General Pinckney desired that the rule of wealth should be ascertained, and not left to the pleasure of the legislature; and that property in slaves should not be exposed to danger, under a government instituted for the protection of property.

The first clause in the Report of the first Grand Committee was postponed.

Mr. Ellsworth, in order to carry into effect the principle established, moved to add to the last clause adopted by the House, the words following, “and that the rule of contribution for direct taxation, for the support of the government of the United States, shall be the number of white inhabitants, and three-fifths of every other description in the several States, until some other use rule that shall more accurately ascertain the wealth of the several States, can be devised and adopted by the Legislature.”

Mr. Butler seconded the motion, in order that it might be committed.

Mr. Randolph was not satisfied with the motion.  The danger will be revived, that the ingenuity of the Legislature may evade or pervert the rule, so as to perpetuate the power where it shall be lodged in the first instance.  He proposed, in lieu of Mr. Ellsworth’s motion, “that in order to ascertain the alterations in representation that may be required, from time to time, by changes in the relative circumstances of the States, a census shall be taken within two years from the first meeting of the General Legislature of the United States, and once within the term of every ——­ years afterwards, of all the inhabitants, in the manner and according to the ratio recommended by Congress in their Resolution of the eighteenth day of April, 1783, (rating the blacks at three-fifths of their number;) and that the Legislature of the United States shall arrange the representation accordingly.”  He urged strenuously that express security ought to be provided for including slaves in the ratio of representation.  He lamented that such a species of property existed.  But as it did exist, the holders of it would require this security.  It was perceived that the design was entertained by some of excluding slaves altogether; the Legislature therefore ought not to be left at liberty.

Mr. Ellsworth withdraws his motion, and seconds that of Mr. Randolph.

Mr. Wilson observed, that less umbrage would perhaps be taken against an admission of the slaves into the rule of representation, if it should be so expressed as to make them indirectly only an ingredient in the rule, by saying that they should enter into the rule of taxation; and as representation was to be according to taxation, the end would be equally attained.

Mr. Pinckney moved to amend Mr. Randolph’s motion, so as to make “blacks equal to the whites in the ratio of representation.”  This, he urged, was nothing more than justice.  The blacks are the laborers, the peasants, of the Southern States.  They are as productive of pecuniary resources as those of the northern states.  They add equally to the wealth, and, considering money as the sinew of war, to the strength, of the nation.  It will also be politic with regard to the Northern States, as taxation is to keep pace with representation.