Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-06-06

l be induced 10 relieve III Had u not oeesne peo
lie spectacle to witness the disorders ~ mat eosy
Was not the report Of an expected shsay sumeen
| TO crowd the galleries from day 10 dayf
| In reference to the necessity OF having an IRE
sslible evidence Of the popular will IN tic popular
branch, TO control and override the other branches
Of the Government, elected by the same eonsu'n
enev il grieved him to hear the doctrines promul'
gated by his honorable friend the Senator from
Kentucky, MIR Crittenden;l grleve1 him. because
they led TO demagoguism-O which he would nor
call demsgoguism itself, because they emanated
from him. lie would vote against this OIL under
any aspect that went TO increase the number oil Ike
| personalities; and would do so with the iull con
viciion that he would have the unanimous spproba'
ton OF the people Of Virginia. lie had not met
man from that State who not ready to cry out,
&C; God God Mr. Archer do not vote for increase
Of the number of members Of the House OF Repre-
sentatives"
Nc WRIGHT had bu, very few words to say;
and he did no, know that he would have ielt d,s'
posed TO rise at all had not been for some remarks
which fell from the honorable Senator from Nrgi-
MIA. As far as his mere personal opinion went, he
would say that he thought the House was the best
Judge itself of the number most likely 10 prove CT
hcient in constituting that body. he was Tar from
meaning to say that II not constitutional tor the
Senate 10 interfere. But take the State of New
York, with forty members IN the other House and
two in the Senate: he confessed that when he found
large majority of the members OF that State IN
favor of the increase OF the members OF the popus
lar branch he was disposed to ask himself was not
the probability very great that they spoke the SEN
timents of their State When the question came,
Should the House consist of 242 or OF 500 mem
bers and that question was put to him, he would
saw that he would az soon have the number 800 rs
$40, hence he would easily be influenced m his
choice 10y the preference Of the House itse'i. The
proposition made bv many Senators Is, 10 bring
back the number TO 200. This IS gong back ~
years. lii to Gu: off ~ members; that of the
House ITSELF to add 6l-making difference of LOG.
The npraeticability Of this body being able 10 IN
huence the House TO reeede from its own proposi-
ton TO that extent, could not but strike nm orcioy
and have some effect In deciding his opinion. tie
would, with his present impressions, vote against
every proposed number til that nearest 10 the ratio
OF the House bill. Taking the % numbers pro
POSED by the Senate, the highest would give TO \.
York 20 members, and the lowest-ihe number
proposed by the bill itseif-4S.
Mr. CUTHBERT inquired whether the Senator
calculated on the representation Of fractions
) MIR WRlGH said he did not; for he had strong
hopes that proposition would not prevail, although
the Senate had for the present, decided IN us favor
MIR CALHOUN agreed that ii the House had
been unanimous IN its adoption of this ratio, he
would feel unwilling TO disturb Il. But he did not
find that even those who voted for 1t were entire y
satisfied with their vo.e. From the parliamentary
rule OF beginning with the highest number, and
coming DOWN tili some ratio received 4 majority OF
votes many had been deprived OF Il choice. lie be-
eved the Senate would be acting with satisfaction
TO the House. 10 afford those who did vote under
such disadvantages for this ratio, an opportunity Of
recOnsioering their vote.
MIR RIVES had seen, with regret, during this dis
cuSsion, disposition 10 believe that antagonist
interest could exist between the Senate and the
House OF Representatives. Il he was Influenced by
any motives OF jealousy towards the House, there
was mode he could conceive more conducive TO
paralyzs the popular branch OF Congress than 10y
voting 10 increase its number 10 that extent best
calculated 10 render 1t an unwiedy and inefficient
body. On this subject the Senate did not stand IN
an antagonist position, but IN one OF the most trend
ly disposition. He had not doubt that the House
would receive the amendment OF the Senate ns a
friendly proposition He wished TO make the other
House what the Constitution intended 10 make it
the representation OF the popular will The simple
question was, whether 4 large or small number
would constitute the efficiency and usefulness OF the
popular branch, in the language of MIR Madison
/ The effect OF increasing the number may be to give
/ u, IN counlenance, the features OF democratic
body, but to give It, in reality, the heart OF an oil
sarchy. Give them, ito use the language OF MIR Ma
olson, 4 sufficient number TO make them feel their
consequence and authority in the Government; give
them sufficient number 10 reflect the popular
voiee-a number sufficient to accomplish their du.
ties-and you DO that which the Constitution re-
quireS.
Whatever evils had grown up with respect 10 the
transaction Of business in the other House, eIper
ence had shown, resulted from the increase Of the
number Of Representatives; and the only remedy
was, TO revert back to the number which existed
before increase, ana before knese QlsOrQerS
began.
He mex, advoried TO the opinions OF Mr. Mad
son, as 10 the utmost limit to which the representa-
tive branch should be extended. He conceived The
Senator from Missouri had been greatly mistaken
IN his idea that MIR Madison was in favor OF the
number being five hundred. The Senator was
equally mistaken in the deductions he had drawn
from the steps taken by Napoleon Bonaparte to
reach imperial power by obtaining an influence
over the Council OF AncIents. That council was
not popular body-the members Of IL had no con.
sutuents. lie must be a visionary who imagine
that, in this country, 242 members Of the other
House, or 81 Senators IN this body, standing in
their conspicuous position, with such immense |
constituency al their backs, TO whom they a.e ac |
couniabe for every action and word, can be cor |
rupted, or can be induced, by any Bonaparte or
Cromwell, TO betray their trust. Such things as
had occurred in other countries, under circumstances
that never can occur in this country, may be food
for the specuauons Of Missionaries, but not ca |
culated TO produce any effec, persons who have
correct conception OF our institutions and popular
frame Of Government.
he denied the existence Of the analogy supposed |
by some gentlemen between the House Of Com. |
mons and the House OF Representatives. The sys. |
TEN OF legislation in England was essentially diff. /
fereni from that Of this country. Amos, all the 4
acts growing out OF the duties OF Government there
originate with the ministry and the legislative /
branches have but TO give Their assent or deny it.
IL is only on great occasions that the political actors
w si4E up bf lDt ministry 10 vote. !
Hence II was that Burke said the House OF Com. /
mons was no constituent part OF the Government /
but mere jury. called out for special OCCASIONS /
which duty being performed, the magistrate sunk /
into the citizen, and the members OF that body fell
back into The mass OF the people. Such, according
TO Burkes opinion, the only legitimate function
OF the House Of Commons. lie next showed the |
standing Of the Chamber Of Deputies in France: I
and asked, could any Senator Of this country /
contend, with propriety, that there was any real
or OF England, and the representative body Of this
country.
While giving more democratic counienance 10
the popular branch, was for the reason that dan
ger existed Of giving II oligarchical tendency,
that he was opposed TO extending the number OF !
Representatives. But there was limit Of redue- /
ton which could be reached, and al which with /
prOprety, pause should he mad. That could be /
ascerands by reference to the number which The ]
eHpersn't Of this Government had shown 10 be /.
most satisfactory. That, he had doubt, was the /
number before the last appointments which did I
not exceed 2l2 He could hardly trust himself 10 .
speak Of the dissatisfaction which had been * /
pressed and felt with regard TO the disorders tina,
have grown out OF the last increase of the number
OF the House Of Representatiyes. A. the close Of i
the cOn.egs IN the popular branch in 1887 he had /
heard from one Of the greatest patriots Of the coun-
Try, John Rowan, an emphatic expression of his I
despair a. Witnessing ,he tendency Of the effects OF
that increase Of number.
Gentlemen had talked Of the turbulence and ex
ctements 10 the House Of Representatives being
out The reflection Of popular Turbulence and excite
ments among the people. This he denied Us /
insisted that ai the eNcitemenis OF the country t.d