Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1825-02-24

which that will can be sScerialRed. The prin-
ciple OF the bill is perfectly harmless; IT pro.
poses 40 the preamble sbews. nothing more
nor less.
But those who object to its Passage. can do
i, upon no other principle than. that the peo-
| pie are not to be trus.ed-n not the people. the
| tret holders; the bone and sinew OF the land,
as ,omeifhink. But are the people not 10 be
,rustedY and why these dreadful apprehensions
| lest ,hey should pollute the sacred charter OF
| their hberiesi There is n difference 10 the
| source from which our Constitution eliminates,
| and that Of England. Here from the People,
| there from he Crown. II our constitution be,
| contrary 20 all human instrument, perfect, then
! the frecholders will say so. ard tnerei is no dan
| per of sacrllege. 1t would appear that an or
| binary legislative body, invested with Legs
| la;iye power only. in 1870. had jare aarsnO
| formed a constitution which was perfect IN It
self. and was fitted to answer for all changes
aud through all generations
Did our iaretsthers believe sof Look to The
! recognition OF the principle ~ the people to al
| Ter, reform or abolish The constitution, To be
| found in the bill q rights, y part OF that coustl-
tulion. liz did not mean 10 detraet, from the
ZANE or reputation OF any one OF themi the
names OF many Of them have been and will be
enrolled on the fair page OF history, anc vene.
rated so long as liberty shall have %votaries. II
IS not ucnaerful that tins instrument, called a
| constitution, and which from length OF time
| has acquired validity should be imperfect! II
was formed, as lac had sud, by a Legislative
body iIf 1y76. in tie heat aud brunt OF the re-
| yolutionary struggle, aud just before we had
| emerged from a state OF dependence and Colo
| n~izgsion, TO the state OF independence which
We now occupy. II came fromthe hand OF toe
best OF patriots, but ike the mansions htted up
by many Of our torefathers, reqtnre some mo
d~Iication aud addition to suit the taste, genus
aud convenience OF future generations.
Let him not be told that whist man IS rapidly
improving IN every thing else, in the science
Of is retrogsdiRg. This WAS not tine doctrine Of
our ancestors. Our torefsthegs never once
though. that their ordinances, like the laws Of
the Me DIES and persians, were to be unaitefa-
bic. Every thing which comes from The pen OF
man i, taiible. The old articles OF eoniedera-
ton which gave place TO the present federal
constitutions, was formed by the worthless OF the
revolution. sc. The federal constitution had
undergone Is different amendments, and the
constitution OF almost every State in the Union
has undergone amendments; aRd II is believed,
all tor the better. But soe are infalli5le; uiSlla-
ken by time or circumstance! Ii 1t be asked,
where sire the detects in this Constitution winch
call forth the Cianors OF the people and require
10 OC alllCtsAEAs ~ hNAAa tAa0Nf th0t IiNJ
prin grow out OF a change of population
and a stale OF things not existing a, the time
Is the formation OF 1t. lie meant the lnequal-
ty of representation in the House OF Delegaies,
and the body beng too numerous. Tins me-
qualify is directly against the genus OF our 60
~verGment, and its resemblance - only to be
found m tile rotten borough representation OF
the 6ri,ish tlouse OF Commons.
THE numter OF the House of Delegates he
thonrht too numerous for the purposes OF lie.
eis,stlon, as was exeI2plIied every sesslon. The
sxnenses at tile General Assembly now absorb
ed from a fifth to q fourth oi the revenue, and
if the counties continued 10 increase IN tue
West as they had dgse. one bait You'd go IN
that way. According to our population, tue
repre- s~entation on that floor was more numerous
than in any other State there was now one
representat,ye for every 5000 inhabitants Look
to New York. that great State winch was ma
king sucn gigantic strides to wealth and popu-
latlon. Her legislature consisted Of not more
than two.thirds of the number OF ours; and the
pennsylvania representation was still less. The
representation in the British House OF Commons,
he said. was also less than ouis, considering
the population Ut that country and the great
interests to be protected. II was manifest that
our representation was not only unequal, but
too numerous.
Mr. w. commented on the present restriction
on the right OF suffrage, which he SAID we had
also coined from the British Government. He
was not for unlimited suffrage, but for a more
extended exercise Of il, uhder proper guards
and limitations.
Mr. Cols,on said he should not be surprised
at the opposition to the bill, it it proposed to
call a convention without the interposition OF
the people. The bill only proposed a refer
IL -.-.t..a IN the gnunpofun napr.la
who were admitted, on all hands, to have the
right to do as they thought proper on the SUBJ
iect. MIR Watkins, he SAID, had objected to
tbe bill because there was no manifestation of
the wishes OF The people, except tsom a few
counties. MIR c thought the gentleman could
not have referred to the petitions and the aetu-
al state OF things IN the state. Petitions had
been received from eight or nlne counties, aud
there were about thirty other counues IN which
polls had been taken, and resulted IN favor Oh a
Convention; in some ten or tseise other coun-
lie, where polls were taken, the expression of
opinion was the other way. II the couaties IN
which public sentiment had been taken were
10 be Judged Of by these, there would be two-
thirds of the State for a convention.
1t had been objected again, tlat the measure
would throw the State into a ferment. How
MIR c.. asked, could this result be produced
when the question had been SO much agltated
for yearsi tie thought there was more danger
OF producing a ferment BY denying what the
people had a right to demand. than BY passing
the bill. /, had been also asked i, from the
political situation OF the country. this was the
proper time 10 agitate this great question: Ana
why not now! he asked. Were not peace ana
happiness prevalent every wheret There was
no agitation OF the public mind, andthe people
were as well prepared now as they ever would
be to take up the subject. lie thought there
was danger in putting of me question. ~
would not die away, and the history of all par