Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1842-02-03

tSttifhtfu tHS "H'NO Fofeteh" 49, ~
Blue Ridge Of m ,uniaius al 362 145, ans
The white populsiion west thereof, al 400,
SIG. Al that Tina. the eastern counties
contributed TO The COMMON fund S294,.
697, and the western 500, 1872. Accord
ing, therefore, to the mixed basis . fpepu-
la,ion and taxation, 10 e House Of l34,
and a Senate Of 80 members, the eastern
counties were entitled to So $40 Dele.
gates aud 10 9-l0 Senators, and the west.
ern to so 40 Delegates and IL Ito
Senators. BY the last census, the white
white population east OF the 1 lue Ridge
Of mountains was 500, $40, the same pop.
~uIaiion west there Of was ST. ,Ta5. 10
ls4I, The east paid Of he public revenue
S426, 554 95 the Yves, paid 100000
6s. Now, according TO the same basis,
the east IS entitled TO 75 5-l3 Delegates
and IS 1913 Senators, and the west to
So 8 10 Delegates and l3 3-l3 Senators !,
giving To the trans Allegheny district 81
Delegates, to the Valley 90, 10 the Pied
mont disirict42, and TO the Tide water 3S.
From these Statements it results, that the
apporlionmcnt made by the Convention
OF 1929, d parted TO some extent ifom the
ratio of the mixed basis, aud gave to the
west an excess Of both Delegates and
Senators. But this was done, as is well
known, in spirit Of Cancellation and COM
promise, and from no intention to abandon
the principle. Reference 10 former emu
merations of u population proved that
the western division Of the State was 10.
creasing in population aud wealth, IN a
ratio so far exceeding the eastern, as 10
create the belief, that in the space of ten
years a majority of the white population
Of the whole State would be found in the
western division, and the convention was
therefore easily reconciied to an inequsli.
ty insignificant in value, which events
were daily lessening, aud which, at the
expiration Of ten years, was expected TO
disappear. These a%nticipations were net
without foundation. 1t now actually re.
suits from the increase of population in the
western division in the last ten years, and
the large addition recently made 10 the
amount OF its yearly contribution to the
common fund, consequent upon the re.as
sessmeni Of its lands, that the influence
which it now exeris in the Government,
is truly ~propor,ioned 10 its just rights.
Looking then to the present condition
fthe four great dlvisi rs Of the State, the
undersigntd perceive no sufficient cause
for distu bling the existing rate of appor-
tionment. There is no inequality TO re-
move, no injustice To remedy, but as near
as may be, each division now exercises
that influence over public afr irs to which
its Interest in the common stake entities
it.
The proposition that repre- e%ntation
should be apportioned according to the
number of quail, fed voters, so that an e.
qua! number Of voters should be entitled
to equal representation. without regard
to the disparity Of their aggregate for
tunes, is more s~pecious than sound. |,
is only true where the interests of the
several parts are equal and identical in
such case il would be admitted, and which
is the same thing, repress ntation might
safely be based on white population ex
clusively. But government is int, nded
for the protection Of persons and proper
~, and its forin must be moulded as M
%terest aud necc sslty require, so as to con-
suit all the circumstances which attend
our actual condition and as our inter-
ests are different, and the difference a.
rises from the equal distnbutit n of pro
perry mainly, property ough. TO be cen
sldered in fixing the bass of representa-
ton. Ii from this il r. suits that a given
number Of voters on this side ofthe noun
tains are COUNT against u larger mum
Der on the other sioe, il ought not to ex-
cite odium. We Go not mean to claim
any superiority over our Western broth
rem, physical or moral, but simply TO
maintain that as we have equal rights OF
persons, and greater rights Of property,
and some Of those rights in "A measure Pc
culiar to our society, we have "A greater
inter- st in the ommon stake, and ought,
to possess an authority in proportion 10
that interest, and adequate to its pro,ec
ton. 1t is not Int,ndedtn affirm thu the
right of suffrage in The iadividusi ought
to be in proportion to his property, but
that where there are different aud distinct
interest existing in masses sufficiently
large to form important objects Of Gov
ernmeni, the rule applies.
In respect 10 taxation, in the year 1880,
the 81 delegates Of the Western district
represented $33,770 IA; the 25 dele.
gates of the Valley $50, 96a O6 the 10
delegates Of the Piedmon, district $780,.
265 l6 and the SO delegates OF the Tide
water Sl44,432 Ia. In Is4l the first
mentioned delegates represented S9l, 97s
81, the second 500, ia 81, the third
S2l9,749 50 and the fourth S206 sos AZ.
This comparison shews that during the
preceding ten years, the two western d.
visions have experienced a large increase
over the eastern divisions, in both Of the
great interests which enter as elements
into the basis Of representation ; and
Judging of the future by the past, the
time cannot be far distant when we may
expect to see the power ofthe government
upon fair principles of representation ad.
just itself more evenly between The great
divisions, or even shift sides entirely
When that time shall arrive, the cas-, hav-
Irg a sufficient guaranty 10 the condition
OF The west that the power will not be a.
bused to their injury, will resign without
murmur or distrust to their more prosper
Il