The Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1818-1824, 1819-10-25

ents were necessary 10 OluCe.
va. not so-that the Treasury system was in no,
-uch need of man of talents-that it was so
perfect il would 90 alone. The business Of the
nation has never been better transacted than by
that little House Of Representatives. Il had all
the talents and al the wisdom that could be,
usefully, combined in one body.
am, sir, utterly opposed to large unwieldy
representative body. The people do not demand
II at our hands-nor do they expect it. They
wish only, TO be wisely and equally represented.
1t is no object with them to have every hundredth
man a representative. Let them be but equally
represented and by men oftheir own choosing !;
and, whether it shall take one thousand or five
thousand, to elect one representative, they care
not Has there ever been any complaint that Il
required 80 or TO- 600 to elect representative TO
Congress Never, 10 my knowledge.
am,sir, opposed to body that shall have pow4
er to incrs ase itself. I would therefore, at once,
have It as large as might be convenient for bush
ness, and neyerlarger, let the population become
yer so numerous. When legislative body shall
become too great there is no reducing tit will
not reduce itself OF this we have ample evl-
dence 10 the Legislature ofMassachusetts. That
body OF seven hundred never seems to have mad
the disposition and, if il could have had the dis
position, il has never dared to attempt its reduc-
ton. In high party times, when nearly divided
neither party would dare to move it as the 9th
er would be sure to attack it. as intended to a
bridge the right Of representation and thereby
render the friends of the measure odious TO the
people. And hence Massachusetts, has had no
chance for an alienation from any portion ofthst
calamity, but by being separated from Maine
| The constitution of the United States is detec-
tive in this particular. There is no Limitation to
the size of ITS house Representatives lthas al
ready increased TO a very nconvenient size. From
about 60 il has now increased 10 1874. It's with
difficulty that it dispatch the public business.
Hence il is tina. we have simple proposition
/ debated in that body for weeks in succession.
] The case of John Anderson and the questions re-
! latve to the Seminole war. and ito internal inn
provement consumed fortnight each. And 1t
will nevertheless, be impossible ever to reduce
the members of thi. body. IL will even increase.
The members on making new apportionment,
after a census, will each look, with single eye,t
his particular district and will not reduce the
ratio Of representation 20 increase the size OF
his district or diminish the number TO which his
state shall be entitled. Hence it will happen
that after the taking Of the next census, in 1920,
the house will be increased TO, at least $50, II not
$50 members When this viii end know not.
Bat it cannot be long before the legislature must
sit, perhaps the whole year. and accomplish lit
tie or nothing.
One hundred is as many as ever ought to COM
pose house Representatives. And in this state
they should he apportioned TO the counties &C
cordng TO population. nd the number to which
any county may be entitled, should be apportion-
ed to be elected in districts Of convenient size
formed of entire towns and contiguous territory,
the exterior limits of each of which should be as
nearly equidistant from common centre as may
be.
These appointments and districts should not be
made too often-but should be made at stated
periods. Ii should not be optional with party
il power to make them or not. Once in ten years
after the taking Of each new census, would be
sufficiently often. II would not do 70 allow It to
be done otherwise. II must not be made an en-
CINE Of party. We, to be sure, see nothing Of par
ty among US, at this time and it isa fortunate
circumstance, indeed, that we do not But we
cannot promise ourselves that we never shall.
The time may come, nay, cir, It must come when
we shall see the same scenes reacted which We
already dissraced u.s. A republic is said to be
the nursery Of party. II i. against these that we
must guard. When we place power in the hands
IF our Legislators must, at the same time, as
much as possible, guard against the abuse OF it.
If we make it Imperative upon cur legislators to
appOrtion and district once in ten years they will
not be able to turn IT so much to party purposes.
If they should, on making the districts, have an
eye TO such considerations, they cannot foresee
how soon it may turn against them Such at,
tempts have usually answered vary sh--. nVeu
purpose.
= sir, Yrotest-utterly protest-against the in
equality Of your representative scheme. 1t IS in.
iluitous in principle. 1t never can be reconced
to the good sense of the people. When we say
TO a town, having 500 inhabitants, you shall
have one representative; and, to a town adjoin-
ing it, containing 1899 inhabitants, you shall have
but one, what will the people say Can they
understand such principle as this Sir, il is ar
, brrary and oppressive. Because of an ADVENT
tious circumstance, because tom line happens
to be little more extended, so to have grea-
| ter mum er Of inhabitants within it, you will de-
prive its Inhabitants of an equal representation
We may Just as we'll form large districts-three
times as large as would give single representa-
tive and say TO it, because we have made you
large district, you shall be deprived of equal
representaton-you shall have but one represen
tatve. If it be an object TO have bnt one repre-
sentative elected By any one body Of men, divide
your large towns by parochial lines otherwise.
But do not deprive them ofther equal rights.
We, sir, profess TO be repuOIlcans-and be
gin our constitution by declaring all men to
be born equally free, and to have equal un
dlicnable rights and privileges. And in GU
apportonment Of representatives are furnish
Ing practical commentary upon this tex
By way of illustration Of what we mean y,
Equal rights we say 10 the inhabitants Of
large town you have hut one third as much
right as the lima ant ot small town. Three
men iD large town are but equal to one In
small one.
lbeg gentlemen 10 consider what thew are
about and how they establish principles. An