Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1851-03-21


IheCnnveniiOn % $40, We see how constant and
arient was the desire Tor these great reforms
Ges, how loud and long this ''clamor, "-as East.
cru gentlemen afeI pleased 10 characterize the
iast complaint OF the people against minority
rule. During all This lne, mose than halfa cen
tuiS, the government was in the hands a q class
III ireeheeers, COMPOSING but small portion Of
ihefreemen Of the State, holding on 10 rover,
The Offices ard all and refusing redress, and even
a Con, ention ali ibis time-more than half
ceetsF land. Al last granted / aron Inequal
terms
Wei, The Convention OF 1929 for | have come
70 this point Of tie history Of power holding on 10
power, which il had taken almost from 'T6 to
1870, OF such ccatlnuops appeals 10 obtain from
this small minority in power upon unequal terms.
mes IN this house ] was shout To say--I mean
-. ---il ali Aaasls aliy d.
Sded on both these questions, suffi sge sud
representation by 9his geographical line the blue
ridge mountains; ait suffrage men, Tor the most
part, and wlite baSis men believe. without ex.
cehi5oa. west, and nearly all ant. suffrage and
mixed basis men, Vt some description, with lew
EXCEPTIONS East. Ard this hasis question divides
MS NOW with somR Aew ceptons~Easl, in our
taspr, and by the fame line Butt am happy 10
beiassured thai VIE nearly all, are now, al last,
10 iavor If giving the election Of all officers from
Governor down, Greet TO the people, and Of ex-
iend ~ The right NJ suffrage and of limiting and
restrlcfirg lie hitherto almost unlimited powers
oifhe minority gpvernment-thus proving that
truth, right and l,lStIce have so lar tfumphed
and are Preysng4and will finally completely iri- /
nrarh-ihat the grasp oil power is relaxing ~ &
Well, the Convention OF 1929. amer hard sifng-
gle, characterized hy the most brilliant displays
III arguments and III, quepee ever witnessed PER-
haps in any assembly, many age or country, was 4
htHafly obliged 10 leompfomise upon this basis
question 10 reach results. Ard What did They
La "A RI
etA5ly extended ard lew other reforms made.
yet. instead ofIdeeiding this basis question, they
settled and Fixed np rpleaai all. They divided
tie State, in Ieterfnce la the muse oil delegates,
INFO lonr great disttcts, and gave 10 each 50 many
nembers SO 10 Underwater, ~ to piedmont, %
10 the valley, and 81 10 the trans alleEhany and
Then laid of the State in reference ro>ihe senate
iiAo two grand d Visions, East and West olsihe
blue. ridge, retafnihg.l9 members in that Body
East and giving l3 West
Under this Arrangement was secured to the
east a. majority at % members in the house Of
delegates, and OF 5 in the senate and 2s on tpint
ballot, while theie were but some forty three
thous and, few hundreds Of majority al white .
population cast Gf the blue ridge-sna this OF
course continued and secured the government and
I'LL lis power patronage and Offices in their hands,
il not as strongly as surely as before. For il
4 WAS further provided, in regard to future appor.
gonments, that The number Of members should
never exceed one hundred and fifty in the house
pf delegates, and1hirly six in the senate SO that
In any event the east was always 10 have, a. tho
ultimate limit Of apportionment, majority in
both branches ofthe legislature; and OF al least
Twelve on Joint ballot, however great and over
Mhelmug the excess Of population and wealth
leo, might become in time, to the west, unless
nwo thirds Of each house should after the year
ls4l,. concur in general re apportionment
throughout the commonwealth, a thing never TO
he sxgeSsssd q! the bands Of The east This ar
Hin each Of The tour great Districts and Two erapd
divisions, is but thntslizing. It is an equalization
Hof no avail in giving equal political power to the
west. in not extending over the whole State, us
effect is limited by these districts and divisions.
land the limitation of the ultimate number Of
members assigned 10 the two branches OF rie le-
ieislature IL is worse in Iacf, than the simple
mixed basis would he, in the end, and evenMerse
Than under the old constitution, in the particular
.nftaking away Tie white basis The senate, UNI
der which olready we wonld have gained a ma
nrty in that bra Rch; and infinitely worse in the
end. in securing The majority Of the power toa
sectional minority east Of the blue ridge, which
mo increase of population and wealth in The west,
however great, can ever overcome without a.
change in the organic law.
II And as~there is no hope OF two.ihitds Of the
Legislature agreeing toza general re-aPpointment
under our existing constitution, resting upon
this arbitrary basis, with these districts and div
4sious and nltna'e Emit Of the number Of men
tbers in. both brant hes o. the legislature: The
vest must therefore forever remain in a minority
/ in the governments without u change-the most
remain forever RoWerless under all circumslaD-
ces and in all probable eventsu state OF political
inferiority nor tosay alage, for thegsest pur-
II poses Of self government. and hopetessly 50, Tor
I all time And Set We have now a majority OF
\ ninety -three thousand Of the white population
I i use strong language. Snt think not loo strong
Tor our present Constitution and goyernment, Ike
4 lis prfderess ors The old one, is SO iramed and
canirived in all lis departments Of pow er, under
/ this unequal mixed basis in disguise, (tor the
effect is equivalent that this sectional minority
cas-, which has inns secured to it this permanent
.pcf0na4 nainrtty in both branches Of the. egis.
! lafure-be besides having The appointment oil our
limited State ehaGrs under The constitution oth6
IInion--dIalds id the hands Of lis majority legs-
/ latnrp the election Of governor, the executive
/ council militia generals and our judges; and even
through The cotnmiss Joining power of lis execu-
rive. that OF justices Of The PEACE or county ma
4 ptSirates constituting our county courts WHICH
| decide, mana ~ nd copiro every thing belonging
and apper,sibiag 10 county police and leVies,
and so even onr purse Strings.
Our members Of Assembly we select, and our
inferior militia officers under brigader general,
the companies and baffaions may, believe
elect but besides these, Of all elections and off.
GERS thai Of uuToyerseers ofthe poor, is the poor
privilege allowed Us. Thus, the majority Of The
free white people af the SIate-a majority rapid.
ly increasing-hold life, liberty and property all,
subipctio the will Of this SECTIONAL minority east
uf the blue ridge. (and repeat the powers OF
tl,i- government are scarcely limited by any re-.
ricious) as lipited only il power, for good or
evil. veal or woe, by the organic law of this con-.
siiip,ion. Limitations we are told. if we held
The power, would be mere paper guarantee
not forth the paper they are written upoR. aa
security TO the property Of the East And all
his while We ate tsunlipgly warned, BY both the
sendumen @he preceded me on 1be other side
and o,hers. 10 re member s'that we are living and
JaIibersfino urlder-an existing constitution and
laws" YET wh,atis that but paper consfitu-
linn Tins is The ptetence under which the mi
nor;,v n The East have hitherto ruled, and still
insist on retaining the Fewer.
Power and psnperiy. we are gravely told, cam
\ ~, H. safely. dlsorced in the east but may exist
+verv banpiy separate and apart in the west in SIN
ole blessedness and under paper guarantees" too
\ Ia The hands Of pur political guardians 10 the east
Is This because properly rs not Inc creature o. gov
/ srnn,ent > il the language Of the gentleman from
\ II i fxx bat he gin of heaven in the east and
i Ia, in The west3 Am 10 infer, as thar gentleman
sssysed sag.ly 10 insnuaie, that power and proper
~ on This side of the mountain. were welded in
h.aven7 Did ihev derive their Slave property bv;
,he eiff Of Goda Did deity give man 10 man, Of
nronsrty In mani And YET this Is the great pecu1
if.r interest thai claims al power aud all pfotee-
| lion What unjust dread ths--tkat the west would
overlap or impair The tight to this peculiar proper
- beld bv soIe forty or fifty thousand people only
Il, IL The nine hnndred thousand in the Slate, and
81 that number some Ten thousand Of these slave
/ bnIders living in the valley and The west Are
,bese few Shareholders 10 rule The State forever and
Nf the ,rhnle rponle u This