The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-03-30
THE MOUNTAINEERING RUSINESS.
Hartman SInseI's CaVeRt-The Coming
AntI.BOurbOn RcRcIIOn..!IhFee COun'
ties TINT will be Heard Prom.

Hartman sInseI's CaVeat-The Coming
AntI.BOuFbOn RcReIIOn.s!ThFee COun.
ties that will be Heard From.
The Richmond Dtpatch reproduCes the
notice Of Hartman Sinsel to the West Vir-
glnia Legislature, and makes it tho text for
some advice to the readjasIeFs over there,
who, by the way, seem to have distorted the
Congressional districts Of Virginia in much
the same way that the BourbOns have the
districts Of this State. Speaking Of Mr..
Sinsel and his notice to the West Virginia
Legislature, 1t says
We are glad TO learn that our old friend
sinsel is still in the land Of the living. lie
was subscriber 10 the New York Tribune
in 1865, when i was violation Of the law
Of Virginia 70 deliver that paper to its sub
scribeB, and when postmasteB were in
dicted for 80 doing. He is evidently bit
ter Republican: lie has served the above
notice upon the Democrats Of the West
Virginia Legislature. We reproduce II and
serve II upon the Readjusters Of the Nir-
ginia Legislature, reminding them at the
same time that the next House Of Repre-
sentatives will almost certainly be Demo-
cratic, and that the Constitution Of Vir-
Hinia Is very rigid in its requirements In
the matter Of redistriCting the State for the
election Of members OF Congress. Read
what It says, and note how 1t forbids the
idea that lawful districts can have one
10000 and another 10000 Of population:
Art ". sec. IS. "In the RpportIOnmsnt the State
shall be divided Rnt0 diAthct which
shall be formed rcspeCtivelVO contiguous counties
cities and towns, be compact and include ~ nearly
a. may DO an equal number Of population"
The Dipatch is certainly straining the
point little when 1t expects the next
House to be Democratic. We see no evi.
dence Of any such prospect throughout the
country. On the contrary, there are good
reasons to suppose that it will be Republi.
can. But let that be as it may, It is time
that stop was put 10 the unnatural gerry.
lnandery Of States for political purposes.
Whether the gerrymanding is done by Re.
adjusters, Republicans or Bourbons, it
ought to be rebuked. The people of each
State arc entitled to contiguous and COM
pact Congressional districts. This is what
the Constitution OF West Virginia explic.
lily provides for. No language could be
palmer. Therefore it is gross outrage on
the Constitution as well as on the people to
pervert, mangte and disfgurc the districts
as they have been perverted, manged and
disfgured in this State.
In the mangling OF this State in the
matter of Senatorial districts, Senator Den
mis-, OF Greenbrier, justified it on party
, grounds. Was our organic law formed in
the interest Of particular party? Is it
the unnatural asccndancy and dominancy
Of one political organization that our Con-
stitution contemplates and provides for
Who will dare to say so? No one would
be so bold and reckless as to make such an
assertion. And yet despite the plainest
directions and specifications Of our Consti.
tuition, the Bourbon scheme was put in
force in this State. There was no excuse for
it even on the poor and Legitimate pretext
Of party necessity. The Bourbons had n
heavy prepoadeance in both houses OF
the Legislature. They were not pressed
therefore by a party necessity. But it
seems as if they had rcsolutely set them
selves to crush out even minority
opposition in the State. Like that war
rior who made Of conquered province "a
wilderness and called it peace" they set
themselves TO making West Virginia SO
solidly Bourbon that no dissatisfaction or
protest Of the people against their high
handed rule should ever avail at the
polls. There were but . Republicans in
the Senate, and but IS in the House OF De.
legates, out Of total Of 50 members in tho
two branches, and yet as il this tremendous
preponderance was not cnough-,asif despite
OF it some uprising Of the people might oc.
cur in consequence Of their extravagant
mismanagement Of the finances OF the
State, they proceeded to erect every possible
barrier against any expression Of the PEG.
pie at the polls.
For instance, if the people Of AIonongalia,
Preston and Taylor were to rise up as one
man at the elections this fall and protest,
as well they may, against their ruthless sub.
iugation and Acknowledgement, their rising
would count absolutely for nothing
in the Legislature. Monopgalia and
Preston were cut down to a
ratio Of 3i.O2O-some 1850 below the
ratio OF the State-and the adjoining dis.
trict to which Taylor WINS transferred, was
by the same act put up about 10000 above
the State ratio, in order to completely sub.
merge and disiranchise three OF the most
important counties in the State. This wus
their punishment for daring to vote the Re-
publican ticket.
We do not believe that the people will
ever countenance this iniQuity at the
polls. Weexpect to see them speak cut in
tones that will be heard all over the State
this fall. The people Of Monongalia, Pres.
ton and Taylor are not slaves to be
coerced into asquiescence in such an act Of
gross wrong. They will be heard from
in such vote for the anti. Bourbon ticket
this fall as was never before east within
their bounds. Mark that prediction.
street Paving.
The lOhinCk ~ aNrnat ,1o,,;u,, .s.,,,,:.. -