Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1827-01-04
will sNnssbl, present themselves to the
wisdS Ahe legislature.
Vita llsrespect, ! an, sir, yours, sc.
JAMES II. HEATH,
.lt,htor Of fibi,e .fccolos,s,
The Sneaker Of fhe 81 of Dsleral,.s

Mr.. iRvIaE-Mr. Speaker: amas much
opposed to aConvention As any member
NJ this House. We live under a constitu
ton which has for lis basis the natural
right of man. snd for lie superstrncture
the freest principles Of The English CO.
sernment.--Admirable in its theory, il
has been almost unexeep,iooable in its
operation Ill has secured 10 us he deer
est rights OF man. and IS calculated to
pc rpetuste those blessings TO all the fu-
ture age. We msy Justly and emphst.
icaliy be sly led the freeborn sons of
highly favourad land. we live in
country, where the means of obtaining
an honest living arc easy and arupis--
whore justice j. administered with oaual
and impartial hands to Mi classes oil The
commuoity-where the rich aud the posr
The naughty and the proud, are equally
entitled to tis protection, aud subject
to the penalties and sanction TO the law.
To to the poor mkp's house, and he will
tell yous TINT he enjoys the proiits OF his
labor With his wife aud his children a.
round him IN peace aud sscufity--thal
he perfectly tranquil and coniented--
that he hssno cause Of alarm or distress.
&c to the rich mans house, and he will
tell you shnt seated under his uwa vine
and hg tree. he has none to molsat hun,
that he enjoys all the blessings which
can be derived from a free government
thst he is surrounded by every pleasure
That is most coagenial TO his disposition.
How prepo'serous would it be to Us to
give up all these blessings, in search oil
that IDEAL happiness, that Utopain per.
fecsion IN government which never can
be obtained. But, although acknowl-
edg. that our government is founded
ei.,.- .:=e peiac:r !es, and il has been adj
riinisiered with republican, purity,I shall
vote for the measure under your ccnsid-
Grafton. There is atrrssent in this state
a deep. rooted foeliag of discomfort with
the existing government All who
have ming led ianch with the people at
large musi be fully satisfied of the exis.
tence Of such feeling. Those muir
murs when have been 50 olteu heard
among the people have reached the
walls of this house Tia friends OF
convention have twice pe.itioned the lie
eislaIure for hearing and have as often
been refused. Notwithstanding there
repeated re1ulses they are still clsmor.
Gus for redress OF their grievances They
begin to irpeach the motive of those
who have thrown tho weight Of their
against the measure; they &C.
cuse them of contempt of the princi-
pie OF instruction and charge them with
an Indifference for the most sacred Of all
rights. Can state ol things like the
present, be of long duratiou' Will the
people give up the question Of ssif-go-
verumeni; abandon their claim to ba
heard, and acknowledge the right which
has been usurped by the members Of
this house 10 SAY whether they shall
have Convention' They will neyar
submit to injustice so glsring and intol-
cradle. BY delaying to submit ths qnes
ton TO the people va ara adding injus
lice to injury We are pursuing a courss
which isforbiddsn. alike by reason, jus
tce and policy. We are fomsn,ng that
Jealousy and discord, which we may |
never be able to extinguish. These |
feelings will at length terminate IN a
spirit of resentment, which may lead to
scenes that every member in this house
might have reason to deplote. But,grant |
for moment, that this is not to be- the
result of sitting public spinion. Are
there not other considerations which |
should induce us TO iistento the voice |
of the peoples The effect Of this con-
tinued discussion of the effects Of our
Constitution IS to destroy all the moral
influence of our government, aud sith |
Il all that str ength which it derives from /
its antiquity. Tho source from which
our government was derived, has con
ferred on il moral Influence not seen
or felt in the operation OF any otuer 60 |
vernment. Ii was formed BY set Of |
man who had fed irow oppression. II
was formed too al time wheu all sell |
fish considerations were discarded, end |
the heart chastenad by the trying scenes
with which II was surrounded. Ii has ]
since carried us through one Of he nosi |
glorious evoiutions that ever adorned
The page of history. itbas been conse.
cratedby the blood of heroes, the uen-
ton OF whose names never fails to warm
the heart with gratitude. These cir
cumstauces undsr which our Consiilu-
ton Was formed, and with which il is as
sociated have engrafted II on the alice
A 4 "a.