Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1829-01-15

cures the unreal creatious Ot "a excited fancy
/ believe. myself, that representation may be
squaIiLed--and that the sun will. nevertheless,
rise and set IS heretofOrc.--Not on extensive
tracts, where the wolf and the fox are the sole
inmates of what were once the habits,ons OF
man--not on decaying towns and ruined villa
ges--not on hstless, dishesrtened and impo
verished people; but on a land renova;ed by
the hope of better dsys--on a people tall Of
energy, and actively engaged in all the pursuits
whose success renders lac joyous, and old sge
serene and comfortable
The sad and gloomy picture, 10 which I have
alluded. OF the evils which must inevitably be
produced by the enforcement Of equal rights Of
ell the people of Virginia, was drawn, sbou,
four years since, by an able and distinguished
man. 1t is, therefore, doing ample Justice to
the opposite side of the question, to give it the
benefit Of his statement OF the case. Speaking
Of the particular question which is now under
discussion, the wrer alluded TO says:
III, in spporiioning the representation, the
slave population, so inconsiders5le in The ives
tern Counties. so large in the middle and cas-
tern, shall be wholly dlsregarded, the western
sounties viii perhaps eagerly embrace, as
the eastern viii s'rsnnously resist. this blessing
u equality. And let the attempt be made when
twin. this question, (Which seems 10 be the
very demon OF discord. will be sure 70 rise up,
10 confound our peace ="
And again: " The very agitation of this ques
,ion is calculated to do great mischief Il isa
searching blast, which viii fud every weak
pact Of the body p1Iitic. And those who are
prosecuting this design should beware, lest,
while they mean only sn equitable arrangement
of representation they be not striking a vital
blow at the enfeErity OF the commonwealth"
And again "The actual attempt to execute
u. 90 -.
the conflicting interests of the state, growing
out of natural dyersities in the face of the
country, and out of the moral diversitios OF our
population, and awake into action all the latent
causes of civil contention, which good men
should wish, and wise men should labor, by all
means TO suay."
To this imposing statement il was an.
swered then, (snd may DE answered
now,) that the able writer of the defence
of the constitution alluded TO, had been
hurried. by the fervor of his feelings,
into total forgetfuness OF the political
events OF the few preceding years. That
in tAe session of 1867, this subject
was fully and ably and temporarily dis
cussed in the Legislature OF Virginia, in
which the slaveholding country bad then
(as it has now decided preponderance
and that both houses concurred in deli.
berstely adopting the principle that re.
presentation ought 10 be apportioned
equally among the fee white Inhabitants
OF the commonwealth, and made that
principle the basis of new arrange.
ment Of the senatorial districts.
Moreover, that bib was passed
through the house of delegates, at the
same session, for taking The sense Of
the ffeeAoldars on the question ef as.
sembliag a convention, with powers
most jealousy limited. restrained aud
defined aud YET that the power to e.
qualize representation, on the basis Of
tree white population, was among these
powers so critically and narrowly can
vassed. "And that the reader may more
distinctly understand" lis the language
OF the answer alluded toy show strong
sn expire this was of the opinion Gf
the house OF delegates that such was
the proper basis of representation.
will cali his attention to the fact. that
while there were 10 the house many
Ai'N"1o vi ieiV1Hl1 ptOViueu reform COuIG
be effected without endangering the
valuable features Of the existing con-
stltu'lon, great fears were entertained.
on that score, aud spirit of caution, i'll
not timidity, predominated among the IN.
Hence, in defining and limiting the pow.
ers of the proposed contention, a con
siderable proportion OF the friends of
reform concurred with its enemies in
eon6ning that body, when elected BY
the people, TO subjects where the ne
cessity of reform was great, obvious
and almost undeniable. That the bin
should have finally passed the house
with clause authorizing the limited
convention to equaize representation in
both houses, on the basis of free white
inhabitants, is therefore strong evidence
OF the general opinion in tue house.
That such change was not only not like
1y to convulse the commonwealth 10 ita
centre, was not only safe and prudent.
but was indispensabiy necessary TO the
public veal. The bill, it is true, was
abandoned, on the ground of compro.
mise: but it did not the less express the
opinion Of the house OF delegates. The
opinion of the senate was as clearly
shewn, in the passage Of the bill be fore
mentlonded, for new arrangement of
the senatorial districts, on the same lust
principle, that the free aohus inhabitants
4