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Show 26 AR'l'IGLES OF CO~FEDF:RATION. been ohjcctcd that negroes cat the food of ~rccmcn, and therefore should be taxed ; horses also cat the food of freemen therefore they also shou lcl bo taxed. It has been said, too,' that in carrying slaves into the estimate of the taxes the State is to pay, we do no more than those Stat.<:s themselves do, who always take slaves into the estimate of the taxes the individual is to pay. nut the ca. cs arc not parallel. In the Sou them colonies slaves pervade the whole colo11y, but they do not pervade the whole con tincnt.. That as to tho original resolution of Congress, to proportion the quotas according to the souls, it was temporary only, and related to the moneys heretofore remitted; whereas we are now entering into a new com pact, and therefore stand on original ground. August 1. Tho question being pnt, the amcndm:nt proposed was rejected by 1 he votes of N cw IIampRlme, Massachusetts, lthocle Island, Connecticut, N cw York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, agn.inst those of Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North nnd Sontb Carolina. Georgia was divided. 'l'hc other article was in these words :-"Art. XVII. In determining qnestions, each colony shall hn.ve one vote." July 30, 31, August 1. Present forty-one members. Mr. Chase observed, that this Article was the most likely to divide us of any one proposed in the draft then nnder con· sidcration. 'l'hat the larger colonies had threatened they would not confederate at all, if their weight in Congress should not he equal to the numbers of people they added to the confederacy, while tho smaller ones declared against 1\ union, if they uid not retain an equal vote for the protection of their rights. 'l'hat it wn.s of the utmost consequence to bring the parties together, aR, should we sever from each other, either no foreign power will ally with us at all, or the difl'ercnt States will form different alliances, and thus in· crease the horrors of those scenes of civil war and bloorls~ed ARTICLES OF CON FE DERATION. 27 wlt ich, in such a state of separation and i ndcpen<lcncr, would renner us a miserable pco pi c. That our im pot·Lancc, our interests, our peace, required that we should confederate, and that mutual sacrifices shonld be maue to cfl'cct a compromise of this difficult question. lie was of opi11ion the smal ler colonies would lose their rights, if they were not in some in. tances allowc<.l an equal vole; and therefo re that a discrimination should take place among tho questions which would come before Co11gress. That the smaller States shou ld be secured in all qnestions concerning life or liberty, and the greater oucs in all respecting properly. He therefore proposed that, in votes relating to money, the voice of each colony should be proportioned to the number of its inhabitants. Dl'. Franklin thought that the votes shonlu be so proportioned in all cnses. lie took notice that the Delaware counties hn.d bound np their delegates to disagree io tlli~; article. lfc thought it very extraordinary language to l>e held by any State, that they would not confederate with nH unl ess we would let them dispose of our money. Certainly, if we vote cqualJy we ought to pay equaiiy; but the smuller States will hanlly purchase the privil gc at this price. 'rhai, had he lived in a State where tbe repro entation, originally equal, had become uneqnal by time and accident, he might have submitted rath er than disturb government; but that we should l>e very wrong to set out iu this practice, when it is in our power to cstaul ish what is right. That, at the time of the union between England anu Scotland, the latter had made the oujectiou which the smaller States now do ; but experience bad pl'ovcd that no unfaimess had ever been shown them; that their ad vacates had prognosticn. ted that it would again happen, as in times of old, that the whale would swallow Jonah, buL he thought the prediction reversed in even L, and that J ouuh had swallowed tho whale; for the Scotch had, iu fact, got possession of the |
