Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-03-19

holder shall be exempt from the burdens OF
the Commonwealth, and my neighbor, equally
worthy with me, though not o slavehoioer, Is
10 bear The burdens which ought to bear,
and which by virtue CT my possession % Ivy
property ain able to bear? ask usa',',
upon what principle Of public policy shouiu
such an anomaly and Inconsistency ID our Or
ganic law be tolerated: Sir, accornlhe 10 Tue
report Of the proceedings Of our Legislature
they have just passed law nppropriathe !"
million Of dollars, whichis 10 bc added TO our
burdens; and the public debt upon our Com
monweath HOW ] believe amounts 10 lortf
millions. The tendencies OF the times anu
the necessity to protect the State against en-
croachments growing out OF the possession "
this property have demanded this increase Of
the debt Of Virginia, aud recnr again
TO the question which l w'sh 70 De
sent home to the consideration OF every mem
Der Of this Convention, upon what principe Is
this exemption justified, whether OF pnoc
policy or of persona! right: Therefore; SIT, !
have prepared resolutions, which shall seno
to be reported presently, by which | AZ for
tho appointment Of u committee to taheihlo
consideration so much Of our Constitution as
is embraced in tic 32d and 23d sections OF the
fourth article, with Il v!"w TO lIniiotm Jana
ton throughout the Conmonwealth Anu, S'''
| have heard il stated that there Is great COIN
Dlaint throughout the Commonwealth III re-
ra.d to our present Judiciary orgah!za'ion.-
Especially, sir, IS there great complaint III tne
section OF the State from which cotnc-tne
| county Of Mnnongalla-in reference 10 Tue
county court system IL las been found TO De
Inefficient: il has been found 10 oc cauloer
SONG. il mas been found to be a carrlcature
anon the administration Of justice; II mas
;,sen found 10 be extremely expensive; ana
general public scntlmen, III mat sec,
,ion OF the State demands tina. this eS'l
! shall be removed. have ALSO :'repaTen re-
solution asking i1r the appointment oil coin'
| rpittce to take the organization oi cur JUL
ciary system into consideration, snu report
upon it accordingly. Then, SIR, there rrih''hS
question concerning the basis ni representa-.
lion in the two houses Of the General Assem-
h.r. The time has arrived .hiEf. sir, When
both houses Of the tieI.erul Assembly, shou'"
have representation appor.loncd upon the same
basis, aud have prepared Resolutions np"h
that subject. Without further eSpianhtion'
sir send the whole of them to the Clerk, that
they may be reported and ask for their adop'
ton.
The resolutions were reported IA follows
Resolved. That tsxnl;on should he equal and
Uniform throu.h out the Commonwealth, ana
that all property should lie taxed i'll proper
ton To its vulue.
Resolved That committee OF thirteen uiem-
!rrs be appointed to prepare nri report 10 the
-. oil ri
% Of article ". Of the Constitution ot the Com
,uGuw.slii ~ shall conform said sections to the
!rirciplc Of taxation tnuucatcd IN the !oreSo.
ing resolution
SIR EARLY.-l think if remember right,
that the gentleman from Marion, Mr.. Hay
NoSDJ offered resolution for the appointment
ola committee 10 take into consideration amend
lnenis OF alterations 10 tile Constitution % tue
State Am correct sir:
The PRESIDENT The Chair regards tue first
resolution as specific in its object, and net en-
braced necessarily By the other;
Mr.. HArwooD-l will state for the iniorma-
ton of the gentleman, that the resolution offer
cd by myself does not contemplate the appoint
ment oil anr committee. Ii is only resolution
which ANNOUNCES, in its terms, that the tonSsi-
tu,io, of Virginia should be amended, ard that
luis SOUfeiliCu " W eiEeuu ~ " hSiS ~ 90
cessaTy ard proper, and shall submit Sucn
amendments ior the appreciation OF rejection Oh
the people, nj :be poi!s.
Mr.. EARLY rccollect It was the gentleman
from Wetzel CIR. HALL,) who offered the reso'
luton for the appointment Of committee.
Mr.. HArwooD--The resolution Offered by
the gentleman from Wetze is a resolution re.
ferring the whole Constitution 10 one Commit
tee, and not in character with this resolution
I Mr.. TuRSEn-I did not catch exactly the
terms Of the resolution offered by the gentir-
man from Monongala, hut will state that by
reference to page r. Of the journal, 1t will lie
found that on the second day OF March offer
cd resolution which think embraces Rpe-
officially the same purpose MS the first resolution
offered by the gentleman from Monongala-
The resolution which offered is as follows:
Resolved. That il is expedient and proper
that the ESD section Of the 18th article of the
Constitution of the State shall be so modified,
that Slaves, like other property, shall be taxed
without exemption. and according to value,
and that no exemption Of any property from
taxation shall be had, without the vote Of n
majority Of all the members elected TO each
House Of the General Assembly.
! suggest, sir, that this resolution, which
has been laid on the table, and which have
been desiring to get up for some time, covers
the subject and that the first resolution, OF:
ered by the gentleman from Monongala, is
not in order.
The Clerk was directed to report the reso
lutions. When ne bad read the Sc,nnd reso-
luton, on motion of Mr.. EARLY, the Conyen-
linn aiin,rDpd