The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-07-17

aILef Lnat, however, some OF the boldeE
spirits of the eastern part of the State
began gradually to scale the Allegha.
nies and disturb the silence by the
sounds accompanying the path OF civil
ization. The district of Monongalia
was formed out of the county of West
Augusta, about the year ITO and SUBJ
sequent additions were made in 1779.
After the Revolution the spirit of emil
grafton began to settOwards the wilder
ness west of the mountains. The first
settlers were followed, in a generation
afterwards, by class of people whose
style of life led them to abandon the
older countries of the east, where
their pecuniary affairs had be-
come involved with the more expen-
slve habits of those localities. Pos
sesstng still some remnants of fortunes
which enabled them to live in quite an
independent manner in a country
where there was but little opportunity
to crafty the passions and but little
disposition to mere display, they be-
came large land-holders, and with the
few slaves brought with them, relics of
the past, they titled the soil sufficiently
TO supply their needs, and spent their
time in hunting and the chase.
| The land titles became much involved
in litigious dispute, by conflict be-
tween patentees from the common
wealth, and the descendants of grant
ees from the sovereigns of Great Bri-
tain, who in colonial times gave away
tracts sufficient for Dukedom, to couT-
tiers and favOrites. This subject be-
| came one of frightful magnitude, and
was one of the many causes which de-
tered emigration to this section of the
| State. Portions OF the emigration du-
ring the early part of the present cen
tury, came from the eastern counties of
Pennsylvania, some from Maryland,
| and a limited number from New Jer-
| RpV- Il later - mart nf tho FtNSh
of emigration which hurried to the
great west, paused and looked favora-
bly, at the country, but inquiry into the
| internal economy of the Stnte, usually
accelerated the speed of the emigrant
| in his western flight.
A general spirit of inquiry, however,
was awakening among the people.
With envious eyes they beheld the pro-
gress ofStates on their borders, whilst
| they were compelled to advance in the
paths known to man in the most prim-
| tive times, or emigrate to distant COM
monwealths. So much indeed, had
this spirit taken hold of the people,
that, believing the policy of the eastern
portion of the State to be inimical to
the interests of the west, and the GUS
toms aud habits of the former SO dis
similar to the latter, they had on more
| than one occasion endeavored to obtain
separate State organization west of
the. Alleghanies.
Many causes had conspired to pro-
duce this state of feeling. The conven-
ton of lS50-51 had provided system
of taxation that bore heavily on the
west. Theconstitution prohibited tax
alton upon slaves under twelve years
of age, and placed an equal valuation
of three hundred dollars on all over
| that age. Thus the white laborer and
| farmer of the west, was required to pay
a revenue to the State upon all the
Nszk1r Nks,V1 k.a AZ
ern planter whose wealth consisted
principally of slaves, was exempted
from bearing his fair and equitable pro-
portion of the burdens of government,
| by reason of his ownership in that par
tcular species of property, which, had
1t been even to the inclination or taste
| OF the western man to hold or enjoy,
would have been, from the character
of the country and the adverse int1u-.
enceS of climate and surroundings,
wholly to his disprotit. The dispro-
portion, or unjust discrimination, was
the fruitful theme of the western poll
tician on the hustings; and he was the
successful contestant, who succeeded
in convincing the constituency of his
eternal hostility to the principle, and
of his ability to further the means of
relief.
There was also another grievance
which was the subject of great com.
|
representation fixed by the constitu-
ton, whereby the slave wealth of the
east was represented in the legislative
branch of the State government, and
brought to bear against the exercise of
| the elective franchise by the whites of
the west. The superintendent of dele
| gates to the lower house of the General
Assembly, and the creation of the sem
atorial districts, were founded upon
this system of "mixed basis," as it was
denominated, by the convention of
1s50-5l. Itgave an unequal proportion
of representatives to the east, through
their preponderance of wealth, princi-
pally in slaves. 1t enfranchised pro-
perty and inhabitants in the east, and
4 inhabitants only in the west.
i This mixed basis was fastened irrevo-
cably upon the people by provision
chat no amendments should be made
thereto until the year 1865, when the
General Assembly was TO submit to the
Epeople the question of suffrage basis, y
that is, representation according to the
number ofvoters in the commonwealth;
or mixed basis, representation accord
ing to the number OF white inhabitants
I contained, and the amount of all State
taxes paid in the several counties of the
commonwealth, deducting therefrom
all taxes paid on licenses and law
process, and capitation tax on free
negroes, allowing one delegate
for every seventy-sixth part oi
the inhabitants, and one delegate
for every seventy sixth part of the tax
es., The effect of this measure WAS to
give to the east a power in the law
making branch of the government, to
which its wealth alone, and not its
numbers, entitled IL. II WIS repugnant
to the spirit of the age and anti-demo-
cratic in its tendency. 1t gave to prop
erty an influence which all republics
founded on the rights of personal lib
erty, have hitherto given, to the person. /.
The circumstances of the hour were
such that the people could not reject
the contituLion embracing even such
provisions. In many particulars il
was essentially better than the one un-
4 der which the people were then living.
Il 1t abolished the landed qualification OF
1 Ivoters, remodeled the Judiciary system
I of the State, and provided for the elec-
II ton of Governor and many other OFF,
GERS by the people, and defined more
4 distinctly the line of demarcation be-
n Judicial branches OF the governments.
l iPrior 70 this time there was scarcely an
officer from the most insignificant,
either in executive or judicial stations,
elected by the people; indeed, the only
exception was in selecting members OF
the General Assembly.
Il The constitution was adopted, receiv-
\ ing large majorities therefor in the east
1 ern portions OF the State, but many
western counties voted heavily against
Il II preferring rather, the absence OF
Il many privileges, than the surrender ol
Il so vital a principle as the unrestricted
and independent exercise OF personal
franchise. fsiEfg