Thomas's Massachusetts spy, or, Worcester gazette. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1811-1821, 1821-04-04

'NSS' OAI~C TIC year tSVUg the
number of Representatives elected, has
exceedingly varied. In the year
1918, there were. only 1857; ard this
year short of 200. Probably the nom.
Der the present year, during the whole
time that the Legislature was ia ses.
sion would be much less than l5O-as
calculation of expense, in ordinary
times, the present system would be-
much better than the one proposed
And if there should be, on extraordi-
nary occasions, a full representation, the
expense would not be very burdensome,
and much benefit might result to the
community.
But tmay be said, with degree Of
truth, on the present system, there will
be great inequality; some towns will
elect a great number, when others
send none. And it may also be said.
that the members will not attend reg.
ularly and constantly. These must
be admitted to be evils of no small
magnitude.
But they moy easily be remedied.--
Let the compensation be such that the
pay will be no object. Let no member
receive his pay, who is not in bis place
at the proper iime-and let the attend
ance through the session, unless in ex-
traordiDary emergencies, be made a
condition Of receiving payment for
travel. In some such way the practi-
cal evils of the present system may be-
lesseDeG, without recourse to new and
complicated plan. 1t is very obvious
that IN the proposed arrangement, the
smaller towns having 1900 Inhabitants.
and but few more, will acquire an
uncomfortable advantage over the larger
ones.
West-Springheld, for instance, com
tanning four parishes, now entitled to
send at least four Representatives. la
the new system is to send but one
And Palmer, now sending but one. is
to retain the right. The new rule
will operate upon the largest towns
stah .nUre unrquaiiy Rnston. send;np
at present As, and entitled to send
more, will probably be entitled to send
not more than l6 or ID. Salem, now
entitled to send rs, will then have a
right to send only four or FIVE.
If | am rightly informed, there is
but one town in the whole five western
counties, which will be entitled to
send TWO Representatives. The in
creasing ratio is much too large, if
1900 is the lowest number.
In regard to the towns which are To-
send every other year, the innovation.
is very great one. Some of them
will have better lot than they now
have, and some of them a worse
Take them together. their situation is
not to be as good as the small towns
who can barely send one Representa-.
tive; but it is much better than the
large ones.
There is very fragrant injustice in
providing, that when the valuation is
liked, every corporate town. whether
now entitled to send Representative
or not, may each send one, while the
larger towns are entitled TO no more
Representatives that year than usual
Montgomery, Russell and Holland, all
OF them together, by the last census.
had less than 1900 inhabitants West
Springfield more than double that
number. They each send one. and
WeSt-Springfeld is to send onlv one
and to help pay for those from the oth-
er towns.
BY these means, those towns which
pay very much less than half the tax
in the State, win be able to control
what ought to be the majority on this
subject. But if the present system
requires alteration. it ought to be made
upon equal and consistent principles.
There is no method so equitable, az
that Of fixing the representation upon
the population--giving to a certain
fixed number of Inhabitants the right
to send Representative, and making
the expense common charge, will do
justice to all.
A division of the State into suitable
and convenient districts for elcctinp
Representatives, is a convenient and
feasible mode Of effecting this object.
The districts ought not 70 be so small
as to give one town an undue influence
In the election. The districts oughr