Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1802-01-12
<CongxB Of tbeu nttes States.
HOUSE OF REPREsEErATIvEs.
Mo:DaY, January f..
.Attoyiionment Bill xnder confederation.

MIR. Davis. Two ratios are brought
to cur view, -thoie of 80, and $4,000.
The former leaves inexperienced fractions
amounting to $4,000; the latter leaves
fractions amounting ia zzI,ooo 1t would
be mott equitable to adopt the former, but
for its operation upon a number of itates.
Six Rates, of which Kentucky is one,
will be peculiarly affected by it. They
will relatively lefe their portion OF re-
Proclamation in great degree. They
will lole as many members as the ten re-
manning aa,es; whereas by the ratio OF
$1,000 the evil will be as to thcie ttates,
greatly diminiihed. For this reaion, nor
withdrawing the unpleafant d'uation Of
Delaware, MIR. Davis mutt vote for The
ratio of $4,000.
MIR. Macon never had coahdered this
consolidated government, which might be
inferred from the argument: Of fome gen.
tlemen. The contribution efablithed a
directly cppohte principle. 1t declared
the. contribution to be e!tabiilhed for the
United States, not for the people. And
in all its parts it bore federal complex
on. In the arguments made ufe OF when
it was adopted, i, had always been dec]ar.
Cd by Its friends to be federal; and the
representatives were particularly deGgnat-
ed as the representatives fpar,icu!ar ttates.
Mr.. Macon did not think 10000 too
fmall ratio. fIe wifhed the people to
know their representatives, and the more
numerous the lait were, the greater was
the chance Of this knowledge. Nor did
he think that the enlarged representation
would augment the expences of the 60
yernment. The houfe knew that he had
never been prodigal of public money. He
believed We ihould fave money BY an en-
larged representation, fcr the public ex-
Pences did not proceed 70 much from the
compensation rendered to the members of
this houie, as from the adoption OF imp.o-
Per neaiures, which an enlarged reprelen
tatien would defeat.
With regard to the ATTRACT arguments
made, did not the difputc about different
numbers fhew that we are all the repreien.
tatives Of particulars hates. Ellie, why
take Delaware as the miHimnm and Virgi-
MIA as the maximum This demonarated
the queilion ,obe one entirely Of calcula-
tion.
General Smith had .lihened to the diff.
eourf:s Of gentlemen on the abhrae,quef-
ton introduced, and yet he had found that
every gentleman, before he had fat down
proved himfelf to be the representative ola
particular State, after all that he had iaid.
The truth was, the point was one altoge-
Their of calculation. The gentleman from
Connecticut had been Rrons for 49,
and now, after making his calculations, he
agrees with hi: friend from Delaware in
preferring 10000, not, perhaps, beeauie
it peculiarly benefits, Connecticut, but
becaule it benefits the party with whom
he aes. Let US view the gentleman from
Delaware, and we fee him putting the
intereAs of Delaware,t and caring nothing
for other States, and thus he ihows Us
that he is the representative of the State
of Delaware. The gentleman from
North Carolina, heretofore always eco
nomical of the public money, is for once
prodigal in willing an enlarged rsprelen-
ta,ion: and why. Becaufe he thereby
will promote the in;eret of his State.
This was perfectly tair and right ard
if he, Mr.. Smith, were dmilarly G:uated
he fheuld ats in the fame way. But
Maryland happened to be differently f.
tuate6. The ratio Of $4,000 would
leave frsaion TO her Of 10000. Gould
it therefore be expected tina, any mem
Der Of that State would be for that ratio !!
Mr.. Smile obierved tina, he had orisi.
aally been in favor sf'he ratio of 5000
from the influence Of general principles.
But fnce one gentleman has fnifted from
10000 to $4,000 from considerations Of
policy, ana other gentlemen fee,ned t.
,feel.she fame motives, lie thought 1t was
high time for each fate to take care OF it.
(elt. He would therefore vote for the "a