The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1855-01-24

Council of Censors.

MIR. EDlroR AS the subject of elect.
ing a Council of Censors has begun to
be agi,ated, it has appeared advisable to
address you few lines on the subject.
The nearer to the people all delegated
power is, tho moro secure are they iu
their rights. Perhaps there is no point
on which amendments to our constitution
will be proposed and be SO strongly re.
sisted as the one altering the basis Of
representation by making the House of
Representatives smaller. The principle
was wisely incorporated into the Consti-
tuition of the General Government, of Civ
ing to each State one Representative ir-
respective of its population. The same
principle obtains in giving each town in
State one representative in its Legisla-
ture An alteration making the repre-
sentative body larger and bringing the
delegated power nearer the people would
meet with little or no opposition. By
the apportionment of 1910 making larg.
er constituencies, Vermont lost one rep
rcsentative in Congress by that of 1850
another; and if the rage for large con-
stituencies continues to increase as it has
since it began, it is safe to conclude that
it will not be a long time, if it were not
for the constitution. before we should by
some Democratic hocus pocus be forced
to trail the spike in Congressional Dis
trict with the State Of New Hampshire.
The legislation of State ought to be-
such that all honest well meaning citi-
zens should be satisfied with it, but this
is not so easily accomplished by largo
constituencies as small ones. If we
should look for the residences Of the men
who have from time to time composed
the State Senate-and that is on the dis
trct system--thcir homes would be found
in large majority of cases in the large
towns. Now, suppose that the House Of
Representatives should be made to con.
sist of four times the number of the
present Senate, as is recommended BY
some; it would give Addison County
eight Representatives. OF this number
the large towns could soon appropriate
to themselves the lions share, il the pre-.
cedent with regard to the Senate should
be adopted And it is to be feared that
the representatives would, being so far
removed, have scarcely feeling in com
men with tho inhabitants of the smaller
towns. And suppose further, that new
apportionment Of the State would take
another Senator from this county, as it
has already taken one since its organiza-
ton, then We should be left with one
Senator and four Representatives, that
would remove them twice as far from the
people, beyond the reach Of the small
towns entirely, in any other way than
by their votes, which would be pessua-
sively called for. and no doubt be en-.
joyed with peculiar gusto.
Any Institution Of a, State which has
tendency to make its inhabitants inter
ested in its affairs and diffuse informa-
tion among the masses, ought 10 be con.
tinued. Vermont has always been dis
tinguishcd for the intelligence OF its in-
habiIants and to what more fruitful Or
better source can it be attributed than
TO our representative system-under
which there is an inducement held out to
stimulate all to seek for the bost inter
ests OF the State aud give every man an
inclination to attend at the polls on cleo
tlon day, to perpetuale aud SECURE those
interests that are so dear to all intellr,
gent freemen Aud we're it not for the
stimulus Of choosing town representa-
tive one third or perhaps one half would
neglect to acquire the necessary infor-
nation to enable them TO act understand
ingly, and perhaps never deposit ballot
unless under the insane excitement of a
Presidential contest Many are apt TO
conclude that every thing that is new
must necessarily be an Improvement up.
on the old which is not always the cas,.
Now, Mr. Editor, should you see fit to
publish this article, as the subject is not
exhausted aud may be REQUIRED to again
with profit; it may be as we'll TO clol Q
as l began. The nearer 10 the people
all delegated power Ii, the more secure
are they in their rights No.
Goshen, Jan. II, 1855.