Democratic banner., 1847-03-15
REMARKS OF Mr.. WELLS.
OF MARION.

tLOt u 4tIISS ~ IN Z \ L.
Mr.. WELLS said: ] oppose this plan witt
feelings of unfeigned regret. When l cam.
here and heard SO general an expression il
favor Of equal representation, I r~cjoiced IL
the confident expectation that it would be
realized. l knew as | now do, that it was
demanded by public opinion; and I now be-
lievc that if every free man i'll the State
were assembled here in 4 body, and the
question Of equal representation were sub
mittcd TO them, it would be carried bv &C
clamation. They wouldnot, they could not,
disregard the impulses of justice and pa
triotism, With one long loud shout they
would declare for liberty and equality, AMI
wipe of from their character the imp,.ta-
ton of injustice forever. But / fear, SIR,
that the voice of public opinion is not Ia
be heard inthcSc counScls-that the claims
Of Justice can find no redress here! have
been willing, and AIN still willing and INK
iouS, to compromise. Two propositions
have been before this house-onc submit
ted by the Senator from Newton, the other
BY the Senator from Grecne-e:ther of
which can pass here, and either Of which !
AIN willing 10 take; not because either Of
them ONE up to the standard of equality,
Tor they fall short Of this; but because they
approximate 10 il, aid are fair compromi-
scs-cpmprcmises between justice on the
one hand, and power on the Other. know
that it is in the nature Of man 10 surrender
W reluctantly. But a strong sense of
Justice may and ought to overcome that &c
luctancc.
Equality is equity"-equality in the
burdens of government, and esuAf:y in its
privileges. Everyman is equally bound TO
support and defend his country; and every
man should have an equal voice in control
in. its dr>tinies. \. thousand men in ono
mart of the State should have the sj&eRo-
Utica! power with u thousand in ahs Ibther
part. 4 fourth Of the population oi:g'It to
have a fourti, Of the Representations: and Il
hundrcd,h partof the population are emit
tied to IA hundrgdtt part of the representa-
ton, and no more. These PROPORTIONS Cam
not be c~ontr,vcrtcA. Ti.cy lie at the lcun-
dation of all popular g~Oycrnment. Take
this away and the whole beautiful super
structure falls to the ground. The govern
ment of tie minority is Of the essence of
freedom. 1t Is in a dcsPotism Only that the
rule Of a min ,rity is tolerated
The power is now in the handSo OF the MI
nority. Our whole population is about
1874, 00U-64, 030 sends 10 the lower House
.33 members. This is one-thiri Of the MEM
bcrs, aud less than one-siXth Of the popula-
ton. Ill. 900 senIS 50 members. This Is
about onc-fourlh OF the population sending
one-tLird Of the members. Another 33 re-
presents 100000 population-l75,oOo give
two-thirds Of the representation-260,' on
gives the other third. Tins then may well
be called a struggle between justice on the
one manu-, ann Po"cI vi NN "'"
less than one-sixth of Tie population, by
their representatives,, Can negative any
proposition to amend the Constitution.
Let us examine the proposition before us.
Itpurports on its face to be "Rcsolutions to
e~qualize representation" Yes. Sir, to
cguaL=c representation! We shall Sec
One-fourth Of the members will represent
less than onc-sixth of the people. The
whole number of members is 10 be 1872
$1,000 will send 33-s7,0OO will send AZ
$4,000 will send 80. Is this equality
But this is not the worst part OF it.-l1o,-
600 will have 81 members-a majority III
the House; while 26O,GO0 will send the 9th
er 65! 65 will represent $4,000 more than
81 will represent. In other words $4,000
will be unrepresented, while that number
of people in the smaller counties will have
40 representatives. Is this equality? Does
it approximate to equality? Is it even q
reasonable compromise? Or rather is il
not excepting the word of promise to the