Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1830-03-25


When the Csaren6on law was passed in
: february, 1899, the General assembly, ii
mat body Rad not intended gross outrage
on the principles OF justice, could haye bad
recourse to the Census OF 1920 Then the
fwhHe population stood thgs:--Esst Of the
Ridge, S4s.SI3, and West. 25l, sos Had
the 80 Members Of Convention been divided
between the East and West. according 10 The
Census OF 1890, the West would have had
40 29S-6O3 members Instead of St., the num-
Der which the lag gave US, and the East
% 5lO-60S members instead of 60 which the
law gave them The proceedings and votes
4 OF the Convention wili abuLdantly show that.
but for the wanton injustice of adopting the
4 tables Of 1910, for distributing representa-.
sioH M the Convention, aud even assuming
those of 1880. the West, with their friends
i Last OF the Riage, would have had no diff
Guilty IN making aud presenting to tue people.
tor adoption, Constitution founded ON last
principles. But TO have dealt Justly with Us.
the Assembly OF ls2S ought % have made
| reasonable allowance for the change OF p,lpu-
lation between 1920 and 1929. The amount
] oil that change cannot be correctly stated: but
rem an estimate furnished by the Auditor in
pursuance to an order OF Convention, il ap-
peared that the white population in 1929 was
SS2,26 Whereof there resided East of the
Blue Ridge S62 ,7i5, and West 3l9,al6; and
from this II would appearthat the West were.
OF right, entitled to Is members nearly, and
The East 10 81; giving the East, in the whole
body, majority oflittle onore THAI. six instead
of tweaty-four.
Notwithstanding the injustice done as in
givmg us but 90 members. there were many,
and among them, who believed the friends
OF reform would outuuuiber their adyersaIies
in the Convention. This hope was generally
entertained in the West, and. as far as /
know, the expectation was general, that
should The great principles Of reform be de
iinltely carried against Us in Convention, we
would retire IN a body and frame and offer
TO the people, as tho Representa- dives Of Il ma
IostJ OF them. Constitution formed Oh our
own principles; and this determination APP
reared to be almost universal among the
Western members, until the session had pro
crossed several weeks. am perfectly con
tidcnt that if t here had arisen no division a
mons ourselves, and the Western members
had retired with dignity and calmness," to
use an expression OF d member whom | shall
have occasion TO name, the East would soon
have yielded to us that which, to the last, ev-
cry member of The Gonrention residing West
OF the Ridge, except one. conisnded for, l. @.
the white basis in the House OF Delegates,
ing to the basis Of free white numbers
1t happened during our session, as have
seen 1t iappen in sessions Of the ordinary
Legislature, that the friends Of reform were
strongest when they met, and grew weaker
and weaker by divisions among themselves
aicfanoad Is the seat OF political power in our
State, and, like all other cites, has many
means Of attaining the views of its statesmen.
| The late Thomas Wilson, OF Mergaltown,
used to say Of that city, (aad be drew The
opinion FROM long experience,) that Rich
mond is to Virginia what Rome was to the
civilized world .
Early III the session, our previous hopes Of
success were strengthened By the votes on
several questions. The FIRST resolution offered
by myself, on behalf of the friends OF reform
IN the Legislative Committee, provided that
in the apportionment Of representation in
botl, branches OF the General Assembly, re-
gard should be had TO white population OK
clusigeiy. Mr.. Madison was Chairman OF
this Committee, and he requested nae to mod
lily it SO as to make il relate to the House OF
Delegates only, and then present the same
question separately as to the Senate. At his
request varied the proposition thus: Re
solved, That in apportioRmeat ofreprescnta-
tion in the House of Delegates regard should
be had to white population exciusisely."--
Thus modified, Mr.. Madison voted for The
resolution, and he and Mr.. Monroe did the
same afterwards in full Convention, but both
voted against the same rule Of apportionment
IN relation to the Senate. The request OF
MIR. Madison to separate the question, gave
reason to fear that he would vote for the fed
eral, or some other mixed basis in the Senate
This became known ia a few days afterwards.
and that Col Monroe would take the same
course, which he did as long as he remained
member, although it was believed he recei
we'd instructions from home to do otherwise.
When the vote in Convention was taken
on establishing the white basis in the House
of Delegates, we succeeded, 40 to At. This
majority was small. numerically. but the 40
who voted with us represented upwards of.
400 900 white people, while our opponents
represented only between 26o, and 263, 900
1t was known, however, that one or more of the
ma jority would not adhere TO tins vote unless
the federal basis, or something equivalent to
| it, should be adopted as to the Senate
| Another vote soon after gave us further
hopes This related to the Governor. At
| fast the West were not united on this i'm
lportant item of reform. When proposed to
elect the Governor by the people, the Iropo
sition was lost. Ii was afterwards renewed
iby Col Mercer and carried, as was also
lanother, to abolish the Executive Council
These votes were, indeed, very fiattering; but
levery attempt to provide for periodical emu
tmerations Of white regulation for the purpose