Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1816-11-19
cy was The rea. difficulty, that troubled the com
mttee, and under which the convention iaboured

cy was II. rea. difficulty, that troubled The com
mttee, aud under which the Convention laboured.
The hfst difficulty, that is made with the clause
ofthe sct,ufon winch the construction Is found
ed, Is created upon,,he meaning of the word
mg',iY. Historically il may be observed ,thst
as me act was originally prepared, upon the priu-
cipie OF re'ereace' TO the pe6pie, The Question
was intenaed to have been decidpd by q mere
nsa5ory Il was Thought 10 ever, that meas
urs of so much ir.oortance5o III. not to be de-
cided upon 10 alorny OF a Single vote and &C.
cordingy, at the instance Of an honoura5e gen.
tieman, ii WAS altered wi h universe, approbalitsI
N the manner, IN wNch I, now stsnd,, sud tn.
ratio otiise iosioss was accordingly concluded
% b. substituted --it meht of course have been
Intended, thai the question Should be decided by.
nosi.ins less than olsi proportion audit is clear
that no cons, fact.,g be recognize cd by virtue
Of Which the question rniekt be determined b,
mere m-lort y.
fae IN saning of The word IN iofi,y, The com.
m1.tee say, Is u ,ubs!ul. - 5obts are easily sug-
ges,ed. ihe p.ainest Proportions have some
.ines ocen doubted 4 MN may dono, al,
tnins he p.eAses Ind some men have even
j5u5scd theh own exlstence. The word rns,Dr-
~ may be understood IN one Or two different
senses bul word ID not the more couL fai for
having several sisn,hcsticrs, except 10 him who,
= unable 20 understand It's ntrlns &c ss,i ties or.
unso.e to comprehend the force of association
esm Otherwise uncer.sn may become per-
isc,iy pisn' from the connection, md even where
The cont x. ST ul1 tail 10 throw The necessary
light, the spirit OF the production may IF ,rd nm
auer'ing guide. The con,tsnt clue 20 the con-
ssFucii,n ota public ACT 10 the intention Of the
:eg siatvfe add that inten ION roay be always
aseersineo IL N the geatus OF the provision, NE
con emporasy oppun ot lts trainers, sud The uni.
ssi understanding Of he provision in practice
Probably the frs. and the proper meaning Of the
word majority Is TOE excess OF ore OF any Two
III nbers beyond one bAt Of the whulc. !, is
evident II IL no: used in ,.at sease IN he sc for
ms jority Ut FIVE to four evidently sigafes y We
~ eis,inc, ratio nom ta. OF simple excess be-
yond halt. Such m.jori.ys ooe ,hng and
majority Of five 10 four another. A pure JON.
y IS 50 much Gear, aud is subject 70 possible
proportion such rs five 10 fou! A second sensr,
IN which the woid is also used, is to signify
| pin, ally, or the difference by which . larger
| numhes exceeds & less. THIS denoles (be dit
ietcnce between two Bupbcrs. This Sgsin Is
! liable 10 90 proportion. The difference is abso-
| infe, wbatsvertti. Esctude the word rnajs,1y
ana no doubt you'd remain onfh minds Of the crnS
matee. Bat yew c0mniffce did nor f,e! hemselves
saiho'i 10 cay, rhat b. Lad no measnx
Nos Nc ed they on tiis sul Jeet theis dehcscy may
| be saved. 1ney have os.y 20 employ Tie VOID
| intbe sense IN which il was intended, 10 signify
| The 'efafon OF toe large NUMBER to ,le iess
| The term caitea ise m1ority underst ,od. is
minority. And ,he ma oiity greater number
efVoses IS teqn,fed 10 DC 10 The smbier,ss five Is
10 Iour, or IN The psofofi ION a tive niDths. To
prevent The least possible doao, 10 the xtent
9th m joi,y in thus instance, it is expressly
| AUD caut,,asiy ana distinctly limited by tie
legislature - he proportion oil five 10 iour This
IL lie eggs ditsr OF The term, as used III
this inA| nee sht Cer,sinij the legislature have
right To LAY what tbes meant Thus the word
Is aot excluded, nor IS II rendered destitute Of
mesning. bnsit IS used in the sign hca,ion in
witch sne legislature employed II; tue signsica-
.on, which WAS originally st.aehedto IL and that
IN which IL was university understood. Tia,
indeed seems 10 be thu Only SENSIBLE consuLc-
,ioe II tbe expression, ore ob,ious TO every
cspaci.y,-- I, ON Confusion and eaeeasin'y-
by which tbe decision of mere majority
IS avoided and smother de,etmns,e and s,gn Ne
cant ratio Instituted and established.
II is however little curious that after perform
ing this overture upon the meaning Of the word
majority, aud appearing to give il something OF a
mystical Specification, the Committee do really n
fact adopt The true and honest meaning Of the
word they adopt" a majority ot i've to FOUR as
scale Of proportion according to its natural and
obvious ntent--oniy they apply it to their cunning
scheme OF corporate majorities. - As five is to
four" say they" SO is the aggregate majority of
yeas ia the towns and plantations in favour, to the
aggregate majority oil nays in those opposed !" and
IN i's Gay on!g they profess to be able to give a
meaning to the VOID majority, as used in the act.
Ii may be here remarked, that the expession'ol
corporate najorties is 'not contained in the act''
ana ase that their aggregate majorites are in fact
aggregate ptutoinfes 49,
The extraordinary principle here assumed
is attempted 10 be established by one of the
t'mosi singular processes Of logic perhaps ever
practised and it adopts species OF metaph-
ysics, which probably would never have
been tolerated even in the dark ages. There
never was an instance OF any thing pretend
ing to be reasoning, and appearing TO be sub
tie, at once more false, absurd, incoherent and
inconclusiye. Never was there specimen OF
the powers Of mind more misapplieds or the
faculty of reason more abused, or an Instance
Of a greater imposition attempted to be prac-
ticed upon the understanding and palmed up
on the public. 1t is said, that by The act as
originally reported 10 the legislature, the con-
vention Of delegates intended 10 be assembled
were authorized to determine on the expedi-
ency Of separation and from the report OF
the committee. who drafted the bill, prehxed
4 - Al al