Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1829-11-12
Z GtraiHta Contention.

On melton of Mr.. Scott. tae Convention
resolved itself into Committee Of the whole,
Tfr. r. y. BBb0sT in the Chair.
,AThe question pending before the Commit
Tee, being on the motion of MIR. Green 10 a.
mend the first resolution reported by the Lc-
sisIative Committee, by striking out the word
;'exclusiveP," aud inserting @and taxation
combined" so as to make the resolution read
+'Resolred, Ihat'.n the appointment Of rep
resentation to.siic House of Delegates, regard
shouid beiiad TO tire white population, and
far.1sioR cOsEb:ae3"
4 The o1iglryS resolution reads thus: Gre
seized. Tbs m tic apportionment of repre-
scptatcn Ia The House of Delegates, respect
shall be had to the free white population err
el,lsirelyl Nsse
Mr.. Cyaea sall that il had been his object,
in odcring TINS amendment, TO bring before
the comm, Tee the whole of the argument on
both side II the question. But he was under
The impression that some enc oil the gentle
nlen who bad supported the original reselatlen
al the select committee, would be disposed 10
open the discussion with view to inform the
rcn.asac- &c the ground on which the change
contaminated in that resolution was desired
End sustained He hoped, therefore, that
some Z ,as,felnsn en that side OF the. question
would gYe Ess views in seaport OF the resoio-
ton rs reported ey the committee.
hJr Leiyh (of Chesterfield)sa said hathe hoped
the friends OF the proposition which had been
reported by the Legislative COMMITTEE, wo''id,
in the FIRST instance, assign some reasons, In
support of that proposltion----a propositioh
which proposes, in effect, to transfer the 80
vernntcnt from the hands OF those VINO kife
the greatest stake in it; and to appoint Rep
reservation by one ratio, and aPporuon aka
ton Nv another. 1t was the object OF Tins
bftch nj a
The basis of the white population exclusively,
while in the same ratio, taxation was to be
distributed among those who had a property
ia the State and who would thus be compelled
10 coutIibute in a double, treble, and even
auad,aple proportion. He hoped the friends
OF this Pgopositon-this new Proposition, as
he regarded it-new in the history of our Go
vernlnent--if not throughout the world, GER
tainly new TO us, would give the reasons by
which they were swaycd to It's support; ana
that those reasons would be found more saus-
factory in their character than those which
prevailodin the French School, when the wild
views of the rights of man led to confusion,
;,parchy, rapipe and scenes OF blood, Which
were terminated by military desponstn.--
Such visionary ideas, unless restrained, must
lead 10 similar consequences here. Such were
tie doctrines which considered numbers only
as worthy Of attention, and property as unde-
serving OF regard. Let them give us some
reasons, at least to excuse us mtour own sell
esteem: to excuse us for the tame submission
which is expected of US, to this--n0a as they
who advocate il believe, bat ashe ana those
who were with him, think most cruel, papa
Die and crying injustice Yet them give Ire
some plausible reasons, some color Of reason
TO excuse us to ourselves--let them gild the
pill and disguise its bitterness; and let them
he
tines, and the curse ofpostepity, II we shall
tlris surrender their birthright. lie called for
some lessons. lie expected some practical
reasons, not metaphysical, not metaphysical
subtleiics, not arguments founded I'D abstrac-
tons, but such as had their basis IN, and are
applicable to the circumstances of the com
nonwealth. with which alone we have here
todetl, that we may understand the grounds
on sviI it is expected that we SHAH submit
and with patience to the injustice which rs
now offered. to us. For himself, regarding the
proposition, as he dd--and he disclafmed a
ny intention 10 -castimputation upon any 9th
Crgtnteman's motives or course-as the most
CRYING injustice which had been ever inflicted
many country, he must call on gentlemen TO
assign the reasons bywhich it was hoped that
those who were now opposed to 1t would be
induced to acquiescein this scheme of repre-
,scntatiOn.
Mr. Cooke said, that he could not but ex-
press his unfeigned astonishment at the sug-
,.gcstion Whchhad Just been made by the gen
tlcman from Chesterfield, that the principle
Of repre- sentation recommended by the legis-
la6ve committee (the amendment to which
was now under consideration was entirely
ne,c, ard heretofore unheard of.-The prin-
ciple alluded to was, unguestonabiy, set forth
in the E'decl0idton Of me rights Of the people Of
Isgi,a,a" And, indeed; when the CoDyen-
ton OF I776 promulgated, IN that instrument,
,e principles of government on which their
Infant republic was founded, they did but an
.uo,psee principles which had received, a cent?
81 befcre, the deliberate sanction of the most
enlightened friends of liberty throughout the
No,ld-Ihey did hut reiteUte those great
and sacred truths which had been Illustrated
az the genius of Locke and Sydney and Mil
ton:-truths for which Hampden, and host
Il his compatriots, had pOmed.outtheir blood
an vain.
Itriyen from Europe. ny kings and priests
AID mobiles, those simple truths were received
with favor by the sturdy ycomonry who d,yelt
ON the western shores OF the Atlantic. The
love of liberty, and Of equality too, grew with
the rTowth and strcrgthencd with the strength
of tIh- colonies. Il declared war, at last, not
Cnly sainst the pO,eer of rnoAnsZ- but against
the i3 iriiege of the robie, and laid the deep
foultia,io,l OF our republic on The sOscreg1aty Of
he fetlte, and the cqtality Of 'ned'.
The principles alluded 10, as contained and
set forth in the declaration of the rights of the
people Of NirShia, were,