Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1845-09-25
A PETITION.
TO he Legislature Of p.rginia

To he Legislature Of Tngin,a.
The counter memorial or Protest of
msny OF the citizens OF Berkeley County
agai0sl The proposed DIVISION Of the Coun.
Unexpectedly shews,h,
That having SEEN not cc 10 one ofthe
newspapers OF the town OF Mertusburg,
thAt petition Tor dlvis,on Il u, rkeey
County would be presented to your body,
aud observing ibe ssme TO be discontinued,
and from the consideration TOO, oi the man.
Hest mpolIcy OF .he sch me. they deemed
many OF your petllionefs) that the plan
had been rellnquished bat to their gr,a at
surpfIze, they have learned thai active
measures have been taken, snd are IN
progress, 10 procure sgners TO such pc
luton, aud les, your Honorable body
SHOULD be- under a mistake as to the sent.
meats o. majority OF our County people;
and should be mIslniormed or misied, rs
TO the real character Of the proposed
scneme; we beg leave respectfully, but
earnestly, TO enter our protest against II
aud lay before you our reasons Tor thus
protesting.
We have heard no reasons given for
the MEASURE, and We know of none that
can be gwen worthy OF your attention.
we must therefore, necessarily, inulste
blectlons--sDee we have no arguments
to answer.
The reasons which once operated on
your predecessors 10 adopt, TO the extent
that they did, The policy OF dividing the
Counties Of the State, no longer exist
Under the old Constitution. when each
County, without regard TO its number of
inhabitants. sent two delegates to the
House, a natural struggle fer political
power between different sections Of the
Commonwealth would give rise TO fie.
quent divisions Of the Counties; and be-
fore the establishment Of seperaie election
districts and precincts, the inconvenience
of voting at the County Town would fre.
quently operate on the legislative mind
to produce a similar policy-and natural
geographical divisions. within a large
County, might naturally point TO a civl-
sion oil il.
But, your memorisiisls respectfully but
confidently state, that none Of these rea-
sons can operate in the pressn, case. SO
far from adding TO the political weight, OF
the present territory Of this County, on-
der the e-spportionment Of the district
which you have the right 10 make un ths
esta blishment OF a New County. you
might feel II 10 be your duty TO give bot
one delegate 10 the two Counties.
The County OF Berkeley hes nov FIRE
election precincts. No complaint ever
has been made las far as We know that
these are not sufficient for taking the SUI.
frages OF our citizens ii there be De-
cessity for other precincts, We doubt not
that your Honorable body 10 It's wisdom
would at once, on request, establish others.
Ia Geographical pom, Of view. here
is no necessity for the proposed change.
The County is small, ternlorisily--com-
pact in it's form--bounded nov by the
Potomac on ils North, the Opequon on
the East, range Of Mountains 90 The
West, and straight line dividing Il from
Frederick on the South. Our rade 70
along the valleys, 20 the dspois Of the
Baltimore and Ohio Raj Road--And TO
the Canal, which skirts The No'teefn
boundary along the River. The nofnes-
Gus gaps 10 the North Mountain make ne
intercourse between the Eastern aoa
Western parts Of the County eensssni.
and easy, facilitated IS il isnow by good
bridge over Back Creek opposite PARKS
Gap, and by the Rail Road which irasef-
ses the Back Greek Valley Bei the sd
vocates Of the New Couniy rspudihie
geographical division. for they rare tns
North Mountain At Parks Gap aBd cross
the present County by iine directly
East TO the Opequon, a llille above US
mouth and taking IN The public lsne'n&
at us mouth, they throw into ih'ir Ne~
Courty The River boundary Of The PEE
sent County. and p,rt ofihai Of Nofgaa.
10 the mouth Of Licking Crek. mak As
by the River between ,weuly snd ihHy
Understanding the ferries, mills. feFo'
Of trade, aud access 70 the csns'--f'"