Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1851-04-15
MARTINsBURG, Va, TUESDAY MORNING, APRIL Is, 1851

Extracts from the speech of Mr.. CoswAY
deiirered in the Conrcntion on the Basi.
of Representation
/ Is there any abstract principle, which
must be applied to all government, without
the application of which no government i:
republican in its naturey So it is asserted
The bill Of rights has been quoted and relied
upon by the advocates Of this view. and We
have been charged with gross disregard Of
the principles embodied in that series Of fun
damental truths, BY our proposed basis OIL
representation. | beg leave to say that
cordially subscribe to every doctrine announ-
ced in the bill Of rights, according to my in
depreciation of them. Gentlemen have been
careful to read that portion Of the bin Of
rights which has reference to the rights Of
man. independent Of Government, but have
omitted that portions which should form our
guide 10 the construction Of . government.
am prepared to deny that there is to be
found one line in the bill of rights, which re-
quires us to give to q majority the control in
| the government, On the contrary / assert
that there is to be found in that instrument a
positive mandate upon this convention to
disregard it, lift shall be found necessary to
secure the government against the dangers
of NAL administration. The mandate is in
these words: Chat Government is but.
which is capable of producing the greatest
degree of happiness and safety. and Is most
efectually secured against the danger Of
NAL administration.
Is there any gentleman on this floor who
will deny that if it be necessary in order to
| secure c government against mail admins
tration to adopt some other principle than
the majority principle in the government
that to majority Of principle should be ad-
hered to! Does any gentleman mean to as
sert that in the construction ola government
"mal- administration should not be effectual-
ly guarded against!'' trust not hope
gentlemen will not cease to reverence that
solemn instrument. / shall endeavor to keep
fully in view all its requirements nor will /
knowingly violate any;
In the Eastern division of the State, we
have much the larger number of human be-
ings Gncluding free negroes and slaves. -
We pay more than two-thirds of the whole
taxes of the commonwealth We are so ac-
commodated oy bays, rivers and even the
ocean, that it is impossible that we can have
many purposes to which public money can be
appropriated. We have one single interest
(slaves) equal in value to one hundred and
thirty millions of dollars, and considerable
excess in other taxable property. On the
other hand our Western brethren pay one
third OF the taxes, reside in country pre-
senting the most splendid inducements for
the widest expenditures of public money,
own not moro than twenty millions Of slave
property, most of which is ip the valley, aud
comparatively small taxable property
they have an excess of ninety odd thou
sand of the white population. Now let us
look calmly at these distinct and widely sep-
Grated interests. and then put the question
to ourselves as candid men, is it safe or prop
er, with such population aud such interests
to give to the control of the government to a
mere majority of numbers Of white men? l
claim for the section to which belong nc
precedence over that represented by other
gentlemen ] claim that all men, in masses
are influenced and regulated in their. con-
duct by the same motives which control and
regulate human conduct the world over. Il
you place power III the hands of men in the
East they can have no motive to abuse it
while if you place it In the hands Of the
| West they must be more than men If they
abstain from its abuse. In the former case
Eastern men by expressing property in the
shape Of taxation, would suffer most serious
ly, while by depressing the personal right.
Of men they would suffer equally with tn.
men of the West, But how is it if you re,
verse it? Western men may tax to exces.
properly and sustain only one third the oppres.
sion while they receive all the benefit of the
appropriation. 1t does seem to me this inc.
quality in position must strike every one
Beyond this, one Of the largest interests o
Virginia is peculiar one, and no peopl,
know so well how to foster and preserve a.
those who have been reared in its midst ano
are familiar with its wants
! ask practical and sagacious men in West
ern Virginia whether in making contract
under such circumstances, with their fellow
men, they would act upon such principle p
Could they confde their in terests to a ma
jority of men thus situated with no effectu
al restraint? l think not. You ask us thet
to adopt principle in government which any
one of our practical men would discard il
the most ordinary transactions of life. Arr
there three men in Western Virginia who. ii
the formation of partnership, woald give
the control to majority in numbers agains
majority in capital or in interests? VIII,
you may 60 out in the streets and find tina
every man who enters into a partnership
guards his interest with more care than that
and yet we must incorporate in our Consti-
tuition this unsafe and repudiated principle
and upon what ground? The gentleman iron
Jefferson says-the ground of confidence il
our fellow men.
have great confidence in the population
of this old State. Certainly they are more
to be relied upon than any other people I'M
der the sun, and yet you tax this feeling il
my nature too severely when you require me
to believe that men will regard justice anG
right when in conflict with their interest
The history of Che world proves the contra
ry.
Does Republican Government stand upor
| IL e. Ia Al .. = L