Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1846-05-28

Co"oeWt0n, ttn dhoher effort tcds made to
obtain re-opportioiment Of Representation under
the iii Article Of the Constitution Now has
any such effort been made since that period None
Then how is Augusta chargeable, or how are we
oil the Spectator chargeable, with the breach of any
promise there made? No the Delegates from
Augusta were completely overruled and voted down
IN that Convention, and consequently could incur
no obligation from its doings. We ourselves have
since, however, agreed to do more than we there
promised. We are willing to go for the imme-
date call OF Convention, satisfied from the spirit
displayed by our Eastern brethren that it is idle to
expect the twothirds vote required by the Consti
tuition for reapportionment. But zoe are still con-
sercative.-We are not willing to back the trans
Allegheny people in the unreasonable position as
sumed by their Delegates last winter Of rejecting
even simple law for taking the sense of the quail
flied voters on the call of a Convention, and de-
claring they will never accept at the hands Of the
Legislature any other Convention than one organ-
lied on the white basis. This it is apparent as the
monday sun, they never can get; and how any
man can foresee any other consequences than Dorr-
ism and ACKNOWLEDGMENT of the good old Common
wealth from such a course, il maintained and per
sisted in, we utterly at loss to imagine Hence
1t was that we felt concerned for the position Au-
gusta might take IN the late election-hence il was
we dared to utter freeman's thoughts in the Ian
guage OF freeman, TO warn her of the danoer
which was before her. Objectionable as the sen,i-
ments of our late Delegates to us as regarded
the proper basis Of representation we saw that rs
representatives, their votes either way could not
be Of the least practical consequence The East
would still have dead majority of % in one House
and in the other against our principle. Not so,
however, the position which Augusta might be
made to assume at this juncture. The abstract or
imperative sentiments of our Delegates were as
nothing to that. The West, by her own action in
the last Legislature, had placed herself clearly in
the wrong, and we SO said weeks before the can
vasS had opened. She had shown that she needed
the curb than the spur and looking the stu
alton in which we might be placed should she per-
sst in the same incorporating spirit, and divi-
sion of the State follow, which we regard as the
inevitable result, we felt it to be of far more moment
to us to preserve free choice as to which OF the
States shall belong, the Eastern or the Western
than to indulge in piece of idle resentment to-
wards our late Delegates because they happened to
differ with We know, however, that some
think that this choice is not at all affected by the
late election. But we would ask them WHY thew
think so? Have they not proclaimed perfect
Identity in this struggle with the entire West?
Suppose then, after another fruitess trial to get
the white basis from the Legislature, our Western
brethren shall proceed upon their revolutionary
right, and call Convention to amend the Const
tuition without the sanction of law. What. we
would ask, will then be our condition How can
you prevent yourselves from being made part Of
the new State Acting without law, is it not
clear, that any number Of your citizens however in
significant, (and who supposes they will be want
Ing y may depute delegates to that Convention for
there will be no law TO keep them out of it. and
thus being made participants in the formation of the
Constitution, the West will force it upon you-
while the East, which will have stood aloof from
the movement all the time, will not trouble herself
about you.
These are the views which have operated upon
our mind, and which have induced us to prefer to
take the best bill we can get from the Legislature
for Convention, rather than incur the hazards Of
Dorrsm and Division. We believe, moreover, that
the bill offered by the East at the last session as her
mtimatum, is as favorable as any the West can
ever hope to get peaceably. Then why not try it ?
1t cannot worst us but on the contrary we conf
IDENTIFY believe, Notwithstanding the sneers Of ga
White Basis Whig," it will effect much, if not all
that the West can reasonably hope for or desire.
we have not time now, however, to do more than
hint at our views on that point. The East plants
herself on the principle that Taxation and Represen
tatlon must go together. Well, suppose you meet
her there and rule her strictly to the application
OF the principle, not to geographical divisions but
to the separate communities of that section, as
well as over the rest Of the Stae-for if the prnci-
pie is worth any thing for protection to the rights
OF property, the representation should be given to
the particular communities that pay the taxes, and
not be diffused through whole district Take
Richmond, for example. at the head of tide water.
and paying nearly one-ninth of the whole revenue
of the Commonwealth Why should she not have |
the representation to which her paying entities
her instead of being allowed but one delegate and
the residue distributed among the tide water coun-
ties, that have really little interest or sympathy in
common with her, when compared with the mid |
land and the West? Who will say that some |
thing might not be effected by such an assault upon
the present arrangement of Representation? The
communities that would be gamers could not resist
this appeal to them, while those which found they
were to lose power any how, would be very apt to
become Indifferent as to the particular principle by
which it was to be effected. Thus the door might
at once be opened to an arrangement and compro-
mise, that could hardly fail TO prove efficient and
satisfactory.