Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1851-04-29

us cOusent--a provision tbat Nuusu metz /
with the unanimous concurrence Of this
body.
Then what is meant BY the dangers that
may assail property Ia this state? As ex
plaiaei by all they ARE to be found in
an abuse Of the taxing and revenue appro-
ptiatiug powers of the Legislative depart
saeat 81 tie government. This is the evil
unprecedented and it is against this evil
that we are called upon to adopt some ad
equate provision in our organic law.
In what form does the east propose to
guard against this danger Why it is by
giving to the east control of the repre-
sentative power, upon the ground that it
contains the larger aggregate Of taxable
property within its limits 1t proceeds
upon the assumption that power deposited
with them is safe from abuse, it matters not
from whatindiyidual source that power is i'm
mediately derived. whether from persons
themselves directly interested in propertyor
not Now, my constituents do not happen
to reside in this favored sectiou--they are
not within the circle of this enchanted re.
gion--and they have large amount Of
taxable property subject to the action of
tue government, and before can consent
to surrender that property into the hands
of eastern custody ! must look a little into
the practical working of their scheme |
must be satisfied that the safeguards they
propose are real and not fictitious must
be satisfied that it is plain bona tide, inten-
ded to secure property, and not to device
OF retain sectional power. If it be really
plan which in its operations will guard the
interests of property, it will in that aspect
carry with it recommendation to some of
my constituents but if it be naked,
blad, undsguised expedient to retain sec-
tional power, without the slightest protec-
ton TO property whatever it will be, and
should be, universally condemned by every
man in my district. no matter what may
have beea bis previous impressions upon
the subject.
We have heard it iterated and re itera-
ted for the last four weeks in this ball, that
constitutional guarantees are mere humbuge
Ingenious humbugs it is true but, new
ertheless, humbugs--sEares to the unwary.
really thought the eloquent gentleman
from Buckingham would have exploded
with indignation when lie came to express
the height and depth Of his contempt for
them But the mixed basis alb, there we
are told is a scheme that viii protect prop
erty, and protect it effeetually. And vet
no gentleman has so far condescended to
enlighten us as to the quo modo in which
it will afford that desired protection. Per-
haps it was deemed so self-eyident propo-
sition as not to require any such explana-
ton Now, ] am a little incredulous as to
this quality which is assumed for it, and ],
therefore, ask how it is accomplished p.
Why. ! shall be told by Eastern gentle
men. here is a Senate of fifty aud House
of Delegates of one hundred and fifty mem
bers We take one half of the representa-
tive power Of each body, set that half apart.
giving to ourselves nearly three-fourths of
it, and we call that half the representative
of property True, 50 far I understand
you gentlemen, but you might as well set
apart the same amount of power, and call
it the representative Of your bays and riv-
ers -of your crabs and terrapins. for any
connection that can perceive that it has
with the protection of property. How, !
ask, does that one half Of your representa-
tive power give utterance to the voice of
property? When thrown by the elective
battery into your Senate and House of
Delegates, in what form do they appear
there as TIE accredited agents or represen-
tatives of property2 Do you require that
these representatives, shall themselves own
one dollar Of that property which they pro-
fcss to represent? No, Do you require
that the constituent body which sends them
there shall own one dollar Of that property
Of which you call them the protectors p
No. Then it is possible that we may have
an insolcnt delegate from pennyless Eas-
tern constituency transformed by the magi
cal operation of this mixed basis principle
into guardian and protector Of the prop
erty of the Statel Not an imaginary or
improbable case as shah presently show
you Sir, if constitutional guarantees are
humbugs, the mixed basis scheme, as
scheme to protect property, may be INSTALL
ed into the dignity of the very prince of
humbugs. 1t is Bentonian humbug-
daughter.
But. sir, propose to treat this subject
with some gravity, for the earnestness with
which it is pressed demands it, and | will
lay down some propositions which call
upon the gentleman, (Mr Goode,) who |
see is taking notes near me, to mark and
refute ii he can say that in the struc-
ture Of representative republican govern
ment, there are but two modes in which
you can give any available protection to
property One by restricting the POLITICAL
power Of the ~tate,--at its fountain head
- ut the polls to those who are interested
in property This is most usually done
by imposing property qualification upon
the right Of suffrage. Aud just as You en-
large that qualification, do you increase the
influence Of property. Some times it is
done by imposing high property quahf-
cation upon those who are made eligible to
a seat in your representative hall This
latter provision, most usually aecompa-
MES restricted suffrage and may be
regarded as incidental TO it and is de-
signed as merely an additional safeguard to
the policy indicated by such restricted suf-
frage
Ii this mode Of protecting property at
the polls is rejected as inexpedicnt, for any
cause. then there remains no other. but