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

Pursuant TO public notice, the people of Berke-
ley County assembled at the Court House in MAJ
tlp,burs on Monday The l0th inst. for the purpose
OF expressing Their sense upon the subject OF calling
Convention for the pirpose of altering amend
ing The present St,i- Constitution.
On motion of CHAs JAS FAuLKSER. ESQ Col
f. p. HUN Err vas chosen President, Lewis
GRAsrHAa Wee Presideni, and Or. A e Hum
moHd and Israel Po5tasoa, SECRETARIES OF the
meeting.
The ohjee, Of the meeting was then explained in
few appropriate remarks 10y JAMES L. STEWART
Esq.
CHAs. Jas. FAuLKNER, Eco, then ross, and IN
very able end eioqlrut speech, forth numer-
ous Obj 'ctiuns TO the present Stae Constitution OF
Virginia and strenuousy urged the pfopreiy OF
call OF Convention. Al the close It Mr.. FAoLK
MRS remarks Jas L STEWART, Eco. moved that
Committee b. appointed ~ the Char TO Ia &c the
whole sdhlect INTO consideration, ans report Pre-.
,mble and Resolutions TO the meeting fir their &C.
ton At this stage OF the proceedings, EDMuND
PENpLEToN, E'q, rose aud offered the following
preamble and resolution to the meeting, which he
offered a substitute tor the motion of Nc Stew.
all -
This meeting is conscious of the existence OF no
evil, which the Legislative Department of the Co
vernment may rot and will NOT, they hope IN time
correct, OF sufficient magnitude to te9uire Com
vention. Deeply Impressed with the mornentous
Importance Of uphooins those conservative princi
pies which, though destined to final overthrow,
alone have OF can by their resistance OF perpetual
change and their salu,ary restraint upon the action
OF Rulers secure The prosperous and suecessfuiex-
pertinent of Government, and utterly reject
ing the suggestion, that II ex pedient abandon
all opposition, because less radical changes will
nov, he made. ihsn few years hence. when Con.
b, 4
dictates an abandonment Of the outwoiks lest ere
long the eatire fnrtfcaijon msy be demolished-it
declares us conviction, that there exists no Stote
necessity for a Convention. The question may be,
confidently, propoUnded TO the sober minded CHI
Gems Of the Common ~ealth, who injected wiih
no cravings Of political advancement, of powet aud
office, hat is the occasion for this extreme mea-
SUR Of remodriing the organic Jaw OF the Common.
wealth. What the defects Of the present Con.
stitUtioA7 In what does it no, provide, in the
administration of its system OF Government, the
mode of remedying the maladie. of ihe STATED
Upon but sahject. mol within the scope Of
the Legislative power, does there exist for il u pre-.
text. The suffrage provisions OF the Constitution,
in many especrs-unavoidabiy, perhaps, ia the
preparation, al the period Of IT. adoption-are.
loosely defined. Whatever misehIefhas resulted
from this source. aud howeyrr desirable il may be
esteemed 10 Introduce the system Of Universal Suf-
lrsge- lhstanding the wide extension Of the
privilege which those provisions h ave produced
and Of the power, vested in the Leg .lalure,
sill further TO extend il, by the imposition of
Revenue Tax. however Insignificant upon house
keepers and heads OF tamilies-yet the benefit ot
notifications of the Constitution, in this respect.
is not of sufficient moment TO Justify the people in
encuunteting The hazard. of "a Convention.
While, therefore, 10 their opinion, il is unwise,
in IL pxt gspa tkav
deem this To be- thus 10 break up the great deep
OF political organizariob-it being imprsctcable to
limit Convention 10 its sctIon--they regard il.
nevertheless, a duty, AS component pant Of the
State, solicous for the we'll being OF the whole to
express their views upon matter OF most serious
lntrfcst--ts Representation in the Legislature.
A few statistical facts, furnished BY the Public
Documents, are necessary in its consideration.
LIST. In the Eastern Division IF the State, via:
that lying East of the Blue Ridge, tie tchite popu.
iatioA deertaSed from 1890 to 1870, while, IN the
Western Division, viz: that hing West Of ths
Blue Ridge. it Increased, \. follows:-
1890. 1910
Eastern Div. 375 ,G55 3G9, 1913 6o57 decrease
Wcst'ru do. 3l8,6i5 81 $40 52925 increase
The decrease IN the Eastern Division occurred
entirely, in the Piedmont District, extending from
The Blue Ridge To this head Of Tide Water. while
The increase in the Western Division, occurred,
almost wholly. in the Trans AHegany District
the increase in the Valley District being small
81. In the Eastern DIVISION, the Slave y,opnia
zion decreased, Considerably. from 1880 TO 1910,
while small increase took place in Tie Western
Division
1880 1910.
Eastern Div. 4l63 800 3a5 80 2l,070 decrease.
W.sl'rn do. 53,437 53,737 800 inerease
The decrease, IN the Eastern Division. was in
both of its Dstrct.
The Increase in the Western Division was, en-
iirely, in the Trans. AIlegany Dislrictthe number
in the Valley having diminished upwards Of 600
81. The distressed voiue oftands has decreased,
since 1879, in the Eastern, and increased, in the
Western Division
1919 1870
f. Div Sl49, CO. 9i2 $780, .e5i sI9,s06 66l d.
! W. do. 81 20 .O6s 81 273, 400 24,0E,34l in
The decrease, in the two Districts of the Eastern
| Division, was almost equal.
The increase in the Western Division, except one
or two millions IN the Valley, took place in the
Trans egeny District.
4tb. 7hs p'OpO'siOaote amOEMt Of State Rsvs-