Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1846-10-29
ADDRESS
TO TEE PEOPLE OF VIRGINIA

lorin, lately assembled at Staunton n COMMITTEES IN
address you, permit us, as the organ OF that Con
.onuoh, RESPECTFULLY, yet most earnestly, to call
your attention TO the consideration ofthuse grevan
ces under which the Western portion OF cur State
are laDoiinS, and OF the measures most likely in
our estimation, to obtain their redress.
Inc experience If sixteen years has revealed
many detects In the new Const tuition Of our State
-uelectS which have arrested the attention and
called forth the complaints of the whole State from
the Atlantic to the Ohio.
lthin few years 1t has been practically shown
that the X ght OF Suiiiage--that dearest rioht Of
INC nee citlzen--whch, above all others should he
ascertaned and fixed by the fundamental law of
every government, is left by our Constitution in
the hands, and to great extent under the control
oil me Leg stature; TO lie, by that body, expanded
or Contracted, at hbfun, according as IT may seem
good to them, TO multiply or diminish the subjects
VI taxation either for the purposes Of revenue or to
promote the ends OF Party. True that inestimable
privilege cannot be taken away from those who are
qualified by the Constitution to vote on freehold
Inc rights OF tie ireeholder are fixed by that in
strument. But a large class of non frccholders-
heddS u ldi"iiies Iayng taxes t. the State hold
ther Right vi Surlage enlIrely at the will of the
Legislature who, by taking the tax off of horses
Tor instance, OF slaves, or by imposing it on cattle
sheep, dogs, &c, can make or unmake thousands
OF Voters IL, Tor instance, the Legislature havinr
any object in view, should determine TO exemnt ali
personal property irUm taxation, and impose il ON
land, they at once confine the Right of Suffrage to
treehoders again. III, on the other hand. fbey
should choose TO lay capitation tax on every citi
zen OF II years old, they thereby, under the Con
stltuton as 1t now stands, extend the right of voting
to every head of a family. This should not be SO
and every cltizen in all parts Of the State feels
'hat inns fundamental and inestimable privilege
should be fixed by the Constitution. MANY defci-
ences eXsl In the legislative, executive and iudi
cal departments OF the government equally felt in
every quar,er Of the S,ale--the existence of which
has made the cry for Reform by no means sec
tiCnal thing.
But on the citizens of that part of Virginia West
OF the Blue Rid9e mountains, the present Consti-
tuition imposes grievances which visit them alone
and which, every year, are becoming more aqgra-
waited and lnloerabie
Until the adoption Of our present Constitution.
me Stale OF Virginia was one and indiyisible
While nature, wI,h bold hand, had divided her
terIiitry with broao rivers and high mountains her
citizens from East ana W est N.rlh and Snib
met ana embraced us LrotherS, Knowing no disnc-
tIon VI nae u interest. The legislative represen-
talion was unequal, but the inequality was acciden-
tai, not seci"ila-and, though requiring retorma-
tlOn, IL had no tendency to array one quarter of the
oale against another, or To promote rivalry and
diScord lhe Convention of 1880 met and
one VI lis grand objects was to equalize the repre-
seh'auoi In me attempt 10 do So, what has been
ciiected The State was torn into fragments
he harmony OF interest and feeling which had
/
mountains OF the Blue Ridge and Ailephany were
converted, by the new Constitution, into the boun-
dary walls OF rival and hostile communities An
arDitary basis al representation for the four rival
sectOIlS Into which the State was divided was n
doP'ed, then approNinating equality, but which, it
was even then KNOWN must become every dav
more unequal. Virginia was no LONGER VIRGINIA.
community OF brethren undivided i'm in,erest-but
the llde-Water section, the Piedmont section the
valley section, and the Trans Alleg hany section.
taught by their sacred Constitution 10 believe that
great ana vital interests separated them from each
o'Ler; ANA that, In all future time the principle of
seii-preservation required them not to foster and
promote, but to discourage and retard the prosper
" and glory OF each other. The power and pros
PeIy vi the otaie was no longer 10 be looked upon
as the piide OF the Staie-but the grand struggle
was 10 uc tetween these petty sections FIR mastery
over each other he demon of the coming diScord
tod iiie Convention OF sceplre not belonging to
NTg as one proud CommOnwealth-the mother
oil States-but puny and ngorious sccptre TO be
contended tUr between Eastern and Western Vir-
ginla. The Convention heard him, and from that
moment the glory Of Virginia forgotten The
sectional u.vS on was made-the sectional rivalry
established, and already the disastrous consequences
OF that mad policy have visited the State and her
cllZens most unilappily. That single defect i'm the
Constitution would justify the call Of Convention
1Or lis removal; and all, in every quarter of the
state, who love and honor ancient Common
atng blot from her escutcheOn
Though the West has BEEN and is destined to
be, The greatest an@ most prominent sufferer from
tis dtItct IN The Constitution, yet every portion Of
the state is interested in cutting down these odious
barrlers-these walls ola disCracefnl rivalry. and
Illuminating dlscord-and restoring Virginia to her
ancient ntegrty-in making the glory and pres
peTity and power Of the wholc State cnce more the
chief desire OF all her sons. The West suffers now
and Is destined TO suffer longer from the petty zeal
Gusy OF the Eastern sections. But her present sui
ierlngs must come TO an end.-!Ihe progress OF
wealth and population is westward. and the day
cannot be very far distant, when the balance Of pow
er VIII be removed Hom the East, on any princi-
pie Ol repro sentall.n that can C adopted. Nav we
MT tien, the CHIEF suif rers now bus destined soon
to hold the prepOndeTance Of power in our own
hands, appeal to the policy and seflove as well as
the generous magnanrnity of our Eastern brethren.
to do justice to and TO themselves to do ustice
to the great Commonwealth of which we are all
members, by uniting with us at once i'm the reno
val of these lines of invidiOus distinction The
time must arrive when power will erect her throne
ON the mountains. VIII ii be greater wisdom for
the East to foster her young brother. now in his
minority, in order to reap the rich harvest of his
love and protection when grown to robust manhood
or TO spurn and uample the infant giant-to treat
HIM as stranger, or al enemy, that his wrath
may be kiudled when he arrives at maturity q? We
speak not to the fears of the East We would
scOrn to appeal TO so groveng motive But we
address ourselves TO her wisdom and magnanimitv.
Should she treat us her equal, aud rive us with
out regard 10 natural OF artificial boundaries an o
quail participation in our common government
/ should she break down those unwise and odiouq
walls which remind every day that we are a
distinct people, having distinct interests TO contend
for Then we Cf1er her in return our love- the cor
dial embrace Of ireemen, and all that protection in