Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1853-04-20

mense patronage connected with the conduct and
management Of their affairs. This Too has been
done IN violation of the chartered faith on which
the capital was invested; and in this view, this
measure may be takenas a fearful demonstration
OF the conclusonft TO which the tlemoc ratio party
OF this State has come, TO seize upon these incor
porated companies. to convert them into political
machines, to wtestana subsdize to party ends pub
lie and private capital; and, fine, 10 establish
here that widely ramifed party domination, which
has elsewhere corrupted the. morals and subver-
lei the independence of the people.
10 this catalogue ofmisdeeds there re Mains to be
added greater and crow nlng enormit>-an offence
against the essential and fundamental principles of
representative government itself. 70 attain the
enHs offsuch government, 1T is plainly necessary
Misrepresentation shouldsi e so apportoned as to
secure eyenltominorties their due weight, Every
variety of interest and every shade Of opinion,
Should have fair and equal chance in well bal
lancsd representation of exerting the share Of
influence the may ijustly command. On this
princpe, thelaw of Congress directs elections by
districts; and our State constitution, positively
rescribes the disrictcg of the State to this end
10 attain, therefore, in substance but without the
name, the party advantage of election of Con-
gressmen by general ticket. is greater and more
fagrant usnrpation than the direct enactment Of
such law, because it is too insiduous to he I'M
masked TO all, and cannot be subjected to the test
OF judicial sentence. Now, this precise end is
attained by the apportionment act of the present
General Assembly. 1t accomplished all the OBJ.
Jects OF general ticket; it has smothered all the
mnorltles; and makes all the districts democratic
by decisive majorlties with one exception which
is nominal rattle. than real. To do this as neces-
sasy 10 disregard all rights of the minority, aud to
overeap, the restraints of the constitution A
glance at these districts on the map, will satisfy
the impartial enquirer that no eye had in their
formation to community of interest or compactness
of territory; butthat all such reasonable conside
rations were sacrificed to the aspirations of par
ticuiar individuals and the overriding desire to
deny all representation to the Wings of the State.
This latter purpose, was scarcely disguised; this
abominable Gerrymander took its first shape from
secret and irresponsible caucuses. forced to its
engrossment by the previous question without de
bate, and the democrats who were partially disin-
cllned 10 it were, with few exception, finally
driven intois support by the lash Of party dsci-
pine, anu, under this compulsion, We'd With each
otherin their efforts to deprive the Wings of their
Just representation in Congress. In VAN, did the
constitution Of the State require the congressional
districts TO be formed ofitenitory, .'contiguous
and compact;' the intrigues of pattizan leaders
and settled determination to suppress tile voice OF
bu,OuU Votes, trumpbed over all its sanctions, and
resulted in an apportionment of representa- onsin
Congress the most unjust, tyrannical and odious.
The DISTINGUISHED should be provoked by this
aggression to an indomitable resolution to assert
and recover their rights;-aud much of the gallant
spirit ot liberty must be lost among the people, il
such tugrant outrage against tile constitutional
rights of the minority shall receive no merted re.
Duke at the polls. For these reas' MS, be it
81 Resolved, That the people of the State be
earnestly exhotted to org anlze the approac hing
elections the most efficient opposition to these nc is
Of The Democratic party, in order to awaken OF
overthrow scheme OF police fraught with such
disastrous consequences, and to rebuke that fierce
splrtot prescription and party tyranny, that mus
inevitably embroll the peace, degrade the dignity
and arrest the improvement, both material and moral
\ oil the Commonwealth.
2. Resolved, That with profound sense of the
dangerous tendencies of these acts, the Wing
members OF the Assembly return to their constitu,
entS firmly eff, too
them 10 manly yindication of their rights and
interests; aud that their ilnexible resistance to
tins proscrlptive and oppressive dominition they
invoke the aid of every good citizen, whose patri
otlSiil ami sense oil Justice not eXinguShed by
blind devotion to party. .t-
3. Resolved, That every Republican, with o
proper appreciation of the true principles OF q
representative Republican, should take alarm al
the manifest disposition of the Democracy to dsre-
gard, where their interests passions are involved
the restraints of Law, of Treaties and the Consti.
tutionj and TO install in the regulation OF our
policy, foreign and domestic principles Of action
hostile to oil the elements of law ordained freedom
and order.
d. Resolved, That in resistance 10 these recen,
acts of democratic license, the ancient differences
oil party are in sone measure merged; and all good
and true republicans should be banded together
oy courageous determination to uphold the prin-
ciples OF preventative government and prevent
LIEN from being COMPOUNDED in practice or theory
with the principles genius of Democracy. ~
8. Resolved, That us long as the spirit of manly
Independence and liberty sways the hearts or con.
trolls the actions of men, opposltion,-stern and
unreenting,--to the fist nroads of this organized
scheme to make the great ntetestso OF theState and
the rights OF the people, subordinate to the aims
OF party advancement, ought ever to find ready,
Jealous and self-sacri6cing champions in every
county, city, town and election district of the Com
monwealth. .sIls-5a,l
The address and resolutions were unanimously
adopted, and the meeting adjourned sine die.
ALEX. RIVES, Chairman.
OLyER P. BALDwIN, Secretary.
s'a3eEeta Hasty Opinions.
There are two sides to almost every question.
Nearly every question admits of discussion, and