Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1856-10-24

Address" the Council say, " The House
,f REPRESENTATIVES should be made c
more accurate and immediate represent P
,tion of the public mind. The present
constitutional provision giving each or e
,anized town one representative without i
regard to population, is wrong IN princl-
pie, and unjust in its operation. me
Council adhere to the more reasonable
doctrine that population and representa-
,ion should be equal, and can see no good
reason ,ehy equal numbers should be aae-
qualy represented. They beliere, and
the Justice Of that belief as irresistible,
that If ten hsuSand inhabitants IN one
section are entitled to ten representatives.,
the same number of Inhabitants in dnOth-
er section should not be represented By a
greater number"
These are their published reasons for
proposing this amendment. Now look at
the practical operation of what they pro-
pose. They propose that the House of
Representatives shall consist of one hun
dred and fifty members. Each county |
shall have two, the remainder shall be
apportioned to the several counties ac-
cording to the population of each, &c-
Does this make population and repre-
sentation" equal? Are not equal num-
bers unequally represented by this rule?
Do a certain number of inhabitants in
one section have the same number of
representatives that a like number of in
habitaEts in another section has? Why,
according to the amendment proposed,
while Windham county, under the last
census, would have one representative
for every 2,736 inhabitants, Essex county
would have one representative for every
1.162 inhabitants, and Grand Isle county
one representative for 1896 inhabitants.
This is a most singular equality. The
! professions of the Council of Censors
and the practical operation of their rules,
are nearly as consistent as the profession
of Louis Napoleon's French republic and
his practice under his profession and
the practice of one of these parties is
about as amiable in It's tendencies to the
= weak and helpless as the practice of the
other.
The profession, the motto, of the French
! republic was Liberty, Equality, Frater-
i nifty" These were phantoms in France
like the professions of the Council o
Censors. The victims of a certain Ro
man Emperor, when brought to execu
ton, were compelled to embrace per
fectly carved and ife-like statue of fe
= male form, from which by their compulsory
pressure, sundry sharp, concealed knives
protruded, which, penetrating the bodie,
. of the victims, caused agonizing death
This was liberty, equality, fraternity
the word of promise to the ear broker
to the hope"
Mere professions of regard for the peO
: pie nowadays, are apt to be "full G
, e sound and fury, signifying nothing;" an,
y the time is not yet passed when "man.
will say, Have we not prophesied in th,
. name and in thy name have cast on
devils ? and in thy name done many won
3 derful works 2" whose professions vii
not insure an acquaintance, nor be take
for current coin. 1t is by their works tina
" men are most certainly known, and b
their works we judge of the Council {
Censors and infer the motive to the
- acts. When they profess a regard fc
that which they practically discard, W
cannot but believe they have an eye I
" the windward as well as an eye to lie,
u ward.
Cd But we do not regard their profession
&c concerning the basis of representation &;
}" consonant TO the wants, interests, an
Is welfare, of the people of this state. Nj
~ merical equality is not so desirable as tie
le ritOrial equality as basis of represent
10 ton in both branches of the Legislatul
CD of an agricultural state. Even in IL
-e, government of the United States the b
r. sis of representation In the Senate, is tie
Id ritory. In the imposition of taxes /
d which, "Orleans" truly says, our sta
"a government is supported, territory is v
ty tally interested. Taxes, in much II
greater part, are assessed on the soil All
gs its products. Should the wealthy owne
u OF quarter acre lots, and the wretche
Is tenants of ten footers," who throng OF
'u Populous towns, have the power by IL
in, mere force of superior numbers. to raj,
re. the states revenue on the acres of Il
Id humble farmer, and thus make the We
ID many of this almost entirely agricultur
Isl state " hewers of wood and drawers
10 water, as the princes Tor the Council
We Censors) had promised them p But
Oh, is said that the uronosed hose e -