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

by some of the greatest men whom this coun-
try ever produced, and perhaps as great US II
ever would produce--it was in itself a vital
objection TO George Mason's putting his hand
10 that constitution, that the representation ia
Congress was limited not Ia exceed one meui-
her tor every thirty thousand souls, whilst, on
tue other hard, a most unbounded discretion
was given rs To the increase OF the tati,l 1t
uas an objection TO this constitution, said Mr. Il.
on the part of some oil the wsest men whom
this country ever produced it was an obiec-
ron on the part of Patrick Henry, whose
doubts need not ask you, Mr. Speaker, to
recur TO them /; fear you have been too ia
n,iar with them in the shape OF verified pre-
dictOn-whose doubts experience has proved
to have been prophetic.
On question OF this sort, said Mr.. Il. shall
we be told of the expense of compromising
few additional numbers of this body He
knew, he said, that we had, in civil point Of
Tiews perhaps the most expensive government
under the sun. We have, taking one gem
tleman's language, an army of Legislators.
There was a time, Mr.. r. said-and he wish
ed ne might live To see it ag.in-when the
legislators OF the country outnumbcrcd The
rank and file OF the army, aud the officers
To boot-l wish, said he, | may see it
again. Did any man ever hear of country
ruined by t!:c expense of its legislators Yes,
as The sheep are ruined by SD much as is de
voted tn the nourisimcht of the dogs. As to
me civil ist-to the pay of host of legisll-
tors-is it their pay that has runup the nation
al debt Is it their pay that produces defal-
cations of the revenue Did mortal man
ever hear of country that was ruined bv the
expense OF its civil list, and more especially of
rs legislative establishment !? Mr. Il. said, Inc
was no believer in ancient or modern magic :;
he gave no credit to Sir Keuclm Digby's SYM
pathetic powder, or to Platp's visions of the
Importance pf the number ten. To go by any
rule ot that sort, some might prefer All odd
nuinhtr-thrrc, because it was the number of
the GraCes, or nine, which was that of the
sluses-and those miserable dupcs who adj
venture IN lotteries generally eulcavor TO hit
on an odd number, &c. He could not CON
ceiye how 1t happcned that in former Con-
sresS they had been SO blind 10 the magic of
numbers as to overlook the number of one
hundred, Notwithstanding which one ct that
body signed himself Centum Vir, rs one OF the
number of whom that Council was composed
after all the wire-drawn speclatons on this
subject, however, we must, said Mr. r. come
down To suitability, if / may use tic word-to
the fitness of things, as the great philosopher
Square would have said. We must take Il
number which is convenient for business, and
at the same time sufficiently great Ia repre-
"N''' 'iS pit'icato WI ttIiS great tl1piTt-NpS,
this empire, he was obliged To say, for the
tern}1trpublic had gone out of fashion Mr..
Il tiere said he would warn not this Iiouse-
fiicy stood III no need of it-but the good,
easy, susceptible people of this country,
against the empiriclsm in politics-against tie
deluslon, that, because il government is repre-
sentative, equally representative, if you will,
il must, therefore, be free. Government, to
be safe and 20 be free, must consist of Repre-
sentatIVes having Il common interest and Il
common feeling with the represented. But
AS he believed he would be better understood
by AN example, he saa he would put il. Mr..
X. here put a case Of the United States enter
Ing into Joint partnership OF political kind
with The Emperor of China, and that they
were To allow 10 us a Representative for
every $4,000 souls, claiming for themselves
Representative only for every 100000 souls.
w oud Legislature SO constituted be fit TO
govern us Certainly not, if the Chinese yet
had, as in such case they would have, n ma
jorty'"f the whole number OF members
neither would the government be much more
suitable To them. \ man who has not COIN
mon interest and common feeling with you, is
unht To make your laws, or to impose taxes
upon you, if he were elected by n million of
voters. When hear, said Mr. r. OF settle |
ments at the Council Bluffs, and of bills for
taking possession of the mouth OF Columbia
river, turn--not deaf ear, but AN ear of a |
different sort, tothe sad Vaccinations OF what is
70 happen IN the length of time /; believing, as
i do, that no government extending from the
Atlantic To the Pacific can be fit TO govern M.
or those whom represent. There is death
IN the pot, compound it how YOU will. No
such government can exist, because it must
want the common feeling and common inter |
est with the government, which is indispensa- |
bic toits existence.
Whilst the honorable gentleman from N.
Carolina, was entertaining the House, and Mr..
H. coHlessed very much TO his satisfaction, he
iiad made few cursOry notes, to which, with
tile ira'e OF the House, he would rccur
In answer to the argument, that the first
Hou3r oI Representatives under this Congress
consisted of but sXty-fve inenbars-MT. n.
san he well remembered that House {: he say If
organized-ttat ycy fact was, he siid, to him.
A Serious objection To too small representa-
sion on this floor. The TRUTHS, said he. we
came out of the old constitution, where we
we're ~ chrysaGs state, under unhappy ans
plces. The members Of the body that framed
nat Constitution were second in respectable
~ 10 none. But they had been so long with
cut power-they had SD long seen the evils of
, government without power, ,ha, !, berot an
hem general disposition to have King Stork
,u9' titntcd for King Log. They organized a
congrrss (retaining the name whilr they re-
eetcd tie hHng) TO consist OF u small number
,f members. Ard what was the consequence Fl
Every one IL the slightest degree conysrsantI {
rlth The subject must know, dat Oh the Grstl
steps in any government depends, in very
geit degree, the future character and cor
'iexion OF that government. What, he re-
'eated, was the consequence of the then limit {
"a number OF The Representative BODY 4;
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