Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1815-04-05

merely nominal, that we have seen that body
reject the nominations of the president, rer
fuse to ra,ify articles Of a foreign treaty
and deny Its assent to laws recommended
by the president, and passed by the other
branch OF the legialsture. The best test of
power therefore is in the senate. and it is
there that the complaining states actual.
iy enjoy an ample indemnity for all the
inequalities in their representation.
Ihe committee reluctantly advert to a
topic OF so much delicacy. but since they have
been tempted into the discussion by the CONS
plants OF other states, they cannot disguise
their conviction, that the true sufferers
In the coniederacy, those who alone have
cause to lament the disproportion between
their strength and their power, are the
large middle states.
| he theory OF state sovereignty has as
signed to each an equal power in the senate
bat in practical legislation the exercise of
that power is in the highest degree unequal.
The state OF Connecticut, of Vermont, or Of
New Hampshire, for instance, does not pos-
sess one third OF the population OF New York
or pennsylvania, yet they have each voice
In the senate equal TO that of these states
| For every inhabitant of Rhode Island there
are more than ten in Pennsylvania, and more
than twelve in New York, yet in all tina,
concerns the commerce, the agricu, ure, the
who!e destinies of New York and Pennsyl.
Vania' the 10000 people of Rhode Island
nave an equal voice with the $50 GOO of
| New-Y York, or the $40 600 Of Pennsylvania.
| New York and Pennsylvania contain ABOUT
100000 inhabitants more than all ,he five
states east of the North river, yet those
states have no less than 10 voices in the Sc.
nate, while New York and Pennsylvania
nave together only four. Compared with
| We hnf1 Il.
though less striking, is sufficiently obvious
Virginia has white population equal to that
OF connecticut, Rhode Island and New
Hampshire, yet her two voices in the senate
are overpowered by those of six senators
from those states. The FIVE southern states
Ut Maryland. Virginia, North Carolina,
south Carolina and Georgia, contain 1872,
200 white inhabitants more than the five
northern states of Massachusetts, Rhode
f island Connecticut, New Hampshire and
vermont, besides nearly one million of black
INHABITANTS yet their power in the senate
the same. Thus if the $4,000 slaves of
virginia give her six representatives more
tnan connecticut, Rhode Island and New
Hampshire, that is six voices more out of
1877 those three states have in the senate
iour more voices than an equal white popu>
ration Ia Virginia that is four more voices
OUT Oh thirty-siX. Where they lose a thir-
ueth therefore IN one house, they gain
nnth III the more important branch of the
legislature So, too, the five states east of
the north river, containing little more than
h,th OF the whole Inhabitants of the union,
ana not fourth OF the white inhabitants,
uaVea power IN the senate actually greater
than one fourth.
he northern states have besides another
counterpoise for tue disproportisnate aid.
4 NatnelDent of fhPir nai~hhor, 'INLo o.k...
states are m very considerable degree in.
ueo'ed for the Increase of people to The con-
slant emigrations fron New England, and
III lheir ne" stations, the intelligence ard
@Ctt'lty OF these emIgrants ensure them
ra9iu promotion to places ofpowcr, to which
they Cannot tail to carry a filial regard for
the interests of their parent state. Thus, it
is understood that in the last Congress nine
out of seventeen of the representatives of
New York were natives of Connecticut and
q great number of the members OF congress
| from the middle and western states are emi
grants from the nsrthern, whose early as
sociations will give them natural and hon.
orable respect for he land of their NATIVITY.
From these considerations, the committee
conclude, hat If any change in the funda
mental principle OF representation be desir-
able, it should be a complete one, such
one as would place the real power of the
government on the basis of its white popuIa.
ton. and render the number, not merely of
representatives but of senator's, proportion.
ed to the iree white inhabitants within the
union. Any alteration less than this, would
DC partial IN It's operation, and would vary
the terms of the original compact without
carrying into full and fair operation the new
principle introduced into it. The commit.
tee, therefore, dissent from the proposed
amendment.
The next amendr eGt is in these words
No new state shall be admitted into the
union by Congress, in virtue of the power
grated by the constitution. without the con-
currence Ut two-thirds Of both houses"
The erection Of new states seems to have
: been contemplated at every period of our
union. In the constitution Of l778. Canada
was invited to accede TO the confederation
and in the existing constitution of 1887 il is
declared, that new states sh I'll be admit,
ted into the uniep," without any opali6.
cation except the previous consent of the
parties, where the new were created within
the limits Of old states Several states Of
that description have since been erected. bur
the principal object on which the constitu.
tioHai provision has now 10 operate, is the
vacant territory within the limits Of the Uni;
ted states, which by the existing laws are
entitled TO admission on certain speci6ed