefore, this fayorite axiom Of our OPP
ponents prevails, or has been abandoned in the
several States, all can sec and judge for them
selves. II is sufficient for our purpose, how
ever, to show that II is not the basis in that
government under which We live. As TO the
consent of the governed" is il not manifest
that those who immigratc hithcr by our per-
mission, have no right to complain Of what
ever conditions we may prescribe upon admit
ting them into the country? and that they
implicitly consent by immigration to submit to
such laws as we may enact? But let us ex-
anime the question whether il IL right and
P'SBS. w ''N 1aS ptVpNitJ VI toi0iSh'th, NiNh-
out allowing them to vote
We have already shown that the payment OF
taxes is not the basis of the right Of suffrage.
Ifit were, we would not only be bound, upon
principle, to admit all to the polls who pay
taxes, male and female white and black, native
and foreigner, and to exclude such from the
polls as failed to pay taxes, but, to be consist
emf, we would be also bound to give each tax
payeroan influence in the government proper.
toned TO the amount Of taxes he might pay.
This would be justly regarded as an odious ar
istocracy and yet, this would be the legitimate
consequences Of establishing this basis, advo-
Gated by our opponents. But is it right and
proper to tax the foreigner, and not allow him
to voter Is II right TO tax .femmcs sole, color
edpcrsons, orphans, lunatics, nonresident land
holders, and unnaturalized foreigners Is il
right TO tax immigrants from other States who
have not resided here twelve months? When
our opponents shall have given satisfactory
answer to these questions, they will need no
answer to the question they PROFOUND to us
But we viii answer it. The regulation and pro-
lection Of the rights Of the holders Of property
to its enjoyment, form one Of the main pur-
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