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

determined to dispose of the subject as mucb
further delay would doubtless be productive
of very serious Inconvenience.
AS u respected Delaware, he need not tell
the House that, although she was not now
represented in this House, she would have an
opportunity, before any law could pass, of
o''"s heard IN another quarter, where every
member of the conlederacy stands unon m
equal iooting III point of numerical strength.
Under such circumstances, it would be ,emeri-
y IN nm TO volunteer as the advocate of her
particular interest in this question.
In the remarks which he intended now tn
make, and they should be but few, he propos-
eu u cake cursory general view of the sub
Jet '"e
Looking at 1T then in this view, he thought
tilat regard ought To be had to the present
aggregate population of the United States.
compared with what it was ten wears aro and
tnat the ratio now to be adapted should be
graduated upon the increase in pro rata pro-
portion, confirming by progressive analogy
10 the standard then assumed by Congress.
rms, he conceived, was not a mistaken
consideration, but it is one which would. in
some measure, be lost sight of, FIVE trans
cend the number of forty thousand, He also
iuiiy concurred IN the opinion expressed by
tue Hon. Chairman of the select Committee
, eO.
Campbell) that some regard ought To- be paid
to The relative numerical strength of The
H. Representatives and of the Senate. II
Is mus mat we hest preserve 10 the people the
dement's oil that check i'm its legislation. which
the trainers OF our excellent constitution con-
tcmplatcd. He dvery little doubttwithout in
| tending the least disrespect to any man ar SET
OF men, that if ever the dav arrives when the
hydra oi aristucracy or TYRANNY unmasks itself
IN any branch of our government, its antidotc
anu co"oterpoise are TO be sought for IN the
intefiSence, the trmness, and especially i'm
tne direct responsibility, ofthis essentially the
popular branch, and In order to increase the
chances of securing this intelligence, frmoess
and responsibility, to him it was perfectly
obvious proposition, you must increase the
numbers OF the popular branch. or in other
words, you must go on pori passu with the
aodiuon OF new states To multiply the imme-
diate representatives of this growing people.
There is one objection which he admitted was
at hrst blush plausible enough il is, that if the
number oil representatives be augmented, their
body Will be too numerous and unwieldly-
indeed, one Hon. Gentleman tMr. Woody had
ilskes, trIumphantly, Where will you put
them z" {" This Hall can contain liItl,.
more than the present uuota.n He Corhnre
10 comment upon this suggestion, because he
doubted whether it was seriously thrown out.
but as regarded the main objection itself, not
wilhstandlng It's admitted plausbity, and
] Notwithstanding the apparent sanction which
| IL may De Thought To have received from n
PROJECT originated elsewhere, contemplating a
constitutional limitation of our numbers. he
confessed that he was not inclined TO attach
much weight To it-he believed that in a re-
public, IN a representative democracy, (such as
ours Is cmpi,atically) national Iegisla ton
composed OF men coming from among tn.
great body of the people, and the objects of
their own free choice, bcnniay made, cannot
well be too numerous, taking care however TO
avoid dangerous extreme on the one hand
ana an absurd one on the other, by observing
that proper medium which will combine
sufficient dispatch with sufficient delbrra-
ton, and provide against an useless ex-
pcnse OF the public mOney-for he held that
legislators, like all other public servants
ought TO he fairly aud fully paid. On the
point ofexpense, viewing il as a consideration.
which should aid in guiding us to decision,
ne looked upon 1t, IN this question, hut as the
Dust in the balance. 1t was urged, the other
Gay, by two gentlemen (AIessrs. Keyes and
van Wyck,) with some zeal, laudsbIp and sin
! cerr he was sure, bat somewhat nisdirccled
he thought On this score he would state one
fact, !. e. the extra sum which would be re-
CURED In order TO deiray the annual expeoscs
oi some IL or 90 additional members would
doubtless fall short of the amount, which the
| ueb ale on the partial appropriation bill has
already cost the nation during the prpseD; SEES
sion. When he made this remark, he did DOT
mean TO Intimate an opinion that that debate
was improperly protracted--far from ton
the contrary, he believed that its tendency had
been salutary-it had awakened i'm this house
spirit of Tree inquiry and legitimate scrutiny
into the acts of public agents, no matter how
elevated their stations, and lift had answered
no other valuable purpose, ii had at least af.
forded to the distinguished individual whose
conduct was the subject of that debate, an Oh
portunity representing bis agency in such a
point OF light, that he may sustain his tower
ing reputation, and the high emneuce 10 which
ne has attained, not only unsullied, but he
trusted unsupported. He begged pardon for
this DEPRESSION, but as regarded the item of
expense which led TO it, viewing il as he did
ON question of this magnitude but as drou
IN the ocean, he would cOnfne himself TO but
one other remark upon it, and that was, to re.
] mind his worthy colleague, Mr.. Van Wyck.
and The venerable gentleman from Vermont
aIr. keycs,) who pressed il into their service
that they would doubtless find ample relief be-
fore the termination of this session in fNbai
compOrted with his own opinions advocatne
a retrenchment Of salaries in general To the
standard of the good old times of economy
which have been so much dilatcd upon of late
IN this Hall, and which, it seems, were so lust
y lauded by all parties at this day; he said
Justly, because they always commanded the
tribute of his humble APPRECIATION.
lhere was one important point to be gain.
ed IN settling this question, one great object
which should be constantly kept in vicw-iI
was lhat the several Congressional District.
be LEFT of such convenient size, both as to Ter.