Rhode-Island constitutionalist. [volume] (Providence [R.I.]) 1834-1834, 1834-04-07

pie. A large minority has no more right on re-
publican principles, 10 rule the majority than small
one. Even large minority, especially in a small
State, is easily brought under the control Of few
leading men. We have seen, that in this State the
Legislative power is placed, by the inequality of
our representation, in the hands of less than one
third part Of the qualified voters. These elect a
majority Of the representatives. A few political
managers, who give themselves 10 the business,
have but little difficulty in managing such minor
ity in this small State, and in ruling the whole
State they please, against the will Of too thirds
ofthe Fresmen, and three fourths of the People.
Ii is not strange therefore, to find some men Of all
parties very unwilling to disturb the present order
Of things
We by no means contend that representation
ought to he proportionsd to the amount Of property
represented, or 10 the amount OF taxes paid. The
citizen Of small property, who paysa tax propor-
ton TO his means, IL as much entitled to voice In
the appropriation Of that tax, though small In am
cunt, as the most opulent man in the State. The
same principle is applicable to towns and counties.
The True Basis Of Representation undoubtedly Is
that adopted by the Constitution Of the United
States, Population: for the representative rep
resents not only the interests OF the independent
freemen, who are his Immediate constituents, but
also the interests Of the whole population who are
dependent upon, or connected with them; and prop
erty is 30 equally distributed among the people in
our country, that the practical effect Of adherng to
this basis is, that those who pay the expenses Of
government will have a fair voisc in the measures
Of government. We have that the relative chan
ges in our population, and the incorporation OF
small towns have combined to change this basis; |;
and il is certainly an aggravaton Of this evil, that
il has carried along with il extravagant dispro-
portion between our representation and taxation.
This will he made perfectly evident by comparing
our present ratio Of representation with the act of
;nI liahi
a valuation of the ratablc property in every town
in the State as rule of taxation. IL will be found
by referring TO that act, that the taxable property in
the County Of Providence amounts to 900 900 dol
lars more than all the taxable properly in all the
other Counties in the State; and yet the County of
Providence has considerably less than one third Of
the representation which those Counties have. Ii
will also be found that the taxable property in six
Of the towns in this State amounts TO about the
same as the taxable property in the other twenty
five towns; yet these six towns elect but fourteen
representatives, while the other towns elect the
maing fifty EIGHT representatives. Ii will also be
found that some of country towns pay foe, 9TH
ers sir others sepen, others eight and others nine
times the amount Of taxes paid by other country
towns, having the same number Of representatives
as the formcr and vet this subject has often been
represented as a mere question of interest between
town and country.
These statements prove that the portion of our
people who pay the weight of the taxes are depri-
we'd Of their fair numerical influence in the appr0-
priatiOn Of these taxes. Is this just, felow-cit-
zensl Is il rightl Will posterity believe that we
are the sons of those men of Rhode-lsand who
were foremost to shed their blood and expend their
treasure, in humbling the power OF Great Britain
T" for imposing tares upon us 'cithout our con-
sent? Certainly those who pay the weight of the
taxes are entitled to be equally repsesentcd in pro-
portion to their numbers, with those who do not
This is all we ask for them. But To crowd them
down below the level OF their equal rights with one
hand, and to keep the other hand in their pockets
only because time and accident have given us the
power to do so, is unworthy of the successors Of
Roger Williams, unworthy Of the land Of Greene,
Olney and Perry!
Strange as il is the State of Rhode Island so far
famed for Religious liberty, seems to have become
nsensble to the claims Of Political liberty. II is
the only State in this Great Republican Confedera-
cy in which the People have not limited the power
Of their Legislature by written Constitution -
the only State in the Union in which the People
suffer fair and equal representation Of their Interests
to be defeated by rotten borough system, almost
odious as that which the subjects of the King Of
Great Britain have TO much republican spirit to en-
durc, and which they have lately in great degree
corrected by Parliamentary Reform.
The remark of one ofour own citizens is but too
true, a" that the great foundations Of Republican
Liberty and Equality have virtually ceased to be
the basis ofthe Government of Rhode Island" He
might have added, with equal truth, that "the evil
is only to he remedied by n Constitution; a
constitution founded upon enlightened and just prin-
cipIes, and appreciated and adopted by the voice of
the People,"
You have just that ThrtyE. .gh, two than half
Of the Representatives to the General Assembly, represent
less than third Of the population OF the State namely,
1hiiy-one thousand three hundred aud eighteen nlabt-
and after adding that Majority of that number Of
nhaban have voice in the election Of those Rcpresen
siives will be time for 10 advance TO the very impor-
inquiry, whether the Minority Of Minority ought any
longer to govern this State or, whether there ought 10 be
such an EXTENSION or SUFFRAGE 10 include among
the Majority Of the people And in prosecuting
this inquiry, have Just claim TO your patient attention,
remarks should be- protracted to length in any
degree propoioned TO It's great interest and magnitude
question relating TO the rights and disabilities OF than
Thiien osand1 Of your felowcitinen cannot be has
tly and eareessly considered and dismissed without such
claims both in those who offer reasons and those whom
those addressed would be alike discredabe
| to our candor, justice and patriotism
We contend then, That ipaon IN the choice of
those Dho make aud administer ias Is Natural Right
,chich be abridged nupsnded any further than
quis. And this greatest good that any portion Of
the people however large, but Of the whole population Of
State. II may strange that unda enla truth like
this, which contains the very e-blood and vitality of
publican Government, should he called in question at the
present day, and in country. But il il neverthe-
less true that there those who while they Weld formal
AMI guarded Difference 10 this great Doctrine yet in their
reasoning and practice destroy all the force Of their hollow
and doubtful admission and maintain doctrines, which,
followed out TO their legitimate consequences would justify
almost any exercise Of irresponsible aud unjust power.
In order comprehend more clearly the nature Of the
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