Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1829-01-15
render Of our rights is asked.

4
by those who, during nearly the whole
Of that time, treated our requests, our
humble petitions and respectful memo
rails, with cool contemptuous indiffer
ence.--By those who, for two success
i've years, refused to submit the conven
ton question to the people, though the
bill for submitting it was voted for by
the representatives of an overwhelming
majority of that people BY those who
thus violated principles which ought to
| be held sacred by all who call them
selves republicans, IN order 10 retain as
an a state Of sutjsetion and di'fronchiss-
ment.-By those. in short, who have
| defended the citadel OF usurped and
lawless power till its walls are crumbing
in ruins, and il is about to be taken by
sssault-y2nd what do they ask?-That
for the sake of peace, and harmony and
eogciliatioR we should lay down our
arms, and not only desist from the at
tacli, but aid them TO rebeild their rilint d
fortress, with Dimensions somewhat re
duced, 10 be sure, but with strength
that shall defy all future assaults If we
accede to such terms Of specification,
we shall deserve to be classed with the
gallant Carbonari of Naples, whose
most valiant professions of devotion to
liberty, and most pusillanimous deser'
ton of her standard, in the hour Of tri
al, were the laugh and the scorn OF Eu
rope
What, then, is the lternatiye THE
legislature refuses us a convention
Be it so.--A contention clogged With de
grading conditions IS wor8s than none
1t would but pei petuate evils which, If
we have the manhood to attempt it, we
can now shake off forever.
The effort will cost us labor and time
and money But if the enforcement Of
our Just rights be an object as valuable
as il is dear to US, the effort is worth
making.
1.-THE bill for assembling a convention
be lost, or if it pass the legislative bo-
dies tainted with the principle OF slave
representation. let the friends Of reform
in those bodies secedc from The legislature,
form Themselves into separate body, and
perform those duties aeAieh IL: people sent
them TO perform. They enjoy, in pre-
eminent degree, the confidence of the
people. gAey ,vsro selected for fhis osry
;0ork; and if they leave it undope, they
will disappoint the expectations, and
fall short Of the hopes and wishes of
those who sent thea.
The difficulty of organizing o couven.
tion, without the aid of the Legislature,
is not, by any means, so great as might
at first be supposed.
The first consideration is the expense
which will be incurred. On this point
we might follow the example OF the
catholics Of ireland. We have all heard
Of the catholic rents" II is fund,
raised By a general subscription, TO de.
fray the expenses OF emancipation
Such fund could be provided in Vie.
ginia without the smallest difficulty.
After the necessary expenses were
provided for, the most important of the
duties Of this preliminary convention
would be, to 6z standard Of repre-
sentation; or, in other words, the nun
Der of free white Inhabitants to be repre-
sented by each member of the proposed
convention - And hereI will remark,
thet there cannot be a moments doubt
that the standard recommended by the
preliminary convention would be adhe.
red to, s@ nscessiiate rei, by the friends
of reform throughout the state.
The census OF 1890 would of course
be resorted to, in apportioning the re-
presentation, and the elections would,
necessarily, be county etections.-Tbe
disposition to be made Of the fractions is
the most difficult part OF the whole ar
rangement One solution of the diff
Guilty would be, the transfer Of the sur
plus fractions Of the larger counties TO
the nearest smaller counties holding The
same general political creed. For ex-
ample: suppose the number SOoe to be
adopted as the standard. Frederick
county, having free white population
of 1857, would be entitled TO five mem
bers, and would have dispossble sur.
plus fraction of 1857 Hardy county,
the nearest small county holding the
same political creed, both being nearly
unanimous for a convention, possesses
a population Of 1905, nr fraction of
1905. Add the population of both coun
ties together, and you have 2li62, eDti.
tied to seusa members, with fraction
over of only l6S. Give foe members to