Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1829-11-19

Cer;ng his thanks for the attention ne haa hiei
with from the Committee.
AR. BaId,cin then rose to address the LON
ro;ttee---and to explain his own views IN
brief manner lie contcnded, that the argu-
ments of gentlemen founded on conuane'y OF
interests were incorrect They antn1, uia'
,y;th am ndenfity OF interests, the white popu-
ia.;or o,,ght 10 he the basis of the Consutu-
6on. lie presumed no gentleman would ad-
NIT that this was struggle forpower, between
the different sections OF the Stafe-because
.ucb discussion would be worse than use
less II ,yoshi only scatter the iirebrands oi
discord through the Commonwealth. ~"
enntnnded mai there were general principles
- ,,ol;t;cs,-Cor. what we're they bus rules,
dedured from the experience and Observation
of nations, for the government oil societs
But he remarked that we ought to look 10 our
own system for the rules which are 10 govern
us. lie had not. therefore, thought IL heces-
sary to consult the writings oil other aathorS
upon this subject; but TO reSaF1 our w" ~
fem consacrated hy the blood OF our own
citizens and the iabors OF our statesmen.
Re commended. that the Jaws OF necessity
,nust oreyail m such a Gaze; and that cohse-
ouentIy the general vii must be exprcssea uy
4he ws,oxity. But even inns rule has not been
controversial Gentlemen 10 mol ueDy IL p'i'
they only dillcr, as 80 ito application. ihst
saw. that a majority OF numbers IS not the
proper result oi such a psoPositioll--ana oey
contend, that the western citizens onsht 10
Weld our principles to tssan aha 'sfs uo'
they deserve to be hewers OF WOOD ana ofa"
ers of water.
tive Franchise exceptions eught to DC mace
of those who have not independence eaengh
To exercise this risht--but he coDtended, that
when the rule is once fixed, the majority
ought to prevail.
He proceeded then To show, that the rcso-
luton of the Committee ought to be adopted
He begged gentlemen not to cenioand the
purposes for which government was formed,
with the manner in which 1t ought to be or
ganized He admitted that property ought
to be protected, bat not that IL should iniiu-
ence the representation. Does any one pro
pose to regulate the elective franchise by pro
perry: TO allow, for instance, TO II inau who
owns ten tunes as much property, ten times
as much political power? Why then should
fl,e principle run into the representation oil
the different districts OF the State? Ii the
principle were that all wAc contribute TO the
public service, ought to possess greater pow
ar, we ought then to discriminate between the
merits Of individuals; their intellect, tacir
meraa worth. their military services, as Wei
As their property. There is no more necas-
sary connection between the property o.
persons and representative power, tlan there
Is between the services which they cohtT1 butte
an the defence Of the State. the blood wlief
they pour out, and a,ot po,eor itseg. There n
IN faea no test that will suit all cases excep
aumbers-
He said, that gentlemen had argued thd
question, as il there were opposite and IRE
sonciieable interests in this Commonwealth
III this were true, it would rather argae tina
the sections of the State ought not to be unit
ed at aii---But every ran IN this Assembl,
revoits AT this idea. We are ali devoted 81
the integ ,itv of Virginia. He held, however
that there was no such permanent hostility o
interests between the sections of the State
There faay be sometimes little eunrrarcues
but they are not universal or lasting Ihos
who desire the improvement of the Same
River may not harmonise with those VIII
seek the improvement of the Shenandoah
but these ase exceptions, and do not prov
1ae rule.
He commended. that it was not true, as TIL
gentleman from Orange had said, hat all g
-vernments were founded on jealonsy--it mu
at last come TO this, that there mist be a mi
tual confidence among the members al tt
COM 4 nty--and the strength of the govern
ment must rest upon the moral force of IL
people.
After Mr. Baldwin had closed, Mr.. Cool
rose to explain some of the positions respec
ing which, the gentleman from NoTtiaffIno
lMr Upsher) seemed to have misapprehen
ed him. Among these was, the decsarahc
attributed to him, that the people of the ia
of Virginia had not abused the power
which they had become possessed. MIR.
said be had expressly confined that declas
ton to particular case--their not thrown
the burden of taxation upon the cattle OF q
west, while they had levied SUCH taxes Up'
their own slaves.
MIR. Upsher expressed his regret that
had misapprehended ihao gentleman fro
Frederick (aIr, Cooke particularly as to Il
point. but ne argued, that confininS the {
claration to the sense in which 1t was nj
explained. he could not but think how milo
the citizens of the last had used the pow
in their hands; for, if they had not abused
by the imposition of unequal burthens up
their Western brethren (the mode n VIII
abuse might naturally be expected, IL II ext
ed at an he could not very well understa
it what obnoxious form it had been practis
upon their personal rights, which had Il
equally extended to themselves
Mr. Leigh of c. rose to ask the gentlem
from Frederick (NIr. Cooke,) if it were p;
hamentary and proper to ask such quesho
to state what practical abuses the people
the Lowiands had extended towards the C,
gems of the West He begged him to pro
his proposition if he could-and remarks
that though he had been as familiar as m(
persons with the laws OF the State, yet he h
Ioa., r+,,,o1r bv apv sueh ahusp y