Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1842-08-25

hope for relief, however great may be the
majority asking for that relief in the Com
monwealih itself.
The inequality Of representation and
power in the councils OF the State does
not rest in al inequality Of the elective
franchise in point Of qualification Il -
found in its practical application. i IS
found in that geographical feature oil the
Constitution which at present assigns to
s36 qualified voters in the West the same
political influence, and 90 more, which
$50 OF our fellow citizens OF the East en-
ioy in that inequality winch vests the
same power in 4,737 Of our Eastern
friends, as in 1918 OF our trans Allegha-
ny people.
These are inequalities which we are
told it is proper to preserve as consttu-
iional guarantees for the protection OF
property, against those dnngers which re-.
suit from the possession Of power by that
portion Of our people who have not CON-
mon interest in the preservation ot that
property, and who do not contribute an
equal amount OF taxation to the support OF
the Government. Your committee are
by no means prepared TO sanction such
principles, OF to adopt such conclusions.
They rely with implicit confidence in the
capacity Of the people for self. government,
in their justice, wisdom, virtue and mode
ration. and cannot but regard the fears Of
those who insist upon the contrary opin-
ions as wholly erroneous and uplounded.
They feel that as it regards their fellow
citizens Of the East, a sufficient guaranty
is furnished them in the known identity Of
our property, our feelings and our inte-
rests. That to reject such assurance, and
to insist upon any equality Of property or
taxation as the basis of eq ..ality of repre-
scntaton in the government, is direct
avowal of the principle that the personal
rights Of one portion of the community
are subordinate to the proprietary rights
OF the other Your committee regard the
fna adjustment Of this question as one
essential to the prosperity, happiness. and
tranquility Of the State. That such ad.
juslment can be accomplished by the le-
gislatve action alone, your committee,
after the most calm and deliberate consid-
eratlon, suppose to be hopeless. The ex-
perience Of the past assures them that the
remedy is not to be found in the acquies-
cence Of two-thirds of the Legislature in
the re-apporllonment of representation,
and, if resorted to, will be attended with
long, bitter, and frequent collisions in our
legislative halls, calculated to weaken our
regards, impair our confidence in each
other, and destroy the best interests Of
the Commonwealth.
Your committee, however unwilling TO
assail the fundamental law of the land,
and however much they would have been
gratifed BY reasonable hope tina, their
grievances could be redressed under the
forms Of the present Constitution, are yet
constrained to declare, as the result OF
their most deliberate Judgment, that the
existing inequality is alone to be remeded
by recurrence TO those fundamental
principles which declare that the ma ority
of the community have an inalienable, in
dubitabe, and indeieasible right TO alter
or abolish in such manner as shall be
Judged conducive to the public veal, a
government so Intellectually secured a.
gaInst nal-admn;stration, and so subver.
slve of republican equality.
Your committee are confident in the
belief that no party can war successfully
against that principle Of equal partition Of
political power among all the citizens Of
the Commonwealth capable Of exercising
II prudently, and that our cause, whatever
may be the obstacles which oppose it, will
be ultimately successful. 1t is not, how.
ever, a contest in which we enter without
a Just sense Of the magnitude, danger, and
deIicacy of the questions involved in it,
We propose, however, with calmness and
kindness, fearlessly to approach ii, with
an abiding faith in the business Of our
cause with a strong and fraternal love
Tor our brethren of the East-wth flidl
affection for the honor, renown, and en-
tirety of our good old Virgnla--and with
a sincere hope That our efforts will termi
nate, MS we desire, in wholesome and
salutary reform-your committee beg
leave to submit the following resolutions
Resohed, That Convention should
be called to amend the Constitution of
Virginia, so as to equalIze the represen.
toton between the different sections Of
the State, taking the free white inhabitants
as the basis of such representation.
Resolved, That committee Of
be appointed, whose duty it shall be to
prepare memorial to the General Assem-
bly,, praying the passage of a law for taxi
ing the sense Of the qualified voters of the
Commonwealth upon the question Of call.
ing a Convention to be based upon the
white population, for the purpose Of equal
izlug the representation in the General
Assembly, and such other purposes as
shall be deemed expedient, and that they
do circulate the same throughout the die
lerent counties OF the State for S gnatures.
ReSoired, That be appointed
Central Committee Of Correspondence to
promote the objects of this Convention,
and that they be- authorised to appoint
Committees of Correspondence throughout
the Commonwealth for the same purpose.
The following is the Substitute offered
by MIR. Becky, Of Fsyette:
ReSolred, That a committee be appoint
cd nv this Convention IN nrenare n mo-