Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1851-08-19

and the town Of Petersburg. They, togeth
er. contain 3l0T voters, and are to have
like number Of delegates, to wit four The
case, therefore, is plainly tits 3407 voters
one the south side Of The James river have q,
much power 10 framing the laws aud direct
ing the whole policy Of the State. as 5033
voters in the counties Of Jefferson and Berke-
ley. My constituents in their simplicity AL
why is this Why should the voice Il on,
man in the Eastern portion of the State. hs
more potential in cnucting laws which are t.
govern all, than the voice Of eac., aud ever,
other freeman in the commonwealth? This
a, the first blush, they feel 20 be a degrading
discrimination against them. And it is yer1
far from mending the matter in this respect
to be told that it is because our Eastern
friends have more property, particularly Of a
certain description. This certainly looks
like adding Insult to injury II seems like
fixing reproach upon honest poverty But
when told further that this inequality be-
comes necessary to give security to the prop
orty Of our Eastern friends, it Is cxhaGsting
the cup Of patience, for it is plainly founded
upon the assumption that the Western peo-
pie arc deficient in moral principle; in other
words, that they are robbers and plunderers.
The prepondcraucy of powe: in the East is
demanded as a measure ofproteciion. Against
whom? Of course against their Western
brethren. II is offensive to them l,ccausc
they perceive at nce-however simply thcy
may be---tbat the whole argument, ur rather
the whole pretence rests upon utter and to-
tai distrust in their integrity; nay sir, in
their common honesty as a comiau nity-a.l
81 Ia ID, a,,I H.,
ity can be corrupt while its individual mem
bers are pure-they see in it downright
imputation upon their l5yalty to the great
cause of Justice and moral right Who then
can censure them for being offended or for
being even little rebcllious against having
such proposition as this forced upon them
IL this thing is to be done, trust our
friends Of the majority will at least spare us
us one ingredient in the nauseous desc ]
refer to the free negro tax which is thrown
in to swell the majority against the West, for
it cannot be disguised that the mixed basis
as reported gives at least one delegate to our
Eastern friends. in consideration Of the capt.
tatiou tax paid by free negroes. The wretch
cd pittanccs extortcd from this debased and
worthless race is to furnish the basis for at
least one member in the hall of legislature -
There is in fact, if what we have heard, as to
the mode Of constituting this body be correct
one member, or at least many parts of mem
Der equal to one whole representing on this
floor the free negroes of the State, in virtue
of the taxes imposed upon them. That rep
rcsentatiye, If il were confined to one, would
feel and ought to feel as if covered with
species Of political leprosy by occupying such
position. IL is true this unenviablc dis
tinction is to be distributed equally or rather
pro rata among all the election districts Ct
the State. Yet cannot our Eastern friends
spare us this one from the fourteen majority
they will have in the house of delegates, if
they succeed in establishing their scheme
If by virtue of the accidental governmental
majority in their hands, they can and will
per Jas ant Refds fasten it upon us, ask
them at least to remove this cup Of humilia-
tion from our lips. In this point of view at
least it is question of insult and offence.
and for one, though my people have no
practical interest in the matter cannot re
proach our Western brethren, even should
they goaded by sense Of unmerited wrong
and contumely, in an unguarGed moment re-
sort TO the language of menace, though |
would most earnestly advise them against CIV.
cry thing of the kind.
do not propose, Mr.. Chairman, to occu-
Ply the attention of the committee beyond |
few minutes longer. The question has al |
ready been so elaborately argued, in al its |
bearings, that it would be useless consump.
tion of time now becoming precious, to 90
over the ground already so often trudden =
desire however to present to my Eastern
brethren practicle appeal on this subject
Much has been said in this debate about way
bills and pledges made while canvassing for
seats in this body. Is It then true, desire
to know that our Eastern friends have come
here so bound hand aud foot by these way
bills and pledges, MS to be impcr,ious to light,
and inscusible TO tie force ui fair argument
1t is true without regard to the dictates of
reason and justice, this governmental majority,
obtained will not stop now to inquire how,
is to be employed reentlossly to crush all
and every claim preferred by the Wcst to an
equality Of rights, aud Of political power ?
Is it true | ask that yeu come here with
your hands so manaeled, that reason. Justice,
equity and patriotism arc to make their APP
pcals in vain That in answer to the crash
ing force OF argument that has been brought
10 beaI upon your position. tnc conclusive
and only reply is to be, Our pledges Our
pledges To our arguments you oppose
your uplilted limbs manaeled by these cleo
pioneering way-bills aud thus you turn
deaf ear to the earnest aud lust demands of
your Western brethren, against oppression,
wrong and insult. Have your constituents
left you no margin, no discretion even to the
extent of Offering some reasonable compro-
mise, which your Western brethren may &C.
eept without dishoncr?
The gentleman from Richmond Mr. Stan
ARD) has to-day complained that no West
ern man bad como forward with proposition
Of compromise. Sir is this reasonable
Does it accord with the fitness Of things that
the minority should present a compromise t.
to the majority The weak to the strong
the wrongcd party to THEN opprsssors
You have it in your power 20 fix upon as in an
unmiiigated form, this odious aud revolving
mixed basis The West can ouly submit 10
your decree unless indeed, as hiuicd al by
George Mason, ia the speech ] have read
the irrepressiblc spirit Il frcemcn aroused by