Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1842-02-03

nent common interest in and attachment to
the community. Nearly all of these excep-
tons easily capable of ready and certain
practical application. There is, in fact, scarce
ly room for n difference of opinion In regard to
the rules which should govern any of them,
save the last only, the want of sufficient evil
dcnce of Il permanent interest in and attach d,
mcnt to the community, In that, it must be
admitted by all, there is as an original CUES
ton, wide scope for consideration aud discus
sion through all the stages OF property and
personal qualification, from the enjoyment of
wealth, unusual or moderate, with narrowing
limits of afreehod or other interest in the soil,
or in mere cha,!es, swelling however impcr-
ceptibly Ia" public strength or revenue, down
to the possession of only physical and moral
qualities, OH which the government may rely
Tor safety and protection. But that question
falls not within the present inquiry. 1t has
been settled, as well as others in relation to the
elective franchise, by the fundamental law,
and we are now considering the principles
which ought 10 direct and control the lcpsla-
tive department of the government in the dis
tributon OF the numerical aggregate result of
the Individual franchise, according TO The per-
mssive section of the constitution. That
such Is the true nature of the custom refer
red to your Committee, .hey think sufficient
ly obvious. It's nothing more nor less than
an inquiry how the political power of Tie
country shall be allotted In arithmecal fiac-
lions, to different masses of the qualified voters
upon whom that political power has been
conferred 10y the organic law, and the issue
presented for trial and decision, is not whe,h-
or the allotment shall be in equal or uneoual
sums, but in equal or unequal proportions.
The issue thus presented, your committee
deem one OF rather anomalous character. Il
would seem To them to follow as a matter of
course, from the equality of the elective fran
chise in point of qualification, that the like
equality should be preserved in its practical
application, and that no good reason can be
shewn upon the principles of our popuIar
government, why the vote of one qualified citi.
zen should have more or less weight in the
conduct of public a!lairsthan the vote of his
neighbour, or more distant fellow citizen.
whether separated by co,erminous boundaries.
or by mountain, valley, waste or stream. The
question has never occurred, so far as the il
formation OF your committee extends, in any
OF Inc sister states of our coniederacv ; it is
somewhat remarkable that it should ever have
occurred in any civilized community, layoured
with republican institutions enjoying throur, =
out the same rights of person and property,
governed throughout by the same laws. and
animated throughout by the same free and
loyal spirit In such community the distri-
button of the suiiiagan power amongst differ
ent masses oil The qualified citizens would ap-
pear to fall naturally under the rule of equal
ity, and to be dictated by n mere regard to the
convenience, comfort and facilities of lis ex-
ercise without any design Of giving prepon-
derancc and predominance OF some portions
over the rest 1t is to be presumed that both
the personal and proprietary rights of the ci,i-
zen have been sufficiently guarded by the con-
structlon of the elective franchise itself out Of
its proper elements. The unequal apporlon-
ment OF II is i'll truth an invasion of the rirht
| itself, for who vii! venture TO saw that The en-
ercise OF 1t is free and perfect when it is plac-
! ed IL snhorcinailon to the exercise Of thesame
! right by another
Your Committee cannot believe that an OBJ
| lection would be raised to the aDpcrtjorment
OF representation according 10 the numbers of
qualified voters, if it were an original question
and so uninluenced by the events of earlier
| periods. In locking back at the past history
OF the country, we find train of circumstan-
ces unlavorabie 10 the adjustment OF the sub
Ject upon correct principles. In thefirst place
the origin and progress of the colonial govern
meh!, under which representatives Of the peo-
pie were admitted to participation in public
! affairs subject to controlling foreign t,omi
nation, were not such as to call for inyestga
ton, or even invite enquiry into The true basis
OF legislative authority. Representation grew
with Inc growth of the country, but into such
uhScemiy shapes and forms as Knocked all fair
proportions. Next came the war of the Re-
Voiuton, giving birth amidst convulsiyc throes
to our former Stale Constitution, which pcrDe
tuated county representation in the House of ,
Delegates, both by rctrospcciion and in per-
SDgctiyp. Leaving to no | q,