Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1851-04-29
nARTINsBURG, VA, TUESDAY MORNING, APRIL 20, 1851

and west--to impose upon the debt-crea..
ing and taxing power Of the government
all such wise and judcions limitations as
may guard them from abuse 10 future.
Sir, ! beg gentlemen from the east 10 dis
miss from their minds that sentiment OF
retention Of power which has been so un.
equivocaly expressed in this debstc--a
sentiment fiji only for an age not so dis
tingulshed for its advanced civilization and
enlightened freedom as the preseni--an
age that could give utserance aud point 10
| the maxim
That good old fulc--that simple plan,
That they shall keep who have the power,
And they may take who can.
Let no one suppose that in organizing
this government shall be found disre-
| garding the just claims of property.
cheeriully concur in the proposition that
the great end and purpose OF civil govern
ment is the protection Of persons and pro.
| perry. would give property protection
in your organic law. So tar as a cons,,u-
ton OF government may righiiully and le-
| gi,imaiaiy protect property, shall on be-
half Of my people, demand the most am
pie and adequate projections. ! SHALL
however, ask that protection in a mode
and upon principles which can reflect dis.
honor and degradation upon no free ciii-
| zen OF this Commonwealth. | shall ask il
upon no assumption that will claim 10 one
section oil the State deeper interest in its
welfare, more sturdy maintenance of its
rights. and more lofty and elevated pairi.
o,ism than may belong 10 another. shall
| 81 of "a N
| people, east or west. whether they reside
upon the waters OF the Chesapeake, or
! upon the banks of the Ohio, but upon
! principles universally recognised by the
soundesl writers and thinkers upon popu-
| lar government, and now incorporated into
| most of the recent Stale constitutions of
this contederacy. The experience OF the
! State-the experience of the world-has
shown that there is. in all delegated pow.
er, tendency to abuse; and while every
government should possess all the powers
necessary for its existence. and for The
welfare of its citizens, that beyond that
point. the less power you conhde to the
agents OF government, over persons and
property, the more perfect will such a
government be In theory, and the less liza.
BILE TO abuse in practice. | would there
fore. protect property, not by giving TO
property an active dominion over The leg
isiative power o! the State, bul by with.
holding from the legislative power an un-
checked dominion over property.
Much has already been said in relation
TO that district which have the honor in
part to represent on this floor, aud more,
perhaps than may seem to this commit
tee in good taste. And yet it must be ad.
mited that our position Is such as TO JUS
tity some alinsion TO i, in this debate. |
have observed that few gentlemen from
the west have not seemed particularly
pleased by the manner 10 which my col
league (Mr. Lucas spoke OF the agrIcul-
tural wealth and attractions o. tins district,
and have leigned to see in his remarks
some reflection upon their less favored To-
calIiies. / am sure it never entered into
the heart Of my colleague to speak OF that
section OF the State IN any spirit OF VAIN
and empty boast. His allusion 10 it grew
necessarily out OF the argument, and had
an important and pregnan; bearing uponlt.
| cannot imagine FACT more entitled 10 its
Just weight IN this discussion, tfian that
people SO distinguished Tor their intelll-
gence as the people OF this district I'M
questionaby aie--so sagacIous, so marked
by shrewd and enlightened regaid to
their own interests and with such impor-
tant Interests here a! stake, should, in de-
faace Of all the appeals which have been
made to their avafice, spurn the sophis-
tres which have been SO earnestly -ad-
dressed to them, and throw the full weight
Of their influence in support OF these great
principles OF popular equality for winch
the west is now coniendtng. That single
fact, coming as it does from a people who
have better opportunity of knowing the
western population than can be enjoyed
further east. is an argument-a PRACTICAL
argument-much more potent than many
with which we have been favored, TO JUS
tify that confidence which they are claim
ing from the State at large
Sir. il is true, we have important inter-
ests at stake. My district is small, not
embracing as much territorial area as the
single county Of Alternate, and little more
than one.hali Of the area OF the county Of
Hardy. And yet the real estate OF that
district has been assessed in round nun.
-peFS al y Ia ,UUOiU UU, anu us SLAVE pOpuId-
ton may be estimated at between three
and foor millions of dollars in value. Ii
pays higher rate of taxation in proper
ton TO It's population than any other dis
trct IN the Commonwealth aud ITS taxa.
BILE property mean that which. under
your existing revenue laws. is subjec, to
taxation-may be fairly set down at S.
600 900. And yetils entire white popu.
laiion is But 23,743, showing an average,
(f one million OF dollars be added for pro.
perty not now subject 10 taxalon,) OF near
81 600 to every white man. woman and
child in the distrIct--an average Of wealth
unparalleled, as believe, in any rural dis
,rict in this contederacy, and Of which
some idea may be formed when we learn
from reliable statistical writer's that the
average of wealth to each white person in
the State of New Yo,k is but $3.50. ia
Ohio $216 and in Massachusetts $406
per head Its agriculture has already at
tanned high degree Of Improvement and
is rapidly advancing under the light which
modern science is casting over that lmpor.