Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1851-05-06

and age 10 which it can be successfullv
introduced Does the fact that population
hes now passed West of the Bioe Ridge
mountain justify you in infusiug this ele-
nent into our representation now, for the
FIRST time We heard in the carly part
Of this discussion, much about innovations
upon the established principles Of our gov
ernmont. Is this not an innovation IL a
most glaring and alarming character?
Sir, | viii briefly refer to some histori-
cal facts connected with this subject.
shall do 90 as an act Of justice to my col
league. (Mr. Lucas whose statement Of
the triumph Of the white basis prfnniple 10
1915, has been controverted By the gen
tleman from Culpeper (slr Barbour. |
will do SO to exhibit the principles upon
which the basis Of the existing constitution
was predicted in 1S29-'30, aud to show,
that if you shall now, because population
has passed Yves. Of the Blue Ridge noun
tains, engraft this feature upon Jour or
ganic law, will be departure from the
principle Of representation heretofore r,.c-
vailing in this State 50 far as any principle
has been adopted as the basis Of our State
government.
Ours was originally system Of county
representation, borro1cd from the English
model in which, without regard to wealth,
population, or geographical extent. each
county sent two members to the House Of
Delegates This system could not be said
to involve any principle Of representation.
Ii was manitestly as we are informed by
Mr.. Jefferson, sanctioned as temporary
expedent in l776, to be remodelled if the
events of the revolutionary contest should
be such as the friends Of liberty and indie
pcndeuce anticipated ss the result of that
struggle. The counties Of Underwater were
generally very small; those in the country
Immediately East Of the mountains, large
As population extended towards the Blue
Ridge, aud in the valley. these inequalities
of representation become very apparent
We learn, therefore, that as early as 1890,
petitions were annually addressed to the
legislature from the large counties East Of
the Ridge, for some redress Of this griev-
ance 1t was not, however, until August,
1916, that the friends Of constitutional
reform assembled at Staunton to embody
their complaints and to take some decisive
action to obtain the relief sought for
That convention was composed of dele
gates from twelve counties East Of the
Ridge; twelve counties from the Valley,
and twelve counties from the country ~
ing West of the Allegheny mountains -
Amongst the Eastern counties represented
were Albemarle, Bedford, Fairfax, Eau
quier, Franklin, Henry, Loudoan, Nelson,
Pittsylvania. Prince William Patrick and
Culpeper. And amongst the distinguish
ed delegates from the East we're VIM. G.
Rivcs, Vim. H. Fitzhugh, VIM. F. Cor.
don, George Tucker, George Townes, &c.
What were the principles announced by
this, the first assemblage of Virginia states
men which had convened to discuss the
principles of government, since the days of
the revolution; and in which the senti-
ments and interests of East and West
were SO largely represented
In their memorial to the legislature they
declare that mo doctrine has received a
more universal assent in a republican gov
ernment, than the will of the majority
should be the law of the land. And, yet,
in State Boosting of the pure republican
character Of its institutions, this first and
fundamental principle of republicanism
does not exist, for the government is actu-
ally in the hands of a minority; and irA0t
is still more perniciogs &c the general in
terests, in the hands of minority inhabi-.
ting particular section Of the State"
The general assembly are then respect
fully requested to recommend to the peo-
pie of this commonwealth the election of a
convention to alter and amend the defects
in the constitution And in doing this it
is confidently hoped that such principles of
representation will be adopted, aud such
modes of election prescribed as will ensure
to every part of the State weight in the
convention to be assembled proportional
10 its lchite population. Thus. and thus
only can the excitements existing in the
State be ailayed, the great end of repubh-
can government be attained, and the con-
stitutiou be placed on basis to insure its
own durability as we'll rs the peace and
happiness Of those for whom it was franz
ed.
This, it may be firmly asserted, was the
voice OF irginla IN August, 1916. Those
proceedings led to very angry and excited
discussions upon the call of convention
10 the legislature, but the subject was ul-
timately quoted and adjusted at that time
by reforming the Senate and re-arranging
its representation upon the basis Of the
free white population of the State. In the
debates of 1929 Mr. Tazewell controver-
ted the fact that the re- arrangement of the
Senate was upon the basis OF a white pop
ulation, and upon this statement of Nlr.
Tazewell, the gentleman from Culpcper
has planted himself But the fact is one
that can neither be coutroyerted or denied
1t rests not simply upon the statement of
Mr., Doddridge and Mr.. Mercer, it rests
upon figures which cannot be mistaken
1t is proved by comparing the apportion-
ment of representation with the censes that
preceded it, 1t is moreover distinctly adj
mitted by Mr.. Leigh who inform us (page
159, Debates of Convention,) that ho
well remembers every fact connected with
its history, origin, progress and final con.
summation, ard that he will remember all,
TO the last day of bis life. Te avoid the
n n 4 Il 4