Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1845-02-06
HOUSE OF DELEGATES.
MONDAY Jan. 9th, lS45,
Petition

BY Mr.. UFerralI, from a portion OF thu
cn:zens of Morgan county. for The right
OF way to the Baltimore and Ohio Rail
Road company through the State T. some
point Of terminus on the Ohio River
Provided said COMPANY be required to
adopt some r. asonably graduated scale Of
rates according to distance.
The Tar Bill.
The bill imposing taxes for the support
Of Government was taken up.
The QUESTION pending was the motion
of Mr.. Stephenson 10 recomm'. the bull
with Instructions TO report bill with the
same rate OF taxes Of 1912, and the TX
cess over the requirements of the public
service, he set apart as sinking fund to
pay the public debts.
Mr.. Preston moved the following sub.
stitute for Mr.. Stephenson's as dispensing
with the sinking fund, and pleeg'ng the
surplus directly to the payment of the
public debt:
Resolved, That the Comm ttee Of Fl.
nance be instructed TO report bill pro-
vld ng tina: the annual surplus If revenue
which shall remain at the present rates Of
taxation over and above the annual ex-
penditures Of Government and payment
of the interest Of the public 1ebt, shall
be appropriated TO the extinguishment Of
the principal Of so much oil the puolIc
debt as IS now redeemable.
Mr.. Stephenson withdrew his PROPOSE
tons, as his object had been defeated by
the amendment attached to them.
The ayes and noes were called, and the
question on the rec"mmtmen. was Con
8 dered test Of the sense of the House
on the question Of reducing the state OF
taxation.
The recommlimeat was decided in the
3S, noes 50.
TUESDAY, January 81, 1915.
State Convention.
The bill providing for taking the s'nse
Of the p ople on the proprIety OF ling
a Convention, came up as the order Of
he day.
The bill being read. Mr.. Stephenson
jailed the ayes and noes On its passage.
Mr.. StIother opposed the bill. He pro
esied his ignorance Of the causes, the
grievances. which warranted this great
which was so well calculated To
disturb the harmony of The people OF The
State. Mr.. S. wished to know on what
orinciples-on what system, the conven-
ION was to be organized.
Mr.. Stephenson replied to Mr.. Stroih.
r., and urged the cons drrai"ns which
Justified and demanded this measure
By the present apportionmeDt of repre-.
'entaiion, tho West was suffering the
,rossest injustice. II protested agalns, il.
It The time Of the Conv. ntIou--ani it had
continued TO protest against il to the pres
INT time, and II never would cease to pro
est, until it had obtained redr, SIS If ITS
grievances. AS Ia the mode Of the CT
,iriz alton of the Convention. that would
De determined by those VIVA constituted
h., majority in the Legislature. The
PRESENT bill only proposes to take tn"
ense oil The people whether there snail
,e a cunven,iun-whe hen that is dete,min
ID, III" next Legislature could and would
el,Ie the mode and principles OF its or
,anization. Mr.. s. concluded by rep al
ng that the West, if defeated now, wouli
Fever d slst from lis .ffnIts to throw off
he tyranny which oppressed II.
Mr.. Pits denied that the West was Ia.
boring under the grievances complained
IF; and he con,ended, that thu PRES nj
winch tho not peri CT. was
ramed IN holy spirit Of comrrnm Sc.
md he did not believe better one could |
low be framed. Mr.. P. was, however,
Wiling to acquiesce in the call, If the
risnds OF The oil would agree to prop.
,si,ion, which he would submit by way Of
'lder, as follows.
BE ii further enacted, Tha. it shall be
he duty of the Executive to ascertain the
esut, as exhibited by the returns re-
e we'd, and to determine 4 e me by tn"
nslnu,y IN each county, city or borough (
# tals Commonwealth, counting the r p
rs. nta.iou of each county. city r tor
ugh either for or against the call of u
Convention as such ma "rty Of the voters
q such county, city or b"r1ugh may b.. !
Mr.. Preston understood the object Of the |
der was to suppress the Voice Of the mi
loriiy in East, IN Vitglnia--nndto sec who
we're wiling 10 st'he tn popular will he
demanded the ayes and noes on the rider.
Some explanations passed between Mr..
Pitts and Mr.. Stephenson as TO the true
meaning and objrct Of the rider.
Mr.. Jackson said This was the frs. time
I had ever been asserted that majority
If the qualified voters in this State were
rot the masters. He did not propose To
discuss the question now; bu! he NOV
o PRINT the rider, and postpone the lar
her consideration of the subject I'LL mex,
Tuesday.
Mr.. Daniel OF r. C. called upon Mr..
Pitts to withdraw his rider. ("No,"
'Ro," was uttered by many.)
Mr. Pitts was willing to do so for the
present, as his rider had been hastily pre-.
pared.
Mr.. Lanier moved the indefinite post
ponement of the whole subject. He saw
no necessity for farther time or discussion.
Mr.. Preston did not see any use for de.
ferring the consideration of the subject
He was prepared for a vote now; but he
wished 10 have vote directly upon the
rider which involved the true issue ia
controversy.
Explanations were made by Mr.. Pres.
ton and Mr.. Pitts, when the vote 10 post.
pone the bill indefinitely was decided in