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

Eiip tehacity 10 WHAT uiust Ue naruOHeu Tor
designating as the exploded absurdity Of a
past age
| again press home upon our opponents
this question. why win you not meet The is.
sue Why will you not carry out your
principlesi Why seek to evadc the respon-
sibility of your position. by vain attempt
10 discriminate between communities and in
dividuals. Permit me TO illustrate this mat
ter BY reference to curious freak Of nature.
believe in the county of Hardy there is a
certain river, that comes down tearing around
the buttresses Of the mountains. working its
way through and overcoming all difficulties
that lie in its course, until at last, encunn-
terlng an obstacle which it cannot overcome,
what does il dnl Not like our own noble
Potomac and Shenandoah rivers, which uni
ting their stength, dash through the very
heart OF che Blue Ridge and scatter its bros
ken fragments FAR and wide below. No, sir,
the stream in question having none other to
unite with it can accomplish no such mighty
t deed of river daring as to entitle it to immor-
tality in the writings o. the sage Of Moniicc!-
10, but as il must pursue its course, it does
that which is far more common to politicians
than to rivers--it makes the grand doge.
1t quietly dives under ground and passes for
mile or so believe, out of sight. and pres
emily. having thus passed. tho obstacle, it
comes forth trotbing and building away as il
4 it had done some mighty decd. And so cur
mixed basis friends being no longer aided by
the kindred principle of restricted suffrage,
are in like manner compelled to take to the
earth. II may be permitted, then, for a
moment to lay aside the character Of the poll
itician. and don the sacerdotal robe, would
reverently baptize this evasion of principle
by the name of the lost river argument
, Laughter. The celebrated forty bale ar
: gument of South Carolina should henceforth
hide its diminished head, and let the lost
river Argument Of our Eastern friends take
precedence in all time to come. Ii should
go down, as immortal to future generations,
so that our children and chidren's children
.. should they ever read the vpluminous de-
, bates of this Convention. which is exceeding
, ly doubtful not loose the benefit Of the
lost river argument OF the memorable year
: 1851
But our friend from the city of Richmond
, (AIr STANARD) as il concious that the nom
! property holder Of the East could scarcely
be expected wantonly, and without the mo-
tive OF interest to despoil his brother poor
man of the West of bis equal and proper
share Of political Importance. resorts to an
argument which heard more than once du-
ring the canvass in my district, and which,
if the committee will bear with me- l desire
to examine and expose
The argument is this. by virtue of the
wealth Of the favored few in Eastern Virgin
!, ia,an excess ofpolitical power. by the opera
ton Of the mixed basis, is accorded to that
, portion Of the State !; but when thus acquitted
il is graciously distributed equally at the
polls between the rich aud pnor, and so the
Eastern poor man gets the benefit of the OPP.
GRAFTON. This seems to me strange argu-
ment to address to republican freeman at
this day. hold it to be among the para
mount ends and aims of our republican in
stitntions. to epgcnder in the minds of the
masses a spirit of Individual self respect, to
, dignity labor, to raise up the humble poor
man, and by placing him upon the platform
Of perfect equality with his wealthiest ne gh-
e Dor, to breathe into him such a feeling OF
personal independence as accords with hi:
0 true position, as one Of the sovereigns of the
7 land. a feeling that in regard to politica
0 matters asks no favors. and will book nc
wrong Toproduce this glorious result our
: republican system throws wide omen thedoors
! Of political and other preferment to every
$ man, although he starts from the lowest
t round of the social ladder This is the spir-
!, it Of genuine democracy, taking that wore
as its true. not party sense
: What, then, is the result Of the argument
0 of the gentlemen? Does it not involve al
It insult to these who have no property? i
i is as much as to say, put the power in ON
S hands, join us in despoiling our Western fel
e low citizens of portion OF the political pow
# err which they claim as rightfuly theirs. am
o when we get it under color of protection Il
/, our property we will graeiously hand owe
an equal portion Of 1t to you. he poo
man thus becomes the rich mans assignee
}, of political power, and that without valuable
s considerations II is not matter Of choic
that enter upon this course of argument
Is 1t is forced upon us By the position takeI
If by the gentleman from Richmond, (Nr
y STANAnr,) for the first time in this debate
e He has presented the issue and | hesitat
v not to meet IT, | can speak for my ow
n constituents at least. They would scor
v to accept or exercise power Oh such term.
d And as to the gentleman's own constituent.
= desire TO know it the working mer
Q the bone and sinew here Of the city 9
n Richmond non slave aolders, and mep Z
little or improperly, who are willing to exer
else what mpy be termed a vicarious powel
n clutched, in virtue Of wealth not their owr
o from their Western brethren in like condi
d ton Of life : Does it comport with tie dig
o nifty Of high minded man who, in obedienc
! TO the scripture injunction, earns his bread b
+? the sweat of his brow, to receive power O
r. terms like these This consideration wa
Z presented and discussed before the people q
: the district which | am proud to represent
Is and know the sentiments and feelings whic
Y it excited there 1t will arouse the same feel
! ings here and elsewhere Human nature i
!. the same every where, Let that argumen
: be presented any where over the wide extern
: of this commonwealth, Fast or West. TO tina
/ large portion Of our fellow citizens who pos
b sess little or no property, and il requires NJ
( prophet to tell with what an indignant re
Y buke il will be met
! Mr.. Scorr, Of Fauquier. viii the gen
Q tleman allow me to put question? Is nu