Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1846-10-29
ADDRESS
TO THE PEOPLE OF VIRGINIA
FsLLow-CirIzEvs /:

| FELLow-CirIzEws
Having been appointed by the Convention
Of the friends Of Constitutional Reform, lately
assembled al Staunton. committee TO address
you ;-permi; Us. as the organ of that Con
venuon, respectfully, yet most earnestly. to
call your attention 10 the consideration OF those
grievances under which the Western portion
OF our State a.e iabouriDg, and Of the meas
ures, most likely, in our estimation, TO OBTAIN
( their redress.
/ The experience of sixteen years has reveal
ed many defects in the new Constitution oi
/ our State. Defects which have arrested the
attention, and called forth complaints OF the
whole State from the Atlantic TO the Ohio,
Within few years il has been practically
shewn that the Right OF Suifrage--that dear
est right Of the free citzen-whlch, above all
others, should be ascertained and liked by the
fundamental law ofevery government, IS leii
by our Constitution in the hands, and TO q
great extent, under the control OF the LFgisla-
ture; to be. by that body, expanded or con-
trac,ed, I'D hbit,tm, according as It may seem
good to them, to multiply or diminish the sub
jects of taxation either for the purposes oil
Revenue, or TO promote the ends OF Party.
True that ines,nnabe privilege cannot be Ia
ken away from those who are qualified BY the
Constitution to vote on freehold. The rights
Of the freebooter are fixed by that instrument.
But large class Of on-freeholders--heaeso OF
families paying taxes to the State, hold Their
7 Right Of Suffrage entirely at the will of the
| Legislature who by taking the tax of OF hor-
ses, for instance, or slaves, or by imposing Il
on cattle, sheep, dogs, &C., can make or I'M
make thousands Of voters. If FOR instance, The
Legislature, having seine object in view, should
determine to exempt all personal property from
taxation, and impose i, on land, they al once
confne the Rish, Of Suffrage to fFeeholders
again. If On Tue other hand, they should
choose to lay capitaton tax on every citizen
of q years old, they thereby, under the Con-
stitution as il now stands. extend the right cl
voting 10 every head Of family. This should
not be so--and every citizen, in all parts OF
the State, feels that this fundamental and mes
TINA BE privilege should be fixed by the Goa
stitutoa. Many deficiencies exist IN the leg
islative, executive and judicial departments OF
the government, equally felt in every quarter
Of the Slate-,he existence OF which, has made
the cry for Reform, by no means secIlcnsl
thing.
But on the citizens OF tina, par, OF Virginia
Yves, OF the Blue Ridge Of mountains. the
present Constitution imposes grievances which
visit them alone, and which, every year, arc
becoming more aggravated and inioleTable.
Until the adoption Of our present Cons:ltu-
ton, the State OF Virginia was one and indivi-
sible. While nature, with bold hand, had
divided her territory with broad river. aud
/ high mountains, her citizens from East and
West. North and South, met and embraced as
brothers, knowing no distinction OF name or
interest The legislative representation was
unequal, but the inequality was accidental,
not sectional-and though requiring reiorma-
ton. it had no tendency TO array one quarter
OF the Stale against another. or 10 promote II
valry and discord The Convention Of la&9
80 met. and one Of its grand objects was to
equalize the representation. In the attempt TO
do so, what has been effected The state
was torn into fragments. The harmony oil IN
terest and feeling which had reigned before
was forever destroyed--the tall mountains oil
the Blue Ridge and the All-shany were con
yerted By the new Constitution, into The boun-
dary walls Of rival and hostile communities
| An arbitrary basis of representation Tor the
four rival section. into which the state wai
divided, was adopted. then approxlmaung
EQUALITY, but which, it was even then
known, must become every day more unequal
Virginia was no longer Virginia. communl-
" of brethren undivided in interest--but the
Tide. water section, the Piedmont section, the
Valley section, and the Trans Allegheny sec
ton. taught by their sacred Constitution to be-
lieve that great and vital interests separated
them from each other, and that. in all future
time, the principle Of self, preservation required
them not 10 foster and promote, but TO dtscour-
age and reiard The prosperity and glory Of
each other The power and prosperity OF the
State was no longer 10 be locked upon as toe
pride of the State-but the grand struggle was
TO be between these petty sections, Tor mastery
over each other. The demon OF coming DIS
cord told the Convention OF a scertre not be-
longing TO Virginia as one proud Common,
wealth-lhe mother Of States-buia puny ana
lnclorious sceptre 10 be contended Tor between
Eastern and Western Virginia. The Conven-
ton heard him, and from that moment the
glory o. Virginia was forgotten. The section
al division was made-the sectional rivalry
established, and already the disastrous conse-
quences of that mad policy have VISITED the
State and her citizens most unhappy. That
single defect in the Constitution would justify
the call of convention for its removal; and
all, in every quarter OF the State, who love and
honor our ancient Commonwealth. should
unite in effacing so foul and humiliating =
blot from her escutcheon.
Though the West has been, and is destined
to be. the greatest and most prominent suffer
er from this defect in the Constitution, yet
every portion Of the State is interested in cut
ting down these odous barrieTs--these walls of
a dlsgraceiul rivalry, and Illuminating discord
and restoring Virginia 10 her ancient Integ-
rty-in making the glory and prosperity aud
power Of the ,cboie STATE once more the chief
desire fall her sons. The West suffers now,
and is destined to suffer longer, from the petty
jealousy Of the Eastern sections. But her
present suferings must come to an end. The
progress Of wealth and population IS West
ward, and the day cannot be very Tar distant,
when the balance of power will be removed
from the East. on any principle Of representa-
ton that can be adopted. May we not then.
The chief sufferers now, but destined soon 10
hold the preponderance Of power in our own
hands, appeal 10 the policy and set-loye, as
well as the generous magnanimity OF cur East
ern, brethren, TO do justice TO us and TO them
selves, to do Justice TO the great Common
wealth of which we are all members, by uni
ting with us at once in the removal oil these
lines Of invidious distinction. The time must
arrive when power viii erect her throne on
the mountains. WIN il be greater wisdom for
the East to foster her young brother, now IN
his minority, IN order 10 reap the rich harvest
of his love and protection, when he has grown
10 robust manhood or to spurn aud uample