Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1822-02-09

IN revolutionary armies and navies, her Greens
and her Hopkinses Ii the western frontier
WAS rescued from the horrors of the sca,pinS
knife, and the towahawk, during the last war,
by the cOnsuInmate skill, and matchless brave
ry of Oliver Hazard Perry, a favorite sou OF
Rhode Island: If she has sent her Burriils
and her Hunters to your national councils II
she pays more money into the national coi-
iers, with the exception of four,) than any
single stat: in the Union: If her enterprise
has disclosed one of tie most profitable sour
ces oil trade: If she gave the first impulse to
that branch of national industry, which, more
surely than any other, will develope the ma
tional resources, aud lead To national wealth:
think II is incumbent on us to hesitate a long
time before we do AN act which will materially
lessen her influence, and consign her 10 the
lowest rank in our republic ; add think it
right, in settling this question, which is ques-
ton of discretion, that all these circumstances
should have their weight. She is one of the
old thirteen states. In the contest for indie
pendence she nobly sustained her part. For
one, do not wish To witness the waning of
this small but bright and glorious star. But,
Sir, If the amputatinS knife must be used, she
must submit. She will submit, with regret
indeed, but trust with dignity. She will still
be found leaning on her anchor, and trusting tn
her God
MIR. BALDWIN, Of Pennsylvania, next adj
dressed the chair. He presented the idea, that
our population Is so rapidly increasing that IL
ny ratio determined upon the basis of the T.
nuneration lately taken must be nOminally
less than it really is. At this moment, he
said, though the ratio fixed upon ten years
go was ZOO, the actual ratio was, by pro-
GressIve increase ofpopuatiou, as high as
$1,000. And, II the ratio were now To be
fixed on the basis of the census at 4J,009,
n1f mi.,.rs ,,ln ted fhi.
new apportionment could come in, the radio
would IN fact lac more than $4,000. Ii, he
SAID, we calculate the annual Increase OF uur
population at 4 per cent. and the ratio be Tx
ed ny law at $4,000, it will be AT this moment
IN fact 10000, owing To the growth of our
population aud very few years would elapse
before 1t would in reality be $4,000 This
was view of the subject which Mr. b. said,
he thought gentlemen ought To take. They
ought To ascertain, not what was the most
Convenient number at this moment, but what
would continue TO be so during the whole OF
the period which will intervene before the
next census. Ii the ratio should now be fixed
at 40 or 10000 during the greater part of ihat
period il would be in reality 5O,00C.-If the
house were now fixing the ratio for the term
al one Congress, it would be- matter of COM
paratively little Importance what ratio WAS
determined upon: instead of following the true
.
sentative as near as practicable TO the consti-
tucnt gentlemen seemed To be DESTROYS of
! throwing HIM To greater distance.
| With regard 10 the best number for bust
ness, MIR. b. believed that more business
would he done in this house were it compos-
ed ni Il greater number of representatives
and The best cheek upon the disposition tn
| spend time unnecessarily here would he this
that every member, when he gets up to
.,Id \ n. 81.
taking up the time ola great nation, and that
he ought not To take up that time unnecessarily.
ot one thing he said he Was certain in his own
mind, and he thought experience would sus-
tam the posiiien, that, the larger the district
| from which you elect member of Congress,
the worse VIII be- the choice because the peo-
pie have less opportunity To- know the man
personally. Hebelieved, if the districts were
/ OF limited extent, better men would be sent,
and the business the house would be better
done than If they were larger.
Mr.. 3. then presented the subject in ano-
Their point of view-and, he said, if there was
any contingency 10 which be looked with
apprehension amounting almost to horror, it
! was 10 that which would throw the election
4 of President of the United States on the House
of Representatives. Look, said he, at the ef-
feet of the high ratio of 900, which you
are now invued to fix upon. BY adopting il,
You viii increase the number of those who by
their single voice can give "A States vote in
that election. Deliver us from temptation
Make the single votes az few, said Mr.. Is. as
you can. What would be the effect here, il
i've ar SIX oil the members lad as many votes
they being sole representatives Without
saying ihatOn member would be more willing
than another to receive a bribe vet certainly
1t would be lesss difficult TO corrupt a vote
where one person only was to- be bought thar
where there were seven and twenty. He did
not speak OF brides of money, but of promises
hopes, or cOrrupting obligations Of any sort
! and certainly the facility and inducemunt "a
such ntrisurs would be greatly increased
where, to command six or seven out OF fOul
t and twenty utes you have only to operate OF
as many men. We owe it TO our selves and 70
the existence itself of the gOvurumcnt perhap,
to guard against such evils. This he said with
] ont ans feeling OfdisrespeCt towards ihe small
T. states. On the contrary, he said he felt toward
= the gentleman from Virginia dd--as il
e by cllrtailing their representation, the hous,
l was cutting down the members of the old con
f iedcracy. He was unwilling To cut then
[ down. He l1ekGd 90 the members of the oil
4 Partnership rs to National Monuments, and
( as he would he unwilling to see any othe
+. monument defaced, so was he avcrse To de
r. facing or curtalllng the proportions of tn
= States OF Maryland and Delaware, SC.
h, A share they have hitherto had and shar
/ they arc entitled to. We should III reqult
u the services, sacrifices, aud exeriiOns of thOs
e states, 10 say to them, wien we feel on
s strength, we will set you aside as the uaeles
r. scaifoIdlng of a building we have reared.
z Although the number of the Members o
: tliis House had already been greatly increas
J. ed since that of the first Congress, we do no
y fad that any practical evils have flowed fror