Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1852-03-24


shall. john Tyler. P. N. Nicholas. John
Y. Mason, James Trezvant, Augustine
Claiborne, John Unguhart, John Ram
.dolph. William Leigh, Richard Logan,
Richard N. Venable, Robert Standard,
Walter Holiday, William IL Fitzhugh,
Holm Roane. VIM. p. Taylor, Richard
Morris, j. N. Garnette, John S. Barbour.
John Scott, John w. Green, Thomas
Marshall, Ls=W. Tazewell, Geo,=Loyall,i
Joseph Prentiss, Hugh B. Grigsby' SAM
uel Branch, Fleming Bates. Augustine
Neal,-krFI +. Ross, John Coalter-4O. -
1 ask you, Mr.. Chairman, to whom are
our eastern friends, who enjoy the right
of suffrage under the provision of the
present constitution that / have alluded
to, indebted /? To Western voters. It's
true. portion of the eastern members
voted for it; but for the concentrated
vote of the West, the old freehold sut-
frage would have remained steadtast and
fixed in the constitution. The object has
been. and still is, to retain the power OF
the State in the hands of the few 70 the
prediudice of the many. But this is not
all. II You will pursue the history OF
the proceedings OF that body as appears
by the record, you will ind that great
efforts were made by the members from
the West to obtain all the great reforms
that are now about to be conceded to the
people. The West proposed to elect the
Governor, Justices of the Peace, Sheritfs,
&c. by the people, and reform the Coun-
tv Courts, but they were all defeated by.
the vote of Eastern members, as the Jour
nal will show. @ 2ls.
Nv time will not permit me to pursue
this subject at large as designed. My
object in bringing this matter TO the no.
tice of the Convention was not from any
personal feeling towards one single mem
Der of this committee, East or West, but
to impress upon the minds of the commit
tee the important fact which the history
of this commonwealth, in other respects
will show, that the liberal principles now
popular in every portion of the common
wealth, took their rise in the West; and
that when this State shall have become
liberalized, and the great mass of her ci'
items placed upon the platform of equali-
ty, they will he indebted for it to the en-
ergy, enterprising and perseverance OF the
West.
have very hastily-and gentlemen will 500
the necessity of proceeding in haste-cAlled your
attention, Mr.. Chairman, and that Of this honora-
BILE committee somewhat to the past policy oil the
aaEernmental majority that now seeks-thongh
IN decided minority of the peopls-to retain tho
control of both branches of the Legislature MY
object in doing go was to show, a. trust have
| shown, that this extraordinary claim to retain
that power is not we'll founded. beg your IN
diligence for moment to call to tho attention OF
the committee what 1t ia that this governmental
majority asks at the hands of the majority OF tho
people. It Is TO give TO the minority complete
control over both branches Of the General AS"
| sembly. Well what does that embrace 1t IL
not nero power Of appropriation for works OF
internal improvement and protection to slave
property. Look at the vast scope OF power, tue
vast range of legislation which 1t has taken the
liberty to claim. The legislative body Is 10 pre-
scribe rules affecting the life and liberty oil thc
Citizen 1t has control over the great question OF
education, which, maintain, is far more tmpor.
tant than any question that may arise in regard
to the protection of slaves or for works OF inter-
nal Improvement. You may tax mo for educn-
ton. You may double that tax, and will pay II
with more cheerfnlness than any other portion Of
our contribution to the public treasury. The
legislative department will also have control 0Voi
the entire physical power of the States II viii
| have complete control over tho militia. Ihat
| great physical power Of tho Commonwealth must
| 30 Welded up for the purpose OF protecting the
slave interest and to guard against imaginary I'M
proper taxation. II il also 10 have control over
tho monetary affairs Of tho Stute. The life
blood, or circulating medium Of the State 10 10
be Yielded TO this power. We must surrender to
the minority the election Of United States sena'
| tor, and control over all our federal relations
over every matter connected with the federal gov
eminent and our State sovereignty. EVcn this
| great taxing power we'll the apPrOprtattng
power, comes undOr their control The legisla-
tive department II also to have control over the
| judicial department. Although we may, In the
organic law, make certain provisions, and lay
down to some extent fundamental rules for the Ju-
dicial department Of the government, yet that de-
partment, to very great extent, an we'll al all the
other departments of the government, will be
subject to the control and power OF tho LegiBla-
lOture. Experience has shown that tho legsls-
tive power Is the controlling power of the State
Now lot SEQ II there Is any good for all
this. Our friends upon tho other side claim II
upon two grounds 0lono and indeed the discus
sion 10 measurably settled down upon a single
point, and that's, tho taxing and aPpropriating
power. 1t is true that many Of our friends In
the East dwell at considerable length upon pro-
lection of the slave interest, but tho majority Of
those who have discussed this question in favor
| of the mixed basis have yielded that point, and
conceded that the slave property Of the State will
be amply secured. You are bound TO concedO
that we are sound on this question. We have
boen weighed in the balance, and haVo not bOon
found wanting.
Certain illusions 10 the section Of tho State
which have the honor in part to repre- sont made
here and elsewhere, makes Il necessary that
should call the attention Of tho committee TO
that particular section and in doing so, It will
| enable me to present to this committee my views
10 some extent sgainst the mixed basis, and 10
show by comparing the condition of the slave
counties with the non-save- holding counties,
that there are very strong reasons against this
markable claim for retaining power.
presented, to some extent, tho condition Of %
counties In Eastern Virginia, having tho largest
slave population. The section Of country In the
Western part of the State, alluded to before, has
% counties, namely: Hancock, Brooke, Ohio,
Marshall, WetZel, MonOngalia, Preston, Marion,
Taylor, Randolph, Barbour, Harrison, Lewis,
Braxton, Nicholas, Doddhdge, GIlmor, Tyler,
Richie, Wood, Writ, Jackson and Pocahontas !;