Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1861-1862, 1862-01-23


the exercise Of the taxing power and In the mode OF
dbursng the proceeds of taxes 10 such objects "a are
desrnated objects of general welfare that this power
IA limited only BY the discretion Of the governing ma
orv and Is therefore unlimited In its very nature
We have shown further, that when parties shall have
assumed sectional character in the State this DISPOSE
ton will with the progress Of time become more and
more evident in continued and increasing acts Of en-
crOAchmsnt upon the rights Of the minority until the
latter are made the tributaries Of government
Ia other words that the inevitable result Of the principle
Of seconssm is the division Of the community into two
great classes Of taxpayers and Recommendations
RES to- and beneciares Of government; and that 1t is
to guard against this evil inherent in all governments and
to afford adequate protection the rights Of mnories
that Constitutions are ordained and established.
remains apply these principles to the condition
of affairs in Virginia The State Of Virginia. without con.
sderng its minor interests OF mining, Of manufactures
and Of commerce. Is naturally divided into two great
sections which may be designated, respectively, as the
agricultural and stock raising divisions Of the State.
or these the agricultural Is by far the most important
The division of the State in which this interest chiefly
exists may be again divided and distinguished as the
The other in which tobacco aud wheat are respectively
produced as staples for market
The success Of the stock raising interest is in no de-
gree dependent upon slave labor aud hence, but lew
slaves are to b. found nthe ransmonane section of Viz
GINA The tobacco growing interest seems to be the on
" great interest Of the State peculiarly dependent for
its existence upon 4ve labor The result Of these facts
has been TO concentrate eghths Of the entire slave
population Of the State into It's tobacco and wheat raising
sections and further, TO concentrate avery large ma
ory Of the slave population OF the State in the tobac'
CO growing region Of Eastern Virginia. 1t is Also equal
" true that the slaves OF Eastern Vgn owned by
minority in that section. Ia view Of these facts, that
tle slave population confined almost exclusively TO the
minority section Of the State; that II ia interest
owned by minority in that minority section that the
minority section has heretofore contributed by far the
greater portion of the reyenus Of the State raised chief
" BY taxation upon slaves 10 the hands Of the minority
in that section and that the ad valOrem principle OF tax
alton has been adopted and applied to all slaves the
question presents itself to the minds Of Virginia slave
holders what degree Of protection ought to be provided
for this interest and the interests Ct property generally
| by the fundamental Law Of the State.
We hope We may not be misunderstood. We
mean not to draw an invidous distinction between
slave and other property, To assert that the former
entitled to higher degree Of the power Of protection
than other property Of equal value. This poser Of self
prosoon against the tyranny Of rust taxation, will in
every free be s1rded alike TO the interests
OF all property Taxation and representation are CO.
equal and correAtive. Properly ought not to be taxed
without having voice 10 the imposition Of It's tAIes.-
The voice Is aothng unless IL be perfect ADEQUATE and
complete for every purpose Of selfprotecon How may
this power be sifordedS Bya paper check in the Sc.
nate By no means The legislative experience Of the
world proves that for no considerable length OF time
has the Senate ever been able to withstand the continued
bos,erous assaults made upon il by the Lower House.
Why this is So whether it be because the members OF
that House. coming recently from the people, are,
therefore, presumed ref ct the latest expression OF
their uior whether it is because In the conflict that
/. sure TO arise between the two Houses combinations
and compromises Of rights aud interests follow for the
purpose OF snsbag the members OF the two Houses to
conduct the business Of legislation, and TO advance their
respective legislative objects, or from whatever other
cause il ariIes not all pertinent to the present en-
oury The fact Is so. The negative in the Senate is no
Utteient protection TO the rights Of the MINOR J.
The check furnished should eIi,t in the Lover House
There bills for aud appropriations Of that reve
nus generally originate and there limitation may be A
f,rded in itself adequate and sufficient to protect minor
ties and the inter,s Of property. This protection may be
AFT ,rded by adopting principle Of representation in the
Lover House. as simple it is ass and equitable Let
representation Z that House be ApPortoaed among the
several cities counties and toSns throughout the State,
.soordir to the combined ratios of nugocs aud taxa.
ton Let the hundred and fifty MEMBERS OF which
that HOuss is composed be divided into two classes Of
which so; seventy Eve 10 numbers and seventy five TO
tax ,ton, and give to each county, city and town reT'
resentAton in proportion to the combined isos ionnd
to exist between numbers and taxation. 10 doing hi'.
IA NAV and will sometimes be necessary to unite several
counties for the purpose OF tleciHg a single delegate,
but the pan self is simple and Of easy application 10
thI way every indiVdGA ePd every interest owned by
every Individual in the State viii be PsEecy and sde-
cuAtsly protected from IN ust encroachmsnt II num-
bers at am tine gain the ascendant and use their power
BY upusy imposing the burdens Of taxation upon pro-
perty they will by that act of injustice nsct pon them
lives Les Of representation at the next apportions
nent thereof SRd ths representation allotted 10 taxa
on gill gain corresponding iusease Of representation,
aud with IL the pOEer OF selipro.ecton 10 THIS WaF the
action and TsAslioa always equal between these two
elsnents will pro,pt them ftoa maIuAI encToachmenis
Ia this way the lrrng and conflicting interests of the
State may be harmoniz.d and made subsidiary to the
public good This plan Of representation incorporate
ed into the excellent Constitution Of South Carolina,
Constitution which has been In successfu operation
for period OF gore than fifty years, and has there been
found productive Of res the most beneficial and ialu
tAry. "
Coins and We,gSu.
correspondent suggests change in the denosasns-
ton Of our COINS and in our weights and measures, o.
means Of removing further from the Yankees. There
il force In the suggestion. But whether the particular
r,.nos.d he the hest We are not prepared 70 say.