Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-04-04

, Now come to what ! want 10 say, that my
only guarantee was 81 far rs was concerned,
the guarantee of making the taxation OF Saves
. ouadratc with the taxation Of lnno. "".tso
| no more: wanted 40 exetnptien' asHeu wa
no exemption but was iorceo 70 take tHe
cxpmntior. mean no reproach to anybody.
4 frieRd whom | loved, friend IRON The
South-side, u friend who is now no more, u
friend who has not left behind him one who
lamcntS that he is no more, more than do
man Of distinguished WORKMAN excellent
man, William 0. Goode, of Mecklenburg led
otfthirtccn Eastern men, including himself, from
that proposition, and after one whole days hard
fighting in that Convention, vas defeated
upon the guarantee which offered II SO hap
/ lens that that very man who was called the
| figure Of rhetoric was then in this city, wait
ing here and watching the result Of that ques-
ton. Thirteen men, as you we'll remember,
Mr.. President Mr.. Goode at their head,
had filed out Of the Eastern line and
to defeat the guarantee which proposed
Here let me say, sir, that upon the question OF
representation five men, Stuart Of Patrick
| lament that he is no more-Carter, Of LOU
daun, White of Loudoun, and myself, were the
/ five luen, only, who came from the East, and
| who did strongly and manfully dojustice to the
West On the question Of representation, against
all tue odds 0fll,e prejudces Of our own con-
stituencies, and the views Of our colleagues
from the East; and, at last, when tins East dc-
ieatcd her own guarantees under the lead Vi
Sir. Goode, for Ole whole day made an ap.
peal TO the West, to say whether should be
left defenceless and without my guarantee 10
carry home to my constituents, which | had
promised them; and, to their honor be 1t said,
precisely the same number from the W est, (the
number Of tive,) that had gone from the East to
do Justice to the West on the question OF re-
presentation-that number 10 more, no less
came forward from the West, like men, TO do
justice to the East on the question OF taxation.
Martin, of Marshall-now Marshal OF the
| United Stntcs-rose from his seat camc down
to me and gave me his hand, saying, iii no
ether Iaan stands by yon, will.
| Another was the member from Preston, (Mr.
| BIowH.) He was one Of the five that CAME
from the West, who voted for that exemption.
am sorry 20 hear that he has been hard
pressed by that vote since, and that ne has
| been compelled TO retire from canvas in con-
sequence of it. Never mind it; it ought not
to have hurt you; it ought not to hurt you
now You had gained the victory of equal
Representation. and you had npproxlmatcd
| Htalif III cQuhllHatlop vi 'aA"ti'''I "i'u Jou
gave to tue East q guarantee Of the quadration
Of taxation with land
Now, sir, have got no bargain to Offer to
any body. have got no consideration to en-
change with anybody on this question. All I
have to say is that, if negroes under u years
were exempted, it is not because vas elected
TO exempt them, hut because that exemption
was forced upon me.
| Az, ,,,rtrinn az Inv fen, in
that Cunvcn;ion-the doctrine which | have
entertained all my life since could think upon
the subject of taXation-the doctrine which,
! il YOU wake me up n tho morning at six
o'clock, will tell you is my faith and one in
which ella unchaagable-is thut nothing in Il
! free Republic ought to be exempt except your
wearing apparel, fosd for tho poor and the re-
lies OF The dead Let all come in | am will
Ing. do moi speak for my constituents. |
Was not sent here to represent them upon this
question. So fur is any prejudice in the West
has been created upon this subject, have here
10 affirm, ard support The affirmation by the
| journal, that without the I've votes from the
| IVES; that cuarani ce could not have been passed
and say now. that never, never in one session
rf yeiurm body, was there greater progress
made, more triumphant progress made, from
| bad to better, than was made on taxation and
| representation. However defective the new
! Constitution may have been i'll other respects,
| no greater progress was ever made IN any re-
| form body, than was made by the hrmness,
! cluqueHcr and arguments Of Western members
in that struggle for equal representation and
equal taxa!iOn. The triumph was complete,
save aud except the tax upon little negroes.
Ard IIow if that question is TO divide the State,
will clear my skirts Of that, by saying that ]
did not prefer it then, and would advise my
constituents 10 relinquiSh it now. My own
personal -aX-accordng 10 the valuation OF
$500, which was fair valuation then-my
own personal tax upon twelve small negroes
under twelve years Of age, would make d!tte.
renee of only about three dollars and sixty
cents. ain willing to pay it, if that is all you
| have to complain of against the East And,
when that last act of Justice shall be done, when
equality ofrights shall be secured, when equality
of taxation shall be fully secured all have "
say to you is-and you know it, no men ought
10 know il better, so lar as | have right to,
speak-that have done justice. In 1855, my
friend from kanawha, (Mr. SrNMERs,) when
| vas IN his town. and abused then in Western
! papers 10: being the au;ho. of this exemption
wie: called upon him ut his hume to testify
| as TO the matter at issue, returned me then and
there his thunkS for the part that had borne
IN this matter. 1t has been acknowledged in
various ways that satisfies Inc that | stand fair
at least, in the hearts and in the judgment Of my
| lsliow Citizens Of the West. | rcproaclI them
sril, no ngratitude to Inc. | have asked them
! for no pay or no reward that they have not
! given Inc. They have stood by Inc in the day
Of trial. and have no complaint 70 make oil
them; but have this 10 say: if the exemption
| from taxation Of negroes under tw.Ive years
! Of age is aii that is to divide US, that shall
nut 10 divide US so far as | a,n concerned.
| have only one word more 10 say: that, if after
doing Jou full justice, you deny me Justice
the justice Of protection, the justice of stand.
| ing 10y my rights, the justice Of being as true
! to the East rs rcu Hrc 10 the Wcst-if YOU de-
nv Inc that justice | can tell you that then you
will have s,ung ire ana then shall feel that
your sting is i:ie sting which gives ME the in
e,isest pair; all the sting Of all Iankeedom
would not compare with it, for this would be the
sting oi ingratiludc. When am stnng fever,
br tie West, this will he the only response in
| my bosoul do no, believe | will not be-
lvyr, that Western Virginia ever will be, ever
can he, lndUc:d TINS TO sting their brethren of
| the Fast. Never never; Tor wien they do IL
there w:l be war between brethren, the ticrcest
var ui hell upon earth. None could be
worse, nvne bitterer, for that war il always
| worse which occurs between brethren. | can.
not believe it either, come when il may, how it
nay, in crisis like this, that proposition,
such as that of the gentlemen from Mononga,
liza, that this exemption shall be abolished in
tends, ca;,not believe that 1t is his motive to
drive US to u bargain or bride in order that
Justice may lie done. Now, sir, have made
these remarks with but one object, and that ~
to say, that whoever else il the author CT this
exemption Of negroes, under twelve years Of
| age, from taxation, am not 1t was forced
upon ,uc az it was forced upon the Vest
| We could have passed nothing without it. And