Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1827-03-15
THE @A3BTP8s
MAaiINsBuRG. N.aes Is, ls27.

Cagpsnticn. 1 his subject aud another. and
vet .no,h=r, rejection Of The proposition TO take
The sense Of the people upon At, are ag4,n pro-
aucing ferment in the public mind. which
il IS altogether Idle to suppose. viii be appeas-
al by any thing short OF q fair expression OF
the public will in relation to il, II musf come
10 tha resull-snd, without meaning to be Of
fensive, We must be permitted TO say that Il is
a wrelchedly short.sighted policy which, in
such state Of things as the present. eslc0Istes
70 avert the measure by refusing facilities for
.scertaining whether those who demand II are,
o. are not, majority. He knows but little OF
mankind, VINO reasons thus. Such a refusal
comes 20 Us with something like the aspect Of
sudacious defiance. 1t can but arouse a spirit
Of re sentiment, aud sggravate the evil that il
dreads, by calling up the passions upon a sub
;ect that ought to be given entirely, il posi-.
bic, TO The judgment exempt from all SINISTER
influences,
Popular excitement in free governments is,
in general, 10 be deprecated; and il was there
fore. with qualification that we perceived on
MONDAY last, the first day ~ the quarterly term
Of the county court, that instead of a meeting
of the people, which bad been SPOKEN of, the
subject was brought to the notice of the Grand
Jury by DAWN II. CONRAD. Esq. the Attorney
for the Commonwealth in the Superior Court,
l u
ed to it in the absence, and at the request of
Gen. BOYD the Attorney for the Commonw eslth.
The Grand Jury acted upon The Suggestion, and
unanimously made the presen,ment which our
readers will find below. Composed of highly
intelligent men-summoned from every part of
the county, without the slightest reference TO
this subject, its act IS undoubtedly, but an ex.
preston OF the public voice of this county
moderated. perhaps, by that respect which i'll
telligent men will always feel disposed to she W
to others, in all cases where the claim to II is
not believed 20 be absolutely and totally for
teited.
We would fam hope that this presentment
may be published in the Richmond papers
and we are authorized by some of the Grand
Jury, to request that the editors of the En9,a.
Ter and the Wdtg will lay it before their cadets.
we the member, Of the Grand ro,v o0nv.o.
ed from the different sections Of the county of
Berkeley, in making the following representa-
ton Of grievances which we sustain in common
with other parts of the upper country; conceive,
that we hereby represent the opinions, and
feelings, OF a large majority of our fellow coun.
ty men.
We deem it fit and proper in their name, to
express our unqualified disapprobs.ion, of the
course pursued by majority of the me u bers
OF the present legislature, representing a mi
uority Of the freemen of this Commonwealth,
in rejecting as they did, the bill proposing thar
the sense of the freeholders should be taken.
on the subject OF a Convention.
We are not disposed to enter into any slsbe-
rate argument to prove that the people in this
Commonwealth, are the legitimate source Of
power--.nd that the majority OF republican
community. have right to form, to modify,
4 and
which define, and controu.s, their rights
Because, we do not choose, to prove axioms--
because, we do not choose, 10 make quessios
of primary principles, which We have always
understood TO he the very spirit of our Repub.
ican institutions. And we apprehend, as a
sorrolary to these truths, it is equally uncon-
trover'bie, that to throw obstacles in the way
of tar enqdlry into tho wishes us the people,
(instead Of affordng facilities, TO ascertain their
true sentiments) 10 autLrepublican, unfair, and
Oppressive ' That tbs IS more especia.ly true,
whehN r done by men, who profess to be the
delegated servants of free people; by men,
VINO BY so dong, retain ia their e1sn hands an
undue share of political power: by men, who
call themselves our brethren, but by such q
course. would make themselves our masters.
we aftlrm unheststlngly, that this obstinate
disregard OF our rights, ss it is politically unjust
have been taught to look upon the people OF
the lower country. as the worthy decendan,s
OF those high spirited, and free hearted men.
VINO while they retained the sturdy virtues of
sheir ancestry, superadded hatred and scorp
OF poitical oppression that prompted them to
hazard, without benching, in the cause of free.
dom, lheir ''lives, their fortunes. and their sa
cred honor" That We looked upon them a,
brothers worthy of our affection. was proved,
wnen We left cheerfuily, our inaccessible noun.
tam homes, TO protect from the rsvages of the
enemy, their towns, their property, and their
FAMILIES. The bones of our sturdy veomanry,
tthe victims ct an unfriendly climate are still
bleaching on the plains OF Norfolk, to attest
the truth of this
out brief expose of facts will best illustrate
'ur meaning and support our good cause.
we assume II as fact that needs no proof
from u.s. that the people of the county OF Bee.
80 nave nov their due weight of Representa-
uon III 'he legislature OF Virginia. This is G.
fua'ly uue OF all our section of country having
oo'''"ioh interests population alike in cha.
,"e'er' aud ike soil and produce-in all these
~, no"e'er, differing from the lower country
Ssuit mas peen, that the legislative ma
J''"y' winch with the increasing prosper;tv of
' ersie country. has become more and more
c'spropofuoned to the relative amount of the
.ree Snl'e population, in the upper and lower
Counies:-.as might be expected. have ,eeis.
a'ed chiefly, with a view to the welfare ~ a
Pe'F VI NE state, whose wants are not arr wants
ION aiack o. knowledge of the character NJ
"ese our wants, and sometimes nerhaps he
I'os1 'hese cohticted with their ozvn ;nte res,s.
."vy ""e followed Course Of IepIslat;on min,
80 "a ~ our welfare and have denied To US leo