A minor correction; the confederation Congress has proposed the 3/5ths rule for taxation; it was never implemented. The 3/5ths clause was extremely important in providing the South with the margin of victory in such issues as teh Missouri compromise, which barely passed, in bringing in Mo. as a free state and the fugitive slave law of 1850; most important of all. however, without the electoral votes created by the 3/5ths clause Thomas Jefferson would have lost the election of 1800 to John Adams and Jackson would perhaps have run 2nd to JQ Adams in 1824 in the electoral vote; it is alos possible that Clay would have beaten Polk in 1844. Paul Finkelman -- Paul Finkelman Chapman Distinguished Professor of Law University of Tulsa College of Law 3120 East 4th Place Tulsa, OK 74104-3189 phone 918-631-3706 Fax 918-631-2194 e-mail: [log in to unmask] Jon Kukla wrote: > Two quick comments. The 3/5s formula adopted in the Phila convention for > representation was based on percentage already in use by the Confederation Congress > to assess state quotas for support of the national government. > After adoption of the Constitution, the advantage deriving to southern states was a > sore spot with many New Englanders - many examples of this are found in the essays of > Fisher Ames - see The Works of Fisher Ames. Edited by Seth Ames and William Allen. > (Indianapolis. Liberty Fund. 1983) e.g., pp. 232-233 and 924-931. > Jon Kukla > > Harold S. Forsythe wrote: > > > Bob is exactly right! As I remember it, the Virginia delegates to > > the Constitutional Convention, being good republicans, initially > > preferred direct election of the President. They were reminded of a > > terrible disadvantage that they faced, that though Virginia was the > > most populous state in the new Union, it did not have the largest > > white population. Hence, the 3/5 compromise gave VA and the > > other slave states, more clout in Presidential elections as well as > > extra seats in the House of Representatives, that would have been > > withheld through any apportionment system that ignored the > > enslaved population. > > Thus, the particular politics of the US Census in the South: > > another topic of, I think, great importance. > > > > Harold > > > > Date sent: Tue, 12 Feb 2002 09:26:57 -0700 > > From: Bob Huddleston <[log in to unmask]> > > Subject: Re: Elections > > To: [log in to unmask] > > Send reply to: Discussion of research and writing about Virginia history > > <[log in to unmask]> > > > > > Well, without the additional electoral votes made possible by the 3/5 > > > compromise, John Adams would have been reelected in 1800 and the Virginia > > > Dynasty would have been still born. > > > > > > Take care, > > > > > > Bob > > > > > > Judy and Bob Huddleston > > > 10643 Sperry Street > > > Northglenn, CO 80234-3612 > > > 303.451.6376 [log in to unmask] > > > > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > From: Discussion of research and writing about Virginia history > > > [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Diana Bennett > > > Sent: Tuesday, February 12, 2002 9:17 AM > > > To: [log in to unmask] > > > Subject: Elections > > > > > > Dear Listers: > > > > > > Thanks for all the feedback on succession. Now I would like some > > > comments on "Slaves became important around election time. The > > > legislature representing the South was elected by using three fifths of > > > the slave population." It sounds like mud slinging such as we've had in in > > > the late 1900's, but is this possible? > > > > > > Diana Bennett > > > > > > To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the > > > instructions > > > at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html > > > > > > To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions > > > at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html > > > > Harold S. Forsythe > > Assistant Professor History > > Director: Black Studies > > Fairfield University > > Fairfield, CT 06430-5195 > > (203) 254-4000 x2379 > > > > To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions > > at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html > > -- > Jon Kukla > 1250 Red Hill Road > Brookneal, Virginia 23528 > 434 376-4172 > > To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions > at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html