Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1846-09-10

gard Tor them which thew seek 10 Indicate
We well know that it is difficult matter 10
persuade power 10 relax its hold, whether it is
in the possession Of majorilies or minorities-
the possessors are always apt to conclude that
they can exercise it quite as well a=d as safely
as those who seek their places-but if there is
lany truth in the theory Of our Government,
then the majority have or ought to have the
power to rule. We all know that such is not
the state and condition Of things in Virginia
on the contrary the minority rules and boldly
defes the majority, with the open and undis-
guised avowal of illiberality and injustice on
their lips.
There is no Disgusting the fact, the Eastern
portion of the State has the power--they have
not the inducements or necessities for that libe-
raj legislation that the newer and more impro-
wing parts have--ther habits and pursuits are
/ in a great degree diferent--their wealth chief
" consists in their negro population, around
which they seem TO have concentrated all their
thoughts, and around which they have clus-
tered all their fears, which have taken such
possession ofther minds that they not only inn
imagine but openly avow the Western Virgin
ians to be tainted with Abotionism--a rehec-
ton as unjust as ii is unworthy, and which
the people of the Vest should properly but in
dignantly resent We have often said, and
repeat again, that the East has nothing TO fear
from the people this side of the Ridge-we
would scorn to be so mean and baSe--the Val
| ley is almost as deeply interested in slave pop
uaton as the East and would always be her
ally But the Western people have shown
most conclusively andemphatically by then sc-
| lions the injustice ofthe insinuation by their re-
peated acts of resistance to the encroachments
and intermeddlings Of the Abolitonists with
our domestic institutions. The East knows
well how true they have been-the PARgERs-
BURG case is fresh in their minds. Could the
people of NoTTowAY or HALIFAX or AMELIA.
have stood up more noby to their rights than
did the people of WooD ?-or could the East
have manifested deeper feeling in a case Of
the kind than did the people Of the whole
West? mol and they know ii well Let the
Anti Conrentioaists then hunt up some other
plea, than fear Of Western Virginia Adolf
tonists, if they wish pretext for sustaining
their oligarchical power in Virginia, and keep
ing the people in subsection TO a Constitution
which is the most complete "mockery" Of
free government tina; could well be devised
/ If we know the sentiments Of the Reformers,
they are willing to incorporate in the .Netc Con
stittiion any security which our Eastern breth-
rem may desire for the most entire safety and
protection of their slave opulation-against
undue taxation or any other onerous or oppres-
sive interference which they may fear. Let
US meet in Convention, and when we get there
we can reconcile our differences, and we will
venture TO assert that our Eastern friends would
blush 10 tell US face TO face that they feared US
or deemed our clamors for Reform the work
/ ngs Of Abolition in our hearts. We clamor
for an extension OF Popular Rights, and by the
! blessing Of God we mean to labor on until we
see them established upon the ruins Of the pre-
sent institutions Of our State by which they
are now repudiated The great leading prin-
ciple which we are contending for, is an eGten-
sion Of The Right Of Suffrage to the People
/ That is the Keystone of the Arch--elevate the
People TO the Ballot Box-create in them an
interest in the affairs of Government, and you
at once ensure a better, more energetic and
prosperous people. The poor man is then re-
( leased from bondage--he reflects upon his con
| dltion-he surveys his children around him
! he thinks Of their education and their destiny
! in after lfe-he goes to thepolls and is as much
interested in the choice of good rulers and leg
/ slators as he who has his broad acres-and
! perhaps may cast his eye away into the future
and behold in anticipation the time when they
too may have "broad lands" as well as life
and liberty to be protected by the claws and
Constitution of the State" We know there
are some who claim to be high above all 9TH
ers who look upon the people, especially those
without property, as mere rabbLe, fit only "to
be hewers of wood and drawers of water"
but we trust the number in Virginia is few.
and that few must ere a distant day be seen
and known in their true coors, and that we
shall yet be enabled TO behold our beloved
cold Commonwealth" almost now "solitary
and alone" in her heresies, rid of her abomi-
nabe institutions and clear of the disgrace of
placing any of her free born white sons almost
beneath the very beasts of burden given to them
by divine providence for their service Re
move these grounds of COMPATIBILITY the
jealousies growing out of the expressions of
the organic law Of the State, and then peace
will be restored in her borders-but not until
then. 1t is useless to hope that delay till 1850
will give time to kill off the movements of the
Relomers. We believe our cause to be Just
and righteous one, and though often defeated
: we do not despair. We hope as well as our
opponents, and our watch-word is ''necer gir.
up"
"Never give up for the wisest is boldest,
knowing that providence miugles the cup,
Aud OF all msxims the best, as the oldest,
10 the true watchword Of never give up