The central gazette. [volume] (Charlottesville, Va.) 1820-1827, 1825-01-22

tirc viii soon come, when we Shall IND nor.
law, giveis IN our capitol than dollars in our
treasury
But we lose time in attempting 10 prove
what is not denied. That on, legislative de.
paitment, Ii both too numerous and too tine
qnal. seems to be confessed on all nnnos. White
it is deuel by some that these are evils and
by Others that there i any safe and sue r,r..
DIV. admitting them To he So. il il no, alice
ed that any practicable sch, me of so>cinn,,n,
can be,adiusted with the e>ar,ne>- and pie.'i
siou, that grocer balances weights M a seal.
or that the administration oil any pove,nm.n:
can be strictly equal and unio' m IN e appii
cation to all men But there j. 4 p,aciicaj
mean in all things which is at once a,ta,uail.
and useful II we cannot cure the e,il We
NAV mitigate its effects.
II has been predicted with spirit t,uly
prophetic, that, .snc future con, eution can
'cvel the mountains OF the west, ie,,ilizc tie
sands ordrainthe marshes Of the cast Now
the conclusion which is drawn from this self
| evident trnth, is, the imposstility of eGualiz-
ing the representatives, Of osr people Com.
mon sense teaches men that it is impossible TO
level mountains and feItilize deserts IL might
have taught them that such things are not
desired nv the friends Of Il convention A
convention is sough, from reasons which are
| inst. and for objects which trust, are 10 be
attained
The theory Of representative dcmocr,ries
| contemp'a'es, that the people should 90 by
| DELEGATED agents what it Is nconvenien; or i'm
| possible for them TO do in person To effect.
this, the number of representatives while il is
| large enough TO &c, upon the opinions and in,
| terests OF the mass OF constituents, should not
he so large as to degenerate into the interests
| of mob II is the business of a Representa-
| tive, to regard the public and a 9 gregatc inter
! ests OF the society over which he is sentinel:
| he cannot enter into the views and sentiments
Of ali the individuals who compose that socie-
tv. and If he could il were still impossible COR
| those views and sentiments to DC distinctly act
| ed upon in any other than pure ard sim. te
democracy local representation is prefcr.
rcd to a general one only because Of the com
mon interest which is supposed TO exist be
tween the inhabitants Of the same neie hhor.
hood or district, not that IL is either possible or
desirable for delegate to comprehend or re-
present the feelings and wishes of any cietv
however small. The geographical bounda.
ries which separate the counties of Virc'nis
| give rise to difference IN name only, without
creating a difference of interest or character or,
feeling among the people inhahi,inS Them -
! The interests OF the people OF Virginia as one
| people. ave emphatic ally the same ev erv where.
There is no diversity from any natural cause
| tvs not probable there will be diversity
| from any artificial one
The subordinate and local interests OF men
regarded as individuals and not as a society.
| may he distinct either in a state district. a
county, neighborhood, or even family
But these are more properly objects Of con
s"era'ion with men in private life, than OF
| government
The laws and institutions Of free, repre-
| sentative government derive the sanction Of
their authority from the supposed will Of a
majority o. the people Constituted as our
government l., it is not only possible but even
! probable, that measures Of the utmost impor-
| tancc, are determined by less than majority
| OF that class who are rep, escnted Our hous c
OF delegates as organized By the present CON
stitnt'on, consists of two representatives from
''"h county, and one from every borough en-
tied by law to representation Without re-
| gard to the number oF inhabitants which a
| county contains. 20 lis territorial extent or
taxation, the smallest and most barren in the
sta.e, c'rcts two delegates, while the largest
and mot popnIons elect no moro Though
the numhe" OF frceholders in some one or more
counties. should be only hali dozen while
IN MANY others it amounted to thousands, II is
| constitution would preserve perpetual equal
Ity OF power, ithout regard TO the gla, in q
Inequality Of right This cannot be repre-
sentafIon Oft the peop'e--it is not a repr enta.
ton even OF irerholGcrs. The right of repre-
| sentation Is mar;restly not vested in the rcr.
\ II ~
or corporation, or a certain geographical
area designated nv a particular name and
marked out for local and municipal purL cses
| " inc counties OF our state had been original
" distinct. sovereign and independent powers, .
! which were now bound TO each other only hv
ties OF conicderacv--if each county nv virtue
of prescripiive right or from It's sepaia,e in
| tcrcsts, had natural right 10 he represented
as corporate body. and had not thought pro-
per TO dicest itself of that light then this svs.
TEN might be reasonable and perhaps usc-
fnl one. Buc it has hecn adopted from no
| reasons ii ibis sort IL was adopted i'm the IN
| 'anrv oi cor COLONY, when no better or IT o. @
| COM enicnt classification Of electors could / G
rfsorted to, than that of county. divisions
| which were necessary for the local politv and
accommodation Of the people It wa. coniinu-
ca alter The Revolution, like many other fea
| tuTes o. the colonial government. simply be.
| canset was IN existence, and had proven suf
hc'rn' or the purposes and tines Of it, origin
| al adoption
! IL Is absurd 10 call that government Of the
| people IN which the right to make law, IS
| vested IN majority OF shircs The constitr-
ton provides that when any city or borough
! shau so decrease, that the number OF persons
having right of suffrage the, elm, shall have
| been for several years successfully less than
| nan The number OF voters in some one county
in Virginia. such city or borough shall thence.
| forward cease - send delegate or Representa-.
I'VE 70 the assembly Why. il may be ask ca -
should not county lose its tight to di;tinct
| representation uron The same principle and
'or IKE rcascn! How many counties in VIZ
Y fV,,