Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1845-11-13

| ly and fstriy expressco-
Mr.. r. said be was no dsmsgogue--he bad new
er been known TO play that part in life. bur be
svowed himself to be firm and sincere friend to
the extension Of Popular rights 10 their utmost,
just and proper limits. Such had been his primo !
pies since be FIRST entered public life and however
he might now regret to differ with many Of bis
friends with whom he bad heretofore acted he
could not at this day surrender principles which
| he had cherished aud upon which he had acted
from his earliest manhood.
He had had but little opportunity himself Of late
ofknowing, by any direc, intercourse with the
People, what their wishes and feelings upon the
Convention question were but he could not believe
what be had heard repeatedly and 40 confidently
asserted, that the voice of BEsKELEY would be
found arrayei sgsinstthe Cause of Constitutional
Reform. Those Who talked in this way, knew
but little of the character of aer population and Of
the past history Of her sentiments these cues
tons Certain i, is if the County of Berkeley is to
be ranked a, this day amongst the enemies Of PoPu.
lar rights, il wo1Ii exhibit one Of the most ga-
ring and fragrant INSTANCES Of aFostacy within his
knowledge or recollection.
Mr.. F. then adversed to the fact that it was in
this County that those popular movements fret
orig mated which led to the Sisunton Convention Of
l3l6--snd subsequently to the State Convention
of 1929; body which assembled under circum-
stances Of such suspicious promise to the cause Of
liberal Government, but which closed it's delibera-
a.. I'D
pointment and modification upon the public mind.
file would not 60 int o any detail of unhappy inAu-
ences which were brought to operate upon their
deliberations--i, was sufficient for him here to
state, that the two delegates from the County of
Berkeley, from the commencement to the term-
nation Of it's session, gave an honest and faith
ul expression to the popular wishes OF the County
upon one a, least of the most important questions
submitted to them and finally recorded their votes
for the rejection Of the instrument system of
Government unfit to be recommended TO their
constituents; o course upon the part of our Dele
CATION which had met with universal appreciation
throughout, the County. So when the People
themselves we're called upon in the spring of 1880
TO vote directly upon the question of the ratlhce-
ton or rejection ofthe Amended Constitution, they,
bya large and overwhelming majority, expressed
their adherence Of its unjust, unequal and anti
republican provisions.
There was il is true in the County small mi
nority who voted for its ratification; not that they
approved its principles, or were satisfied With
| Is concessions, but because i, remedied many
urgent and pressing srievances-enlsrged the ba-
sis OF suffrage-increased the relative power and
influence of the West and enhanced their prospects
at some future and more auspicou. period Of carry
ing to their full completion, of their just and con-
,emplated Reforms He, Mr., F.. was himself one
of that small minority, and he fortunately had
in hi, possession letter written and published at
the time exhibiting the visws under " hish he had
acted at the time.
Mr. f. here read from the files of the Nsrti rs
burg Gazette letter written from Richmond under
date of the 18th January, 1880, and which conclu-
ded as follows.
Ifasked am satisfied with the New Consttu-
ton | answer unhesitstingly. No. There are
many important features which should like to see
rejected But compared with the old Constitution,
can hesitate which to prefer 7-Certsinly not
The single fact that by the New Constitution the
Judicial system will be remedied, and fifty thou
sand citizens admitted TO the privileges OF reemen,
would with me, be decisive. Nhst have the
West to gain by rejecting i'll They viii be thrown
back under the old System of things, with decreas
ed prospect of ever introducing the same important
reforms.
But again. the adoption OF this Constitution does
not preclude from asserting at some future time,
more favourable to our views, those great princ-
pies or human Liberty, which have become idsn,i-
fled with the West. On the contrary, by increas-
ing our relative political weight under the new or
der of things do we not increase the prospect OF
successfully asserting our principles when proper
occasion shall arrive
In his opinion the future auspicious period indi-
Gated in the above letter, had now arrived. The
West is every where in motion. The East. shrink
ing from the consciousness of her inability farther
to maintain the controversy upon principle. may
be expected 10 surrender almost without q struggle.
And can il be supposed, that The County of Berke-
lev, nov in the hour of triumph will fall back from
those principles for which she has been so long
struggling, and to which she has heretofore mani
tested so uniform and devoted an attachment
He would not He could not believe it. The re-
suit of this days proceedings wou Id shew.
Mr.. F. then proceeded to state in detail his OBJ
jections the present Constitution and the chang
es which he wished to effected.
If the government under which we now lived
was entitled to be called Republican, he must con-
fess that he did not comprehend what Republican
Government meant. He had always supposed il
meant a government, of the PEoPLE. tina, is TO say
government in which majority of the People
of any community prescribed its laws and policy
and exercised all the functions of Legislative su
premacy. All knew such was not the IN Vir
GINA The Constitution secures the political and
Legislative power of the State to minority OF the
People residing within prescribed geographical
limit. 1t embodied the principle and boldly pro-
claimed il to the world, that to a minority OF the
People of the State did sll power rghtfully belong
And not content with this arrogant assumption Of
power in the Constitution ITSELF like all illegti-
mate authority, jealous and dstrustul, it declares
that this power shall not be disturbed SO long as
ten Senators in body of thirty-two or fortyoRe
delegates 10 a House of 1874 should object to the
change.
IL ,bar ,,an, into anna statiatics IN aha thu