Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1802-07-28

was conceivable that the confidence Of,
he citizens Of Virginia III her state re, re
entatives would be shaken, by the propos-
ID inconsidcraSle addition to her federal
That the suggestion that the members
d tnat house were not the repreg entativcs (
oEthe people was founded on q dangerous /
principle, suhversive of the government |!
and III the face Of the constitution, and !
which, from its being calculated TO confer
power oi the large states, clairnsd reiec-
ton By every friend 20 TIC ccusut0eon and
10 rational harmony.
That 1t was necessary, considering the
great powers possessed by the other
branches CT the government. to PtJssue eve-'
ny constitutional expcdient for giving en-
ergy to thai House, to enable il with effect
70 rnaintainits due weight in the govern
ment, and to resist the undue encroach-
ment of the ether branches.
il was further alIedgcd Chat Else ratio Of
$4,000 was that which lcft the fewes. un-
represented fractions; and that consider
atoms, no less OF maenanmity than OF JUS
uce, should recommend It's adoption, from
its eject upon the state Of Delaware;
which under 1t would be entitled TO two re-
representatives., whereas under The prcpos-
ed ratio of $4,000, she would have only
one representative, with an untepresented
traction OF $4,000 persons.
On the 0t6er side, those 7vEo ojlyloseG tie
'aotfoA 70 strike out &" thirty-three thou
sand" contended that it became the legs
lature TO ascertain and conform TO the will
OF the people on this point; that that viii
had been clearly expressed in the consti-
tuition which had decided that the ratio
should not be less than 10000, and in the
law passed Immediately after the adoption
OF the constitution fixing the ratio at S.
COO; that this was the ratio which had
been adopted VIXEN our numbers were
much less than they now are, that it ap-
peared to have given general satisfaction,
and that no other inconveniencies had &C,
crucd, than such as T1ight be expected TO
follow from the adoption OF any other "a
ito whatever.
1t would seem to be rather unnatural,
ana the reverse of what was contemplated
by those who enacted the constitution, as
our numbers increased, to lessen the ratio
of representation.
a divisor, of 3S 600, would now give a
house consisting of at least 40 members,
which even, on the present ratio, must
soon become, not only expensive, but un-
wieldy.
AS 70 what had been urged OF the dis
advantage to which eleG}ors were subject
ed in large districts, of no, knowing the
characters OF their representatives and
candidates 1t was observed, that this was
a disadvantage which was lessening with
rapidity from year 10 year, and from one
election to another--that to whatever in
convenience electors may heretofore have
been subjected by the want OF a know
iedge OF their candidate. hom tu,s inC1n.
vcnience they are already in great nlea-
sure relieved, and It must in a short time
entirely cease to exist. IL any inconveni-
ence OF this kind sill remains, by an cleo
ton or two more it would be entirely re-
moved.
It was contendcd that though the differ
ence between the two proposed ratios was
not great, yet that 1t was highly important
that doctrine SO heretical and improper
as that avowed on the opposite side should
De exploded on its first annunciation q
doctrine which considered that house as
the representatives not OF the states, or of
the people Of those states in their respec-
tive sovereign capacities, but ofthe age,re-
gate Of the people of the United States in
their national capacity that the inevita-
bic effect Of this doctrine was destructi-
on of the federal principle on which the
constitution had been founded, and a sub
stitution Of the alarming principle of CON
solidation; that whatever tended to pro-
duce this efectwes destructive ofthe liber-
ty and harmony of the people and Of the
stability OF the government that it was
desirable that the general government
should possess the entire confidence ofthe
people so far IS related to federal objects,
but no further; that If the representation
IN that House should be increased until it
should reach the numbers Of a British par
lament or French convention, propor-
tionate diminuton Of confidence in the
state governments would follow; until
they should either he Frustrated, or become
feeble barriers against the ascendant pow
ers OF the general government that un-
der the old congress, organized on the fe-
dcral principle, the snallness Of the dele
cations hadnot preventative transaGlionof
public business withless skillor virtue than
under the present government; that with
out enquiring whether the powers devolved
on the general government exceeded the
measure which true wisdom prescribed, It
was certain that they did not fall short of
it, ard that all extension OF those powers
BY whatever means, ought TO meet with
the uniform resistance Of those who were
friends TO the federal feature Of the govern