The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1822-02-13
@istr:tamp.
REMARxSOF


House with the report Of the commi,,ee OF
tho whole, on 6lling the blank Of The bill
ior the eppor,iooment OF Representation
with ratio OF iorty.,wo thousand.
Dir. Ouifee commenced his- observations
BY ssylng, that from the vote which had iusl
passcd Tor 6lling the b,snk with tor,y,,wo
thousand, be felt himself constrained to offer
scpne objections 10 The adoption OF The eporl.
When IL wss proposed 10 deprive STATE
q ono hall her representation, the silence sl
Der deiegatio6 was no longer cxeusabls. lie
vouic not, however, at this timei consider the
proposed 'a,io 10 its operation on psrtic0ias
Stases--he would consiacs Il as o national
q,etsion-- he would consider il in It's bearistg
tne effect on ihe whole Unioni and Oh tho
several branches Of the goseepn,snt. :.
When The Constitution ol the United States
was proposed to the people, one OF the strong.
est objections made TO i.s adoption was, lho,,
CONGRESS- would not increase the number OF
Representatives as the population oil the Uo-
ted States Increased, or their interest requi,
ed. Twas said that the effect OF the plan
would DO 10 throw vast power into lew
hands, end that, instead of republic, We
should sson have an aristocracy. One OF the
hrst statesmen oi the age, and one OF oar bes,
political wr,sss, cndsavored to obyisle lSis
objection, and TO Prove Gas he no doubt fond.
y imagined he did prove) ,ha. the nudaber Of
Representatives would be augthen,ed 10 pro-
portion as our population Increased, or i've in
tersst demanded. But Sir, said he, if there
be now living single cnoSby TO that Consu.
tuucn, and 10 tho principles OF Our govern
ment, he must exult at the prospect which
The vote that has just been given presents, Of
complete realization OF thsse gloomy pre-.
dic,ions. stt
Under the hrU census tho ratio was thirty.
thres thoussnd--i, was tho ssme under the
second-under tho third Il was augmented
only two thotssnd but Il is nov proposed
BY a sudden start, to depart from This slow
aod gradual augtne ntation Of the rstio--to
leap ever tEb number Of seven thousspd, end
adopt q ratio Of forty.two thonssnd. When,
Sir, 1t is proposed 10 depar, from q course Of
policy Which experience hes approved
which q least has asser been q Aubject OF
fompIsInt. II Is natural TO. rccuire of the nd.
vocasets 0ftic measure, arguments, not mere
!y sPecious but s0th as are conciasive, de-
monsira,ivs, snd convincing, leaving no. hing
TO coubt., Now, Sir, what aIe the reasons
that have been offered for this extraordinary
inctesse Of tho ratio il has been said, by
an honorable member from New-york Mr..
Wood who, II seen.s, lsvors . ratio sull high
er than the one adopted by the committee,
that, II the number Cf members 10 inc reased,
public business viii! be neglected and delayed,
and that, TO secure despatch our present mum.
ber ought no, 10 he augmented. 10 en-
dcavorinc 10 avoid this very gtea, evil, lis it
ia mn yIrt- fE Leo oisl.
ought 10 be cautious lest we run Into the op.
positc extreme, Ci too much legislation. The
business, Sit, which Is done 10 this body may
DO divided into two soria, that which is neccs.
| cary, or certainly OF doubtful expedisncy. 10
tho firs, class may be PLACED the necessary
provisions Tor the ,evehue Of the succeeding
year--ihe necessary appropriations for the
civil military, and naval departments the
necessary investigatisAs Of our loreign rela.
lions: the annual examination into the ad.
Ininis.raiion Of our affairs 10 the various de.
Psrtmcs,s OF Eove'hm into The Official
conduct OF executive officers, and their gene.
tsl management Of our concerns. Such, Sir,
generally,is the neeessary business OF Con.
grcss ard il - business which will always
be done; which the public wants and public
esigeneies will compel you TO pefform.. No
snst.ef OF what number this House may con-
sist, this, the necessary business Of gosefn.
ment, cannot be neglected.
With regard 10 that business which Is NO.
necessary or at bes, Of doobtiol expediency,
such as projectsd changes 10 the great pur-
suits Of life, great and sudden Improvements
in tho various copeerns Of the people, Il is
better, for the most part, that they be suffer.
cd TO lie and sleep on Tho .sb!S Before you,
than be sc,ed upon 70 effect. They msy.
Sir, serve for discussion but, when things
have ss.;lcd down to existing and known
laws, when they have bscome accommodated
to them-when they have became thoroughly
understood to all their various relations, snd
are sustained 10 those relations, BY those laws
as by their common basis, every new legisls.
tive sxpsdisnt which is adopted, proddees
uncertainty aod confGsioo. To prevent,
therefore, the Increase Of the numbsrs Of this
body, in order TO enable IL to DO moro business,
1, bu, to enable IL to Try o greater number OF