The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-02-03
POLITICAL EQUALITY.


The people Of this county ought TO I'm.
derstand the scheme for apportioning rep
rcsentation In the State Legislature which
has been proposed in the Constitutional
Convention al Charleston and Accordlngto
all this Information from that quarter will
be adopted by that body, substantially at
least.
It's as follows: "For the present the
House Of representatives shall consist of
seventy.one members, TO be distributed rs
follows; Ohio county, three members;
Barbour, Berkeley, Greenbrier, Harrison,
jackson, Jefferson, Kanawha, Lewis, Mar.
shall, Marion, Mason, Monongalia, Mon.
roe, Preston and Wood, two members
each and Boone, BraXtOn, Brooke, Cal.
houn, CAbell, Clay, Doddridge, Fayette,
Gilmcr, Grant, Hampshire, Hardy, Han.
cock, Lincoln, Logan, McDowell, Mercer,
Mineral, Morgan, Nicholas, Pendleton,
Pleasant, Pocahontas, Putnam, Raleigh,
Randolph, Richie, Roane, Summers, Tay.
lor, Tucker, Tyler, Upshur, Webster,
Wayne, Wetzel, Writ and Wyoming, one
member EACH"
That Is the plan for the present. For
the future, 1t Is in effect the same, only q
little more unjust 70 US. ~
used TO read In the Declaration Of In
dependence that all men arc equal, and
supposed that To DO the proper foundation
10 build Constitution upon; but our
Convention proposes 10 build on the
foundation that man In Ohio county Is
not at alt equal 70 man In other parts OF
the State. Let US look into this scheme
q little.
Ohio county, with population Of 49,.
83l, Is to be allowed three Representatives,
and Webster, Tucker and Mcdowell,
which have population of $3.50, are TO
have the same representation. One man
in Ohio county is, therefore, not equal to
one iilh OF a man in either OF these
counties. Many other examples OF the
same sort might DO mentioned.
These three counties, together with
Clay, Calhoun, Gilmer, Peasants, Poca.
hontas, Raleigh and Wyoming, 10 coun-
ties in all, have population Of 2S,087,
and arc TO have ten representatives But
Ohio county with about the same popu.
latiOn Is to have three. BY this standard,
man in Ohio county counts for three.
tenths Of man. We used to count ne
groes ut thrce-tllths of q man, but an Ohio
county man is only worth half as much.
Add to these ten counties, twenty.six
more, viz: Morgan, Nicholas, Grant,
Boone, Writ, Lincoln, Logan, Brooke,
Hardy, Randolph, Mineral, Hancock,
Cabell, PCndleton, Braxton, Faycttc, Mer.
Ger, Doddridge, Roane, Hampshire, Wet.
eel, Putnam, Tyler, Upshur, Wayne and
Richie, and VIC have thirty.six counties,
with population Of 193,195. These So
counties are TO have thirty.six representa-
tives, being majority Of the House of
Representatives, which is to consist OF
seventeen members. The remainder OF
the State, with 55,642 more people, arc to
have thirty-five representatives only. A
large majority Is to be placed under the
control Of the minority. According to
the standard adopted Tor the thirty.six
counties, there is to, be one representative
for every 1886 persons; and Ohio county,
with 2S,S3l people, is entitled to more
than five representatives. ..
Make tho comparison in any way you
please, Messrs. Editors, and you will find
that we arc to be yictimized. For in
stance, Greenbrier county, with 1,417I
population, sto have two representatives,
Monroe with II ,l24 population is to have
two, Barbour with 10, 3l2 population is to
have two, &C., &c. In the same proper.
ton, Ohio county ought TO have five.
Take the population Of the whole State as
the basis OF the calculation, still Ohio
county ought 10 have five out Of the sew
cnty.one, or four and q fraction exceeding
one.half. But the Convention will, no
doubt, adopt as their basis of representa-.
ton, the rule that an Ohio county man is
only three.tlIths OF aman.
If VIC are to regard taxation, the matter
Is still worse. Ohio county paws more
than one. eighth Of the State revenue, and.
in q House of seyenty.one, she ought to
have nine representatives.
Let it not be said that this Is matter
Of little practica! Importance. We will
find it to be of great importance, even to
our material interests. With her fair
representation in the Legislature, Ohio
county can make her weight felt, and no
section will venture to perpetrate any
great injustice upon her. But this plan Is
intended to throw the control Of the State
into the hands OF the counties, who want
roads and bridges and State expenditures
of all kinds within their limits, and expect
you TO pay for them. 1t was once an.
nounced in the Legislature Of West Vir.
ginia that Ohio county would be held fast,
merely TO make her pay taxes, and 1t this
is the object, the plan Of representation
which is likely to be adopted at Charles.
ton, will be admirably suited to the pur-
pose. lau Y.