The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-06-06
Senatorial Representation.

The "Io.ic OF events" * undermining the
pedestal Ct State repre- enialoh il The Sch;Itc
st the United states. Consolidation IS un-
euestiona;.i, upon LIZ. ~ u Wc are clearly OF
opinion TIA; il wUaid be much better Tor TIE
viii Of The nation 10 prevail III tie United
States ScGi,'e ltan that that body should be
grtler III. control Of the small States OF the
Union, especially rs iLo>c >.uall States are HE
INST literal and arrogant and Lallow-
ID aided Q! The States.
ruputirZin. The Senate IS Is hostile 10 the
Constitution Is centrnizns tic GoTcrnmeA'.
Bat The former must necessarily follow the
later. Il i cutircly just that it Should, us
the centralized government should encounter
no obstacles in its measures Tor promoting
tue general good and the power vi the na'lon.
Republic, IRE nearly always tonlcdeiacle>-
a combination Of States for general defence.
Tie iir>, infringement Of repubican>m isthc
Tendency 10 Capitalization. We have seen
this tend. ncy for many years in our country,
aid our great Statesmen have fought against
it to little purpose. What real proof remains
l. SHOW tnat they did not fight in rainf
We say the rcprc>e ntat!on III the Senate
must bc popularized 10 make it conform to
centraliza.ior. Gradually this OPINION Is
gaining ground. We see party is about 10
be formed which will make the election Of
SENATORS by the people plank III their plat
folm. Does not the fixing of the number
Of people who shall elect Il senator follow IL
II consequence: Indeed, proposition tt
make the number who shall elect Il senator
BOO 900 has already been made. That would
give Virginia little over two. and the Ne"
England States, say, five senators. Thai
would be healthy!
We see that the question OF admitting Ter
,torics as States of the Republic is consider
Cd now in reference 10 this very question Of
representation in the Senate. The New ork
ItmcS. discussing the matter of the admis.
Sion Of Territories into the Union As States,
says that jointly New Mexico, Colorado, and
Utah have 2lSG24 inhabitants, while New
York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio have 1O,3IO,-
$40. Therefore, the six senators from these
three last named States, representing nearly
onc-third of the population of the Union,
would count for no more than the repreSen-
tatives of the few thousands of settlers in the
territories named. Further illustrating the
disparity OF representation 20 numbers in
the Senate: The six senator's representing
the 2lS,G24 would each speak for about
$4,000 people, while each Of the Illinois SEN
alors would represent upwards Of l ,2I0,000,
Illinois having u population Of 2,j39, sci.
Tais would givea voter III Illinois one thirty
fifth part OF the power in The United States
Senate which a voter i'll Colorado would
have.
A similar comparison may be made be-
tween other States having & disproportion,
which viii be regarded with steadily in
creasing discomfort until Il reformation is ef.
fcc.ed.
Unquc>tonably this is an Injustice that,
under the change which has come over The
political 81 s,eu, by which this country is
governed, will not long be submitted to.
The rapid admission of new States will likely
lnduce the old States, for protection against
the Territories, to apportion representation
according 10 number of population, in the
Senate, as well as in the House. The pres
cnt order cannot last many years.