Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1846-04-16
rnrr.onnefnen, al the session.

ccmrnenccrneni Of the session.
The war between the U. Ssass and Gree
Britain. commencing in 1912 and ending early
in 1915, for time suspended all action upon
! this interesting question.
In 1915, a bill was brought INFO the HOUSE
Of Delegates. for making new arrangement
Of the Counties in districts. fer the choice Of
Senators on The srhife basis principle. ~
Il that time tvo-iiiihs of the free white popula-
non. were represented BY far Senators, while
the other three-6fths had ttcenty This inc
quality was sensibly felt By our citizens who
I lived West Of the Blue Ridge; and it is inn
+, possible for any man to resist the conviction.
that from that inequality, there must have re-
suited much misrule and practical evil. Eve
( ~ exertion was made by Western men to pass
/ the bill Every effort however failed. The
bill was nailed 10 the table after the second rea-
( ding and although motions were repeatedly
made to take it up for consideration they were
+ scornfully rejected. by a silent vote.
Al that time, 1878, there was not, IN the
House Of Delegates, one eastern Constitution
( Fl lawyer, who did not maintain, that no leg
islative act could change the districts. They
argued that the same power that made the
Consultation, had ordained the Districts and
that they were as sacred as the Constitution II
self and could only be altered by general
Convention of the People,
The doctrines there maintained led 10 the
first decided movements towards the call OF
GENERAL CONVENTION Of the People OF the
State.
These movements originated in the CousrY
OF BERKELEY.
They produced the WINCHESTER CoNvE1-
TIoN which assembled in the spring Of 1916.
In this body, but four Valley, .fo,T Trans He
ghapy and three Piedmont Counties Were rep
resented. At the head of this representation
stood the county OF BERKELEY.
II resulted in an able and eloquent address
20 the People of Virginia--fraught with great
and noble sentiments of Public Liberty with
powerful and irresistible views Of Popular
Rights. and concluding with the recommen-
datjon OF measures Of the most vigorous and
decided character.
shall make few extracts from the docu-
meni, for its solid reasoning and glow
ing appeals are as applicable to the condition
Of things NOW in Virginia as they were in
1916.
There is no political maxim whose truth is
more forcibly illustrated by experience, than
one contained in the declaration of rights Of
Virginia, 'sThat no free government, or the
blessings Of liberty, can be preserved to any
people, but by frequent recurrence to tunda-
mental principles" The entire neglect ofthis
invaluable maxim has produced crisis in the
internal affairs OF Virginia, whose novelty and
importance demand the earnest attention and
consideration of every citizen Of the State.
This original infringement Of the right of
the people 10 equal representation, aided by a
course Of conduct in the legislature, which
10. rad he o,I pttil
further. BY the operation Of natural and acct
dental causes, has at length produced state
OF things which we are warranted in saying,ls
AN ABSOLUTE MocEERY OF THE PRINCIPLES OF
FREE GOVERNMENT.
''But ifthisinequalty ofrepresentation afiec-
ted merely the relative weight of a few coun-
ties, in the government of the State, il might
be considered matter Of comparatively small
Observation-Disclosures the evil is not
;hus limited in its extent. Ii prevails 10 such
degree, that the government of the Common
wealth is actually IN the hands Of minority,
and, what is stll more pernicious 10 the gene
raj interests, IN the hands OF a minority lnhab-
ting particular section Of the State.
Gift be asked why so gross and fragrant an
inequality of representation in the Senate has
been suffered TO exist so long-why law has
not been passed, for new modelling the senate
rial districts--the answer is an obvious one
The representatives OF a minority or the people
have the whole powers of government in their
hands, and they will consent to no measure
which has tendency TO transfer that power TO
its rghtful owners, the majority. We say the
rightfM oarne,s for we presume it will not,
and cannot. be denied, that il is fundamental
principle Of our government, that the will Of
the majority should govern.
"The practical result of this inequality of
representation has been, systematic disregard,
by the legislature, Of the interests ofthe north
ern and western people, too notorious TO require
proof or illustration, and too severely felt 10 be
dwet on with temper,
"And is there no remedy for an evil Of such
alarming magnitude ?-Are the majority of the
people to hnger on. from year TO year. in a
state of HOPELESS POLITICAL BONDAGE
"There is, fellow citizens, but one remedy
it is pointed out by the declaration of rights
ga recurrence to fundamental principles" y
From change Of circumstances, operating on
original defects, the constitution OF the State is
no longer efficient to protect the rights Of the
people. Its practical results are at war wlthits
elementary principles. PROCESSING 70 guaran-
tee equal rights TO all the citizens, II leaves the
majority Of them subject to the minority, and
in state OF virtual disiianchsemen,.
"Ihe obvious remedy is, such an amend
ment Of the Constitution, by a convention oEthe
people, as will bring ii back to its original prin
ciples But how 10 effect convention of the
people is the great difficulty. The legislature
could afford great facilities for attaining the OBJ
iect: but it pertlnaclously refuses to do so, be-
cause a majority of both its branches, represen-
ting lean minority of the people, are interested
in perpe,uating a state ofthngs which secures
to them all the powers Of government with all
its honors and emoluments. ltturns deaGear
to the petitions of the people praying it to aid
in assembling a convention. II has rejected
petitions of this sort without number. A bill
providing for this object was rejected at the last
session, although twas actually voted for by
the representatives of a large majority Of the
people Of the State. From this quarter il is idle
TO hope for aid.
"fhere is, then, presented to the people, the
alternative, OF submitting 10 an indefinite con-
tinuance of this monstrous and unnatural state
of things. or of endeavourlng, without the aid
OF the Legislature, to effect full and free con
vention of the people Of this Commonwealth.
'Their right to do so who will be hardy en-
r,.uh 10 disnute 2-Iheir right 10 assemble in