The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1826-04-06

people Of that State become members of the
Union, propositions would be made, seriously
discussed, and strongly, ably enforced, calcu-
lated TO deprive that State Of the benefits one
,ofthe features in the constitution gave To IL,
and the one that waB best ulat et,fo preserve
the political power Of small States, Rhode-ls-
land would never have become a member Of
the National Union, nor come into 1t other
than a conquered province. We need but look
into the constitution TO show that IT was form
ell in the spirit of compromise, and reference
TO State rights; and any alterations which at
feet those rights, is such an infringement upon
the compact ITSELF as 10 destroy the cOmpro-
mise upon which it was formed The compro-
mise is seen in the equal representation in 'he
Senate, in the treaty-making pov' r, IN the ap-
portionment Of rcprcsc natives aud direct tax
es, and in the choice ofPfosident aud Vice
President, on the final vote, in the House Of
Representatives--and no part Of the conpro-
mise is more important 10 the small states than
the latter. TO show the light in which the
convention viewed the great work they had
completed, / will read one ortwo extracts from
the letter of Washington, written after the
constitution was framed
." 1t is at al tinos diifcult todraw with pre-
cslon the line between those rights which
must be surrendered, and those which may bc
reserved, and on the p,,sont occasion this diff
ficulty was increased, by difference among
the several States as 10 their sliuaton, extent,
habits, and particular interest. The consti-
tuition which we now present, - the result OF
q spirt of afnity, and Of thatmutual difference
and concession which the peculiarly OF our
political situation rendered Indispensable
Iffhc constitution WAS formed in the true
spirit Of compromise, 1t may not be improper
| 10 inoure into the relative loss and gam be-
tween the large and small states, and 1t upon
investigation IL shall be found that the common
and practical operation of the constitution has
been such, and viii continue to be such, 'as to
lcsscntho weight of the small States, with all
their contingent n.vantagcs, they viii be fnlly
justified IN claiming and exercising all the
riphts which were originally guaranteed TO
TO them. When the constitution was framed,
presented to the people, and adopted by the
small States, it was expected the number OF
States would DC increased, but no one anticipa-
ted the rapid increase, and no one anticipated
the incorporation OF States Out of territories
not within the old dominion of the u. States I;
and every addition of States which has been
made to the Union, las decreased tho power
Of the old States in the Senate the l.. States,
and has, by making necessary al incroasc ot
the Representative 'ratio, decreased also the
powcr ofthe Old States IN the other branch OF
{ tho national legislature When the constltu-
tion was adopted, the lcdcrative voice bore a
| proportion to the popular voice, OF twenty'slS
10 sxty-two; there were then thirteen States
+ with twenty-siX Senators, and sx'y-two ne
, prcscntativcs, of which N. Hampshire hac .
Massachusetts, Z, Rhode Island |, CONNECTICUT
5, Ncw-York 6,-N. Jersey 1. PenHsy ylvani1 :
Delaware |, Maryland u, Virginia 10, Nortl
and South Carolina each >. and Georgia s
. I NJ, a., hon "A ,
, popular voice of ~ to 2l3 When the consti
tuition was adopted, Rhode-Island with one re-
, preventative, had one C5th Of the whole repre-
r scntaton, and Delaware the same but nov
Rhode Island with two representative, ha
not Tooth part of the whole representation; an
Delaware has now 2l3th part ot the whole
i Each had one 18th of the representation IN IN
q Senate--now but one 2lth. Each had on
f 30th Of the electoral votes, now lthodc-lslan
! has about OH, Goth, and Delaware ono S7tl
: Each had, Oh the final vote III the House {
d Reprcsen ,ativcs, one 18TH aud now one 21tl
d Small States, in appor,ionmcn's, suffer lnor
il than large ones by their fractions Take irol
l. Rhode Island one Representatives, ondyou TAX
one half of her whole representation tax
n from New. York one, that State Will have TIN
a, ty-thrce remaining; and If Rhode Island shou
,c lose one Representative, that State must haI
al a fraction of dirt, two thousand aud It I'll
late apportonmcn,bl as renortcd by the con
!. mittce OF - whole when mder discussion
y had become a law. Rhode.Island would ha'
:; been left with 4 fraction Of thirty-ci9ht tho
II sand Small States arc continually liable
,s suffer in this modo. Opcc in every ten year
q Rhode Island must struggle for one halt OF n
70 representation.
N What, sir, is the effect of this fraction, co
N, si6cring the usegcs, "a well as many of q
% established rules of tho Government, In &
D. distribution among tho several states OF ma
@ of the government .frrors, do not speak
IL Executive patronage, the representative
,o ito il resortcd to. as a rulo; this is tie stlnda
n by which the appointment OF cadets tor I
is military schools is governed. have now II
or Chairman, or my desk bill which has be
$, reported, creating a school fund which &C
il templates n distribution of the same accol
o. ding to the number Of Representatives IN ga
A state, and upon the principles ot tins oiil y'
" state has n fraction Of thirty two thousai
III which can derive no benefit whatever rom
l. Small states must always suffer IN the uls'
I'd button Of public MONIES, When standing
n. lone, their expectations must be small, or In
Z. will certainly be disappointed. The most 5,
,u ccssiul argument that was urged, ana pro-
e, bly, The most judicious one that was made,
or favor of the fortiiicatons now erecting
he Rhodc-lsland, was bottomed upon the imp
ve tance the fortiheatons to other states. ]
at waiers of the Naragansctt Bay were the
st to Long-lsland Sound and tho Clissape0
he Bay. suppose sir, question should arlse'
O. the location OF The contemplated naval scho
h. between Delaware and the state ofNcw-fo
TO and Delaware, for the sake Of the argumo
on we will say, was the most suitable place, wo
cy the small state of Delaware, with ono Rep
,ir sentative, able and distinguished as lie
of stand an equal chance here, or elsewhere, "
mt The great state of New York, with mr. thu