The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1856-03-05

shall truly represent the people of the
State aud not the territory. If ours DO
n representative government, and tho
people Of the State have equal rights.
then let the several counties in the State
DO represented in proportion to popula-
lation without regard to territory. Can
it be said that the people arc truly and
equally represented, whom two thousand
people in one section of the State. have
the same or n greater number Of repre-
scntativcs than six thousand in another
section of the same State But it has
been said that the present representation
has existed for a long period of years,
and that any change would be an %innova-
ton upon a custom long acquiosced in.
Well, Sir, ! am ready to admit that the
injustice has long been submitted to with
patient forbearaucc; but this furnishes
no reason why a remedy should not BIO
sought for and obtained. Aud it Ger.
tainly furnishes no good reason why this
Council should refuse to give the peoplo
an opportunity to correct an evil under
which they have 50 long and SO patiently
suffered.
Let us, then. give the people a Con.
vention with power to lessen the number
of representatives in the Legislature,
and elect that number more 10 accord.
ance with truo democratic principles.
| use the word democratic" in its true
sensc) and let this Council give them an
example Of retreuchmcnt and Justice. by
restricting the number Of delegates to
less than half the number Of Representa-.
tlves IN the Legislature. and by appor-
tiouing that number to the several coun.
ties in proportion to the population Of
each county respectively.
Mr.. President: 1t seems to be adj
mittcd on all hands, thattho Council has
power to call a Convention in any man.
ncr they may think proper; tho Consti.
tuition rot providing the mode and man.
ncr Of calling it. But in regard to
members Of the Legislature. the Cousti.
tuition provides for the election Of one
rel rcsontatiye to each town in the state.
without regard to population. This
mode being pointed out by the organic
law it cannot be changed except in the
manner pointed out by that law. through
the recommendation Of tho Council Of
Censors But is this unequal and unjust
representation TO be continued because a
Just change would conflict with long es.
tnblishcd rreccdents2 The principle
that was unequal aud unjust fifty years
ago. is unequal and unjust now. and will
coutiuue to be so for fifty years to come
For the Council to propose a just and G.
qual representation. would necessarily
conflict with long established presidents.
Shall we fear to do this2 It is an old
adoge. that "a bad promise is better
broken than kept aud it will apply G.
qually we'll TO n bad precedent the
sooner it he abandoned the better for all
concerned. Let US learn wisdom by the
example Of others. Tho population of
the state Of New York is some ten times
as large as that of Vermont. whilst the
most numerous branch of her legislature,
is confined to one hundred and twenty
eight members. Does any one complain
that her legislature is too small
Mir. President, | 90 for better lcgisla-
tion and less expense. ! 90 for econo.
ms in statcas well as Individual cxpcudi-
lures. 1t las been said, that without
economy none can be rich. and with it,
very few would be poor" If economy
be the way to wealth for individuals, let
not states fear to walk in the same path.
Then lot us reduce our Legislative X
penses in such a manner as to save thir-
t. thousand dollars per annum. OF tiki.
sum, the state, if willing to raise it by
keeping up the same amount of taxa
ton. could DO much good 10y contributing
more literally to the support Of common
schools, academies and colleges; and
not squander it in worse than useless an
nual legislation and ifthe money be not
needed. let it remain in tkO pockets Of
the people,