Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1846-10-29
4 n rlllD.rs and ..LeIest. wv

u ccA l..n ah3 tie governs
4ts ~, se 10 lie nsaos q a rli-
"A in ns.iors and l.tefcsf. The
u H'gsts slanly adopted as q part Of
~ pr .. ls9nSttet'-p declares. that ali pow
" j. res,ed'in the people Yea npder the
practical operation Of that Constitution. it has
ben d.Yesscd, AID minority Of the people
3.s eyeg the people SEliit be said that
the governed majority is sais in The hands Of a
rul,1s minority Tbs same plec might al
w5ys be urged in sayonr Of an aiis,ocraey.
Bet Our constitutional whose provisions wefe
dictated and controlled by those who new con-
sttutv Inn ruling minority, declares sthsrHIse
and they are estoppes BIZ their own act from
urging the argument Moreover, since gov,
ernnaeAt is constituted for tho common bens-
il," and that government Is "best which is
capable Of producing thu greatest segree Of
happiness and safety" why may not the INT
nosity trust the majority with the sana conf
dcnee with whish they ask the majority 10
trus; them They can do no act, they Say, 10
tas injury Of the majs1iiy, without, II the
same time, injsring themselves. Two obec.
aona, At east, occur TO this argunent. The
..rst is, that on the superstition Of that diversi
" OF interest on which their claim VI power
ree.s, they mag do many things TO the injury
q tag majority, which viii not only injure but
5escft themselves For iastaHse, il is in their
power (and Ihera IS fully as mech danger Of
il;sir exercising the power to exempt h%r
pect;iiar property from taxation, as il would
&c in the power Of the majority, wits the gov
ernnlent in their hands, TO tax II unjustly. II
u as rsuch IN their power TO burthen those in
Priests which the majority holds distinct iron
iheira; such az the minerals, the cattle, the
horses; which abound in the West, as il would
be ia the power Of the majority TO burthen
their peculiar interests. 1t is in their power
10 collect taxes from the whole State, ratably,
and apply them when collected, exclusively
10 the benefit of thsir section. Witness the
expenditure Of seven millions OF dollars collec-
Ted both from the East and West, on tks i'm
orovemen; of James River 10 Lynchburg, and
the stoppage of the improvement at that point,
when il was commenced and the money APP
proprialed under delusye pledge 10 carry IT
on, 10 the Ohio) 1t is not only unjust, but
preposterous and presumptuous for the East
10 require us TO place our dearest rights at her
disposal-to rcpose unlimited confidence in her
iategrity and justice, while she cody gives US
reason for that sacrifice. her Own dstrus, of
our honesty.
But anoihsr objsciiea to the argument is.
that good motives are dot alone necessary tor
good government. Admitting, then the best
w.
aright--admttlng that their own interest
would always jump with our advantage, vet
there is greater wisdom il the majority-c
greater and laore particular knowledge OF tho
seneraA wants, and OF wkst will promote her
general welfare. Two xsasens, no doubt, OPP
erated mainly with our forefatheIs, TO induce
them to prefer the location OF power in the
great mass Of the people, over any other form
of government. One was, that The people be-
ing the parties interested and operated on by
government, must always honestly desire 10
preserve il pure in other words, that they
never could desire that that government, un-
der which they must i've, and by which their
persons and property were 10 be operated on,
for good or evil, should be other than pure and
wise. But another equally prevailing argu-
inent, doubtless, was, that the mass OF the
people, knowing THEN wants, could best and
most wisely provide for them. lfsur forefath-
srs were right, then, it is not enough 10 secure
coed government that it should be in the hands
OF those who have no siottre 10 abuse it. But
il must, moreover, be 10 the hands Of those
whose wisdom and whose general knowledge
of the waets Of the governed would enable
them TO Judge and decide Alright on the meas
urss proposed. 1t can hardly be necessary,
however, 70 ccSsarpe tiGs and argument 10
Vnginians, persuadns them of their right TO
equal REPRESENTATION, and equal government,
by majority of the people. This question
was definitively settled before our government
was formed, and is plaisly recognized as osf'
of its fundamental principles. This right has
been invaded, not in theory, for the ConstisI
ten still recognizes it; but in practice. under
that Constitution. And II is now made man
ifest BY the progress of thihgs. that every year,
without AN amendment OF the Constitution,
this grievance under which rapidly increas-
inc majority of the citizens OF Virginia labour,
must grow upon them Ia II will become in
sufferable
Under these circumstances Of wrong to he
redrsssed. the Convention assembled at Staun-
ton. on the l7sh day Of August last. From
varioGs causes Of irresslarty in It's call, diier-
snce Of opinion as TO time and place Of ITS
meeting, anl uncertainty whether 1t would
meet al all, the numbers Of that Convention,
and the counties represented, wsre SO few,
that il did not think proper 10 act, hAaly, on
the great question. involved, bat adjourned
over ill the End DAY of DecSTubor Aexi, AID
appointed the undersigned AS ersen TO urge
ppon the people the importancs OF unasimity
OF action, aud of showing by the full attend
asce of their immediate representatives on tha'
day of adjournment, that their revieIs nave err
ed irthsy suppose that the failure OF the Con
venlion of August last is attributable to luke
warmne.. on the part Of the people, or to any
want of manly determination 10 redress their
grievances.
The day appointed VII be propiuous for the
attendance of iull representation, at least
from every quarter OF the W eSterh poruoa OF
the State. The members of the Legislature
will be On their way to Richmond, and with
out much sacrifice Of time Or convenience may
c.I bare and camnare Oplnions on the mo-