Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1846-10-29
yyOq.UuE 4S.-NUMBER SIS.

tnose EnwiSe and oGi0uS walls when femWu
us every day that we are distine. peo.'e--
having distinct interests 10 contend ior--iher
we offer her in return, our love, the CORDIAL
embrace Of freemen, and all that protection u
time Of danger al home. or from abroad, which
generous freemtn can afford TO each Other.
But If she chooses 10 shut her ears against our
Just cornplaints--,o assume over US proud
supremacy, and to refuse 10 us that equal par.
ticipation in the government which God snd
nature had awarded tous; then she shuoid not
be surprised Il the indignation of people as
proud and free ~ herself. should be visited
upon such injustice Resistance would Only
prove us worthy Of the ep,oYmeu, of those
rights which we claim. Sutmission--basc,
cowartlly Submission, might secure the con-
tempt, and pamper the pride Of our Eastern
brethren, bu, al the same tine would assured
ly convince that brave and interviewing peo-
pie that we are unworthy the name Of Virgin
ians--unworhy that they should foster ouf
friendship. Why, then, will she insist on
placing US in that dilemma. where we arc
forced either TO contend with her in eternal
warfare, or to dcbase ourselves by an unwcr-
thu submission Arc not our broad valleys
and fertile fields--our free mountains and bold
hills, all ,eernlng with rapidly increasing
population. worthy other cars4 Of her respect
and esteem2 Does not sound wisdom and
policy suggest, that such a people should BE-
cultivated ~ allies and valuable friends
that their spirit should be enlarged and not
broken, that their confidence and affection
should be secured Nav, does not the pres
ersation Of those very rights about which
Eastern Virginia is so sensitive. dictate the
policy Of preserving Virginia entire; and in
stead Of fousing the Jealousy and hatred Of
one half our own State against those rights,
as the avowed and immediate cause OF the IN
equality that preyails---oF reconcling the
whole STATE 10 their existence, End binding il
together by indissoube bonds of brotherhood,
for their defence against world In arms p
Surely il Is enough, that more than half the
Union, and all the rest ofthe world are array
eG against that peculiar interest, in dire and
unreasonable hostility. Is il the part Of truo
wisdom, or Of rashntss and folly, for Virginia
by her policy, 10 arouse intestine Jealousy to-
wards that same interest, by claiming for it
protection at the expense Of the Just andequsl
nights Of her own citizens. A protection un-
known 70 the pristine spirit Of our government
and laws--anii-repubcan 10 its nature. and
destructive Of the tights Of the people.
Nearly allied TO the objection which has Just
been discussed, and flowing from the same
bitter source, is that oil the great and growing
inequality of the basis OF representation in our
Leg stature.
When our prssen, Constitution was adop-
tei, that part Of the State oil Virginia living
West Of the Blue Ridge had white popula-
ZION Of sos, which entitled il 10 a represen-
taiiou oil % in the House Of Delegates, and l3
in the Senate--giying constituency 10 each
delegate OF sos l-2 white souls, and to each
Senator OF "A $50 white souls. in the Vest
That part Of the State lying East OF the Blue
Ridge, had white population o. 375,947,
which entitled II 10 representation MS in
the House OF Delegates, and 9 in the Senate;
giving constituency to each delegate Of 1870
white souls. and TO each Senator Of 1876 l-2
white souls in the East--making an average
inequality against the West then, on the basis
of white population, OF sS5 for every delegate,
and Of 1888 for every Senator. Suppose wo
admit. for the sake OF Argument, that this was
just disparity. properly accorded TO the East
on account Of her greater wealth, and for tho
greater protection Of her properly agains,
unjust taxation. THIS is certainly admitting
al! that Eastern gertsmen can ask And then,
the question arises since this disparity was the
measure Of protection which the East, (having
the power in lis own hands,) chose to require
for its rroperiy--since the constitution, no
doubt with a view TO the constant vibration Of
the means BY which the Legislature might
meet and correct those vibrations, by re-appor-
tioning the delegates and Senator, throughout
the Commonwealth. after the year 1871, and
81 intervals thereafter, Of not more than ten
years is il not plain, that the trainers of the
Constitution did not intend that that disparity
should be materially increased, and that it 10
the duty Of The Legislature, under the Cons,i-
nIIion, to make such re appointments a.
would prevent the disparity from greatly in
cresslng. Yet the census Of 1910 was taken
and showed white population in the West Of
81 ,7i5, and in the East Of 369.5l5. Upon
the constitution basis. without having any re-
gard 10 change Of the proportion Of PROPERTY
in the E.st and West, the white population Of
the West would have entitled her 10 fraction
owe. 65 delegates, and 10 l6 Senators or 10 an
increase Of 8 delegates and 3 Senators; while
me EAST should have los, one delegate. Bur,
in the mean time, Western taxation had in
creased about thirty thousand dollars, and Yves.
tern property had increased in value about
tweniy-six millions OF dollars, while EasiGn
taxation had decreased about SEA 500, and
Eastern properly had decreased in value about
SEC, 100000 Take, then. the ratio ofpopnla-
ton contended for. and the West was entitled
hy the census Of 1870 10 an increase OF ten
delegates and four Senators, while the East
should have suffered loss Of at least two DEL
ega,es and one Senator. Yet no respect was
paid to the demands OF the West for an in
creased ratio of representation, though that
increase was required by the principle inn
posed on her. sgains. her will, by Eastern
IN fixing which, one would
suppose Eastern gentlemen had a sufficient
" careful eye to their own safety and power.
Had the re-auangencnt Of representation, cvi-
dently contemplated by the Constitution, been
made by the Legislature. in lsil, the House
OF Delegates, on the ratio adopted by the Con.
stituton, would now have contained Go menu
bers from the West, and 76 from the East:
and the Se1ate would have contained, Oh the
same ratio. II members from the West, aud
Is from the Easi--giving 10 the East major
itv OF | / ON Joint ballot. instead OF a majority
OF %, which she has. On the same ratio of
Western increase. and OF Eastern decrease, from
the year ls4l I'LL the year 1851, which had
been exhibited for the ten years nextpreceding
the year 81 the West would, on the principle
according to population and
taxation, fixed BY the present. constitution, be-
entiiled, in 1851, to majority in the Legs.
ature oi both Senators and Delegates
Yet If the Constitution remains unchanged.
and if the Legislature shall persist, as there 10
every reason to expect il will, in refusing Ia