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

is no exception to the principles have an
nouneed. 1t is true that State has for
many years based its representation 10 the
Senate, exclusively upon taxes. was
anxious to know what motive or purpose
could have led to such provision. ! did
not see in what mode such proposition could
protect property, or what condition of
things in that tate rendered any such pro-
lection, ii available, at all necessary All
difficulty upon the subject is removed by
reference to speech delivered by the Hon,
Daniel Webster, at that time, GS21, a
member Of the State Convention Of Alassa-
chusetts, in which be repels as the founda-
ton Of the principles there, every view
here assumed to sustain the principle of
the mixed basis
II wish now says Mr.. Webster, ito
correct most important mistake in the
name. in which the question has been sta
ted. 1t has been said, that we propose to
give to property, as such, a control over
The people, numerically considered. But
this take not to be at all the true nature
of the proposition The Senate is not to
be check on the people, but on the House
of Representatives.. The people having
conferred on the House of Representatives,
powers which are great, and from their ma
ture liable to abuse; require, for their So
curity, another house which shall possess
an effectual negative on the first. This
does not limit the power Of the people, but
only the authority of their agents. 1t is
not restraint on heir rights, but res
traint on that power ,rhich they hare dele
gated 1t limits the authority Of agents.
in making laws to bind their principals
And if il be wise to give one agent the
power of checking or controlling another,
it is equally wise that there should be some
difference Of character, sentiment. feeling
or origin, in that agent who is to possess
this control"
These are the reasons which no doubt promp-
ted that provision for the organization Of the
Senate OF Massachusetts, and which disayow all
The grounds assumed by the mixed basis party
in this debate here. Ifyou want to know upon
what features in its State government Massa-
chusctts did rely upon, to protect property, you
will find them in those provisions OF her consti-
tuition which forbade any man TO vote, unless he
had freehold of the annual income of three
pounds or an estate Of the value oil sixty pounds,
and which disqualified any citizen from being {.
State senator, unless he was sessed, in his own
right of freehold Of the value of three hun
dred pounds, on possessed OF personal estate Of
the value OF six hundred pounds, at least
Neither is the State of South Carolina, from
which this representative device has been bor-
rowed. any exception to the general principle
for which | contend. For whist she doubtless
adopted this scheme of representation, with the
view 10 give to the iow-land districts control
in her General Assembly over the upland, there
is no reason to suppose, from her constitution,
that she relied upon that provision as her Sc
curity for the interest ofproperty. To judge OF
her plan, you must examine her entire constitu-
ton, and you will there perceive other features
more efficient for such results. There seems to
be some ambiguity in the provisions Of that IN
strumenl as to the qualification ola voter. As
| first read them, Thought they required either
freehold OF fifty acres OF land, or the payment
ofthree shiilings sterling tax for The support Of
government. Judge Butler, perceive, from
recent debate in the Senate Of the United States,
Denies according to the true construction OF
that instrument, that a trseaoia qualification is
necessary, although he admits that in the rural
districts that qualification substantially, and in
practice. prevails. But ii there is doubt as to
the freehold qualification ofthe voter, there is
none as to the payment Of taxes, and none as to
the necessary qualification oil those who are to
serve in .he House OF Delegates. To represent
that State ia the House Of Delegates citizen Of
South Carolina must own freehold of five hun
bred acres of land, and ten negroes, or have a
real estate of the value of $50 cledr Of dett.--
Here, then, you perceive the safeguards upon
which South Carolina relies for the protection
of property And gentlemen who have kindly,
for our benefit, borrowed her representative
system, have only taken so much oft as secures
power TO section, whilst they have omitted all
L ii
lection to property
The gentleman from Loudoun OR. Janncy,)
conscious that neither the plan itself nor the
source from which this plan Of representation
has been borrowed, win of itself recommend it
to any special favor in Virginia, has kindly re
minded us that it is not the product of modern
times--that il was adopted in South Carolina as
early as 1905, at which time that State stood in
the front rank ofthe republican party, sustain
ing the administration Of Mr.. Jeffersonl Sir,
we have had too many avowals already made
upon this floor to be Left in ignorance of the fact,
that democracy in profession and democracy in
practice--democracy in federal politics and de-
inocracy in our State institutions are two very
distinct and different affairs. But God forbid
that should condemn any system because of
the source from which it emanates Against
South Carolina, have no prejudices. Isympa-
thse in her distresses, be they real or imagin.
airy | mourn over her condition let it result
from the action of the federal government or
from the influence of her own State policy. |
would to God could pour the balm OF consola-
ton into her bleeding wounds, and restore her
to that equauimity of temper so essential to her
own happiness in the trying scenes now before
her But the gentleman from Loudoun has un-
questonably omitted one duty which, ms a states
man, in my opinion he should have discharged
We learn from him that this system of represen-
taton has been in operation in the State of South
Carolina now for forty-two years. II is known
othe constitution OF no other State, SO far as
my information extends, either upon this conti-
nent, or in Europe 1t would seem TO me then,
that the gentleman from Loudoun, when he seeks
to engraft upon our organic law u scheme here
toforc unknown to it, and peculiar to one of the
States of this confederacy should at least have
been prepared 10 inform us of the practical
working Of that principle in the State of South
Carolina. II has there been in operation for
nearly half q century, and surely by this time
it must have produced some fruit for good or for
evil Does he stand justified in calling upon the
people of Virginia, now for the first time in their
history, after lapse of scventy-five years, to
adopt q system from another State, without in
forming us in some authentic manner what has
been the effect Of the system in that State, in
which it has been so long in operation. | think
il was his duty TO have done SO. l am one of
those who believe that political institutions have
an important influence in promoting the comfort