Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1822-02-05

history aS II WAS condensed IN the cons.it
tions off our own states. We have twenty
! ar states IN the Union there were six who
had limited there representation, in the more
pc ul'r hraach oftheIr government, to anum-
b.r less that one hundred there were eight
who bad fixed IL at one hundred and The
other ten varying between one aud two huu-
dred, except, perhaps, Virginia and Massa-
Ihseits. Now, f the states had found this
limitation necessary, and the numbers suaici-
ent for all tue purpose of their leglslation he
thought that Congress might gain something
from their experience. For, although ii
might be said that, in point of territor, the
Union was mach greater that any one state,
ye', paradoxical as it might seem, Mr.. 5.
Thought large representation more 'iecrs-
sary IN II large state than in the United States.
our states are divided into townships, parish
e.. ana counties each, as SO many corporate
b"dies required particular laws Cor their inter-
nal police 'hririnterest mt safrepmenty con-
iiicted hence, in their state legislatures il
WAS necessary that each should t,..ve "a rictn-
her. Bur in Congress- thcre were ,,,iiv tn en-
ty-toiir states dis Indies polite represented;
ana, Though the states might sometimes diiEsr
IN lh"ir uO'lhns nf in'rr,.si. YET IL hui seltnnI
happened that there was f;,uad 90 exist such
difference OF Interest IN any particular state,
that every member, let him come from wht-
ever section the state h.. might, would not
W ls'tt,ill ~ lis tritP representation.
MIR. =. was u3wiijing ~ any one 10 remnv,.
the Representative too far from the body of
the people. lie believed nut.ml coniidrncc
hrtween the representative and constituent
constituted the brightest gem in the diat.ein of
representative governments that this con
hdence would oIly cXis; where was f,lt IA pro-
per responsibility: yet he Thought thu propus-
ed nnnh'r not too great for this effect. In
several of the old states. aud in North Caroli-
~. IN. ~ gf.H.t .,.l-
remain thr same as 1t then WIS ; he had Lot
found any difficulty in Knowing the wants ASA
III. WISHES al III" people And, whilst he adj
pllitej that the laws Of all wei, regulated 20
fPrninents shnnld be made To conform to
these wants and these wishes, SO far as might
mt he Inconsistent with the grner;l veal vet,
un'ess they vishetlao make the representatives
on mat iioor as so many ambassadors from
every petty district, with the LEGAL feelings add
prrludices of each, they should not divide tho
st,ies INTO too small districts 1t had been
sad, that where the population was danst. ibc
districts would mt be too large, bat where j;
WIS sparse and scattered overa ereai ry;cnt uf
territory, then they would be too large NOM,
Mr. >. said, he would remind those on th., op-
posltc side of the question, that vii,.u thu
population was thus extended over Il erc,t
extent OF territory, the pursuits of lis iui,aki-
tants were generally agricultural that fhcv
gratiy-aIi they asked was that Won would
$" regulate your intercourse with FOREIGN ma
u'ns rs Ia keep Them free from tie horrors Of
w r. and hat You wnulti so ma are votir own
att s, rs IL KEEP ;heln Con, the no I.ss
horrors of Internal taxes. These were views
and wants easily made known and understood.
VIZ. :. had l"a'd much, upon this, as upon
other occasions, of executive influence, and
whi'@ he was wiling tn admit The extent
,f
disposed to believe nanny Of the fears on that
score 10 be chinrrcul. BY Increasing lie
number of nrml,prs however, although if
might lessen the visibility ufthe evil. it would
not eradicate il. Those who sought y srat
on that loor for the purpose of paving ,hei.
way 10 executive favour, would but seldom
| hnu ia'"Ir az the hands Of the people. And
though he could not speak ON This subject
with the same confidence as those of longer tx-
perlencc, yet he would say. coming. as h, did.
warm from the hnsom of the people. that
more reliance was 20 he placed in their virtue,
GOOD SENSE, and Intelligence, than would ht.
found 10 any shield which an additional Mum
her on This floor would throw around them
sir. ,. concluded by saving, he had said no
'hing as to the expense Of the increase or n;
To thr accommodation ofmembers IN the Hail,
ior ihough he considered That those THINGS
sh0uld enter into their calculation. vet. if il
was for the benefi of the nation that = lqrc..
increase should take place, he V as willing 10
adlniihat these we're not paramount obiec-
tlons-yef, AS he did not think alargcr iucrrasi.
tlah TWO hundred necessary, lie hoped H.
would not bc exceeded.
Mr. RANDOLPH, OF Virginia, next rosc.--
II SAID II reqnlred very great share of lrgis-
iatWe inircpldity for any man and more flms
ne proiessed to profess, to attempt 10 debate
any question IN regard To- which there ga
moral assurance that the majority is pretty
decIdedly against YOU. 'ihc very few lSnrds
therefore, which he had 90 say ON this TN
Homising subject, would he on a question
wherein iiH trn7ird. from present appearances
! ana soWr cthcrlndcat0ns too, ih;d lac should
he N Il majority and that WIS, the question
| oil c0ncW1n~ withihe committee ofthr whole
house ~ their amendment of this bill lie
must br permitted to state he said altogether
unIinporiant as the fact was. that, although,
ne h1d been one Of the committee 10 bring rs
tins MI, he had not yet fried any ratio either
- the state one Of whose representatives M.
was. DOR IN the district which he represented.
nor IN amy one county Of which that district
was composcd. II would indeed Ice pxtrrrne
| " disingenGous 10 HIN not to say. that. Il,
glaD"ing his eye over the table nf calculations
he had perceived that one number beliey
cd It was $4,000 - would euiincnily coatluer
to The advantage Ofthc state of Virginia, ard
That some ofthe numbers, not present 10 lis
memory, would be- extremely injuriOus ia h.l.
relative weight in this body, and in the Presi-
dental Flee tion, and consequently to her IN
| nuence ~ the government Of the United
| Statcs. But, said he, whilst / make this de-
ciaraton and know il To be as uninlp0rt-
ant as the individual who addresses you,