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

when they had undertaken to tx The ratio of
representation. He should like to hear some
reason, founded on principle, why that should
not now be the policy OF Congress. Bring the
representative, said he, as near as you can to
the constituent Let the interests and feel
ings OF the people OF every part of the coun-
Try he as nearly represented as they can
Why shall we say that 10000 souls
shall have hut one representative, whilst from
the beginning of the government, there has
been Que TO every $4,000 or $4,000? He
thought, he said, that when gentlemen ask
the House 10 break up established principles,
they ought at least TO shew i'll effects resulting
from them. Now that our government has
been IN operation two and thirty years, and,
us lar as respects the representative principle,
successfully IN operation, with the appreciation
OF the world, why, he asked, were gentlemen
disposed to so on a new track ? Why was il
more consistent with principle now, that one
man should represent $4,000, or 10000 per-
sons, than that we should pursue the principle
winch so far has horne us safely on? When
gentlemen came To look at this question, and
reflect on il seriously, he thought they would
De d'sposed to concur in his opinion, and OPP
pose ANY ratio higher than $4,000 for each
member
A few further remarks were made, nv Mr..
HnEA, IN opposition, when the question was
taken, by yeas and nays, yeas 6l--nays 1l8,
asreported heretofore, and decided i'm the neg
alive.
MIR. CoSDIcr then moved 10 fll the blank
with the words thirty mine, in lieu of the word
Jorty, on which, upon motion of Mr.. Ross, the
yeas and nays were ordered, when the uues-
Ton was decided in the negative, (ayes So
noes 1901 as expressed in our sketch of the
proceedings of that day.
nr. kANDoLPH thenrose, ndremarked that.
IL therc was any prospect ofsuccess, he should
move TO try the question IN a ratio of so, OOO
lie was II favor of making the house rs numer
Gus as the constitution would permit, always
Keeping within such number as would no; be
announcement Tor the transaction of business
FOR IN that respect the legislature of a little
hreek or Swiss repuhlic-of the smallest state
Migni De as numerous as that of the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. The
only limit was the capacity to do business in
one chamber, and ID his opnonit was desirable
10 nave as great a number as would keen on
ms side OF mob and for this there were
some reasons which he had not offered vet,
nut winch he had Intended to present on Mon
day last. The most profound female writer
of the present age-and pertains he mipbt
amend ny striking out the word female, had
ponteu out the superiority of the legislative
oooy IN England over that of France, and had
aurinuted 1t to the circumstance that in the
briush Parliament, no man is permitted TO
read speech, but is obliged to pronounce il
tr ten'rore, whereas in the French Legislative
assembly,, tne rage for making speeches was
eNSleu ny the usage, that any man who could
ih'''"iac'ufe-ycs, coull! manufacture one, or
ger some ono else to DO it for him. asccnded
fhe tribune and delivered, and afterwards
printed, it-and hence their notion that an
assembly of more than 100, il composed of
t,e"'ons, might well be called mob. By
'uis conference. one of the great advantages
nl tTee government was lost-that Of talent
hnding Its place But the practice in England
naturally forced out the abilities of the honse
In England, the speaker was obliged to draw
upon his own intellectual resources-and I'M
on those talents, with which Heaven had en-
vowed MN. Talents descend from Heaven,
they are the gift of God-no patent of nohility
can confer them and he, who had the right
beyond monarch's power To grant, did con-
quot 'he public affairs of the country. But bv
the contrary practice, The French nation, lac
corning TO Madam de Stael,) was cheated. and
men passed, III the opinion of the people. for
more ihan they were worth She adds, that
"hena man is enabled TO stand well with he
people, on as small stock liabilities rs suffice
10 eDabie him 10 curry favor with the prince
Lne Cause OF free government gains nothing
-M''t, HfNertheIess, as stupid speeches
mace, MI X. believed, In the British House
oi commons, as here. Read Mr.. Fuller's,
Who was knight ola SHIRE not a member of
horongh-not OF old Sarum-nor even for
manufacturing county or read the speeches
Oh hir. Drake. This was one OF those cases
an WhIcn The maxim, de norris nil nisi bonu,n
did n0t apply.
We have Occn told Of cOrrnptions. and ofl
the sayings attrIbuiedtto Sir Robert WaIpole
4 nat Statesman had been slandered AS much
as any man of our times, or perhaps of any
other. This saying that had been ascribed 10
hun, he. Sir x. always Observation-Disclosures
II mad served ia pull him down for il was
cdsy To put falseh0od into circulation. but
difficult TO recai it, He said, " Those men (al-
i"dinS to particular persons) have their price -
sut III was not an universal remark, and ne |
was always understood to except VIM. Shin |
pen from IL The gentleman from Georria
thr. Cuthbert) had feared that IA large ratio |
would Introduce the evils an oligarchv. But
u would be recOiIectcd that our government |
az It's mead, was mOnarchical Ii was useless |
10 quarrei about words, for such was the fact
ana, as some writers say, not the best form of
monafchy-electlve but on this he would ex |
press no opinion. There was another bodv
100, the Senate, that was oligarchical and an |
oiiSarchy ofthe worst sort /; for the represent |
GUYS VI tuc state SoNerelpntlcS were not Tevo- |
cable by them. He spoke of this as matter of
fact. He knew il was in the bond"-betveen
The large ard small states ita ier scriyta est |
and he did not mean 10 disturb the equality
which the constitution had established be- |
tween them in that branch Of The government.
But what would become Of the House of
Representatives If the whole rays Of Execu- |
five influence should he concentrated upon il. |
as upon point 1T would be consumed. or
like diamond under lens, it would cyapo-