OCR Text |
Show 134 'rilE STATE CONVEN'l'IONS. by it, as a tax of ten dollars on each lave might be laid, of which she would receive a ::-;hare. lie endeavored to obviate the obj clion of gentlemen, thn.t the restriction on Congress was a proof that t lt ey would have powers not given them, by rcnHtrking-, that they would only have had a gcncml superintend ency of trade, if the restriction had uot been in crtcd. But the Southern States insi ·ted on this except ion to tl1at general superintendency for twenty years. It co uld not, th erefore, have been a power by implication, as the re~tri ction was au exception from a dclegnted power. The taxes could not, us had been suggested, be laid so high on negroes as to amonnt to emancipation; becau 'C taxation and rcpresr. ntn.tion were fixed according to the ccmmH established in the Constitution. 'rhe exception of taxes from the uniformity annexed to duties and excises conld Hot have the operation contended for by the gcn tlcman, because other clauses had clearly and positively ixed the census. Tiad taxes been unifo rm ~ it would have been universally objected to; for no one object could be selected wilhout involving great in co nveni ences n.nd opprc. sions. But, says, Mr. Nicholas, is it from the general gorernmcnt we ure to fear emancipation? Gentlemen will recollect what I said in nnothcr house, and what other gentlemen have said, that advocated emancipation. Give me leave to say, that clause is a great security for our slave tux. I cnn tell the committee that the people of our own country arc reduced to beggary by the taxes on negroes. llad this Constitution been adopted, it would not hnve been the case. The taxes were laid on all our negroes. By this system two-fifths arc exempted. lie then added, that he had not imagined gentlemen would support here whn.t they bad opposed in nnothor place. Mr. llenry replied that, though the proportion of cnch was to he fixed by the censns, n.nd th re o-firths of tho slaves TllE STAT~ CONVEN'l'IONS. 135 only were included in the enumeration, yet the proportion of Virginia, being once fix ed, might be laid on blacks and blncks only; foe the mode of raising the proportion of cnch Stale being to be directed by Congress, they mi o-ht muke sh1 rc.' the ole object to raise it. Personalitie. he wiBhed to take leave of; they had nothing to uo with the question, which was solely wllethcr that paper was wrong or not. Mr. Nicholas replied, that negroes must be con::;idered as persons or property. If as property, the proportion of taxes to be lnid on them was fixed in the Constitution. If he apprehcuueu n. poll tn.x on neg roes, the Uon iitution had prevented it; for, by the census, wit rc a while mnn paid ten shillin gs, a 11egro paid bnt six shillings ; for the exemption of two fifths of them reduced it to that proportion. Mr. George Mason said, that gcnl lcmcn might think them elves secured by the restriction, in i hc fourth clan. c, Umt no cnpitation or other direct tax should be lnid but in proportion to the census before di rcclcd to be taken ; but that, when maturely con idcrcd, it would be found to be no security what. oevcr. I t was nothing but a direct assertion, or mere confirmation of tho clause which fixed the ratio of taxes and represe ntation. It only mmmt thn.t the quantum to be received of each State should be in proportion to lheit· numbers, in the manner therein directed. But the gencml government was not precluded from laying ilH' pt·oportion of any particular State on any one specie.' of properly they mi ght think proper. Fot· instance, if five hu ndr cl thousand dollars were to he raiHed, t.hcy might lay the whole of the proporti on of the Southern States on the blacks, or any one speci s of property; so that by lay ing taxes too heavily on slaves, they might totally anuihila.Lc that kind of properly. No real security could arise from the clause wbicu provides |