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

them as well as with any others.
air. Z. then noticed another view which
had been taken of this subject, which Was
that the higher numbers were favorable To the
smaller estates, not only rs regards their rea
tive inilueace here, but more especially rs re-
CARDS their relative influence in elections of
thn President-he would sag nothing of the
Vice President, ofthe United States--bccausc,
he added, the first was the object u which the
eye of the public was generally turned, and
oi the minor Office he had not get heard spo-
ken. On this argument Mr.. K. made some
| remarks, importing that he did not allow to
it much weight.
Another member had said, that Il particular
number WAS the hest, because it was perfectly
| fair rs regarded Rhode Island. But, Mr.. Il.
| said, IT was not equally SO tor the State OF
Delaware, nor perhaps for any other state.
What m idea ot fairness was this 1t was
| like the dlscoursee f blind maa upon colours,
who said that the sound of the trumpet was
bad, because the trumpet sounded whenever
the soldiers passed along, aud he had heard
| that they were clothed in red. Fairness
| What fairness was there in this?
But it seemed, according To the argument
OF another gentleman, unless we have large
and popuious districts, we should net have
body sufficiently selcct-thcre would not be
| sufficient room tn select from each district
potent, grave, and reverend scgnor Ia take
Iiis seat ON this floor. This, Mr.. II. said, was
| something like being told that without high
salaries you can get nobody To take Offices ::
yet, said he, make the salaries rhdt you ,riN--
VIII say no more.
II seemed, too, that any analogy taken from
the British House of CUmnons-whicIl, Mr.
IL said he had not heard urged in the only
manner in which it could be urged, that the
numbers were not too great 10 admit of the
due exercise of legislative powers-was not
applicable To the subject of The present dis
cussion, because that body is composed, in
great measure, of placemcn and pensioners.
Dir: H. would not say that he was, on this oc-
casion, reminded of rhe fable of the fox and
the HES but this he would say-thut the
piaceman, snug and warn, in his place, or the
pensioner secure OF receiving his quarterly
supply, or any one of The number who by in
direction arrive at the same object, the plum
der ot the people, was, Ia his view, in every
wise as lit, proper, and If lie might ,ke the
word which he had lately heard on this floor
tor Inc first time, as reliable a representative,
rs The man cho as an search after Il place or
pension. But, his worthy friend would tell
the house, that this was description of per
sons whom, when once the people have as
cert;uncd their character, they withdraw their
confidence from. MIR. x. said he hoped il
might he SD hereafter; but, there was one
misfortune about II, which was, that the mis-
chIsl Is done before the people have ascer.
tanned the true character Of these men, and
that 1t IS IN doing this very Identical mischief
that their character develupes itself. The
people, TO be sure, can shut the stable door.
and lock it too, but it is after the stecd is gone
Alter all, Mr.. r. said, he feared little i'm
preston was to be made on the terrible array
OF figures presented 10 the house, which he
mad not eyes ar Il braiG 10 encounter by rep
reservations OF this kind. One thing, however
was certain, that if 1877 members were not too
many ten years ago, 800 were not too many
now. He did not pretend hu said TO Law
down any rule by which an arithmetcian, any
more than geomeiricIan, could work this
question. 1t depended upon things which are
INFINITELY, variable on combinations infinitely
diversified, and must be settled at last by good
PLAIN common sense, and by no lourishes of
the pen or OF rhetoric. The case OF a state
wisely governed by its Legislature, that of
Connecticut for example, he argued would b.
prcpostcrous!y applied 10 tins government
representing rs ii dues, more than million Of
square mites, and more than twenfY million,
ot people-ior such would ere long Lperiiaps
oy the next censrS) be the amount of our po-
pu!ailon, II 1t goes Oh increasing rs some pre- |
number OF representatives, and then to pro- |
portion that number among the states. wouId. |
Mr. H. said, be putting the cart before the |!
hQrse-nakino suit OF clothes for man, and |
then taking lis measure. The number of rr- |
representatives. ought To be sufficient 10 enable |
thc constituent to maintain with the reprcsen- |
tative that species OF relation, without which |
repres entat!ye government was as great cheat |
as Observation-Disclosures was going to say, hut
rom respect To numerous and most respec-
table class, he would not-but he would saw,
as any IN phestcraft, kingcraft, or any Other
craft, which as, Great is the Diana of the
Ephesian5! he would not name When I
hear, continued Mr.. II. of its being proposed,
TO limit the numbers of the repre-
sentation Of the people On this floor, | feel
disposed to return the answer of Agesihus,
when the Spartans were asked for their arms
y Come and take them" Ii you srcp out of
your tiireshhoidin matters which do not con.
Germ you, we have got Rowland for your
Oliver we will increase your number, appor-
honlDS 1T somewhat more to the population
and wealth OF the respective members of this
community. And, as the Legislatures are, as
We are told, nearly all in session about this
lime, aad the election can be- readily made, we !
viii reduce your term of service to year. |
This Mr.. r. said by way of perenthesis. He
Sent on to say, that it appeared TO be the opin-
on of some people, who seemed to think that
le who made the world should have consult (
;d them about it, that our population would
90 on increasing 10 such an extent, as TO pro-
luce the most alarming and pernicious eff
ecis Mr.. IL. said he remembered a case in 4,
Ynlct IT had been seriously apprehended, and 7
- learned man too, that inasrnuch as one of I
us brethren was Increasing his property 10 I
ertaID rltIO. the ruflrs,, fitnn tro,,II q.
mount, by progressive increase, To the value.