The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-03-19
It to you with the hope that you will re-
publish it. ~ ,,r,o,,.s
smithneld, Va, March l6, 1879.

The article is as follows; .,
Inc auBJect 0i tne Houe 0I elecuoh OF
United States senators has been agitated
I'm Congress and the public prints oi the
country for the past ten years or more
The nrescut mode OF election by the
State Legislature has been much critl-
clsed notably for two reasons:
First. because the basIc principle
sought to be incorporated IN the conau-
tuition by its trainers in the construction
of the Congress was the selection OF one
body the lower House. Old The basis OF
popular or prOpOrtionate representation
ana the other on the basis al the repre-
sentation OF the States as pollical UNITS
the one TO represent the people ana tne
other the sovereign States OF the Union
as States.
The second objection IS based on the
serious evils which, IN large NUMBER
of the States in the Union II not 10 "a
large majority. flow from the present
method These may De SUMMARIZE
chiefly as the dangerous uses OF money
corporate influence. the irresponsihnly
OF the senators TO any hNed constituency,
clothed with the power OF competing y
response TO their rightful demands, and
The dangerous fntormnsing in one body
(the state Legislaturesl OF Federal ana
State functions. for the proper discharge
of which neither is dependent on the
other These two views may now De
separately considered.
LARGE AND SMALL STATES.
No one who has properly read the his
tory OF the Constitutional Convention can
fail 10 have noted the intense interest
that was manifested IN the de1ef iii'' r.
ton of this question. III that 6Ieal lu.
strunent had failed Of adoption, IL must
he conceded in the light of its history,
that the divergent views between tio
large and the small. States as 10 their
mode OF representation IN luo $500 ~,
woul; have been the efficient cause ny
memorable scene AT thls 80
BENJAMIN Franklin came INTO lhe Cgl-
vention. when il seemed 10 those WHO
were interested IN its welfare lna' IL W.
on the verge Of dissolution, VIII never ~
forgotten He said. 49,.
II have lived sir, long tlnt, alu w
longer I live the more conNlhciHs pi'1.
/ see of this truth. that God governs III
the affairs of men. and II spdrro" can
not FAN 10 the ground without HIS NOTICE.
Is IL probable that an empire can lIao
without Ills aid?' 81. .....
From that time on the Divine hein was
sought at the opening Of each session OF
the Convention and the victory Tor con-
stitutfonai government on the Ameilgd"
continent was assured. The plans sub-
gested by Mr.. Pinckney, Mf. At"i tt9' ~
Hamilton Mr. Edmund handoiph. az.
Gerry and MT Wilson. all proposed an
y
substantially and in others IN meIf u,
tails. and without pauslng 10 discuss
these plans or the reasons adduceh iul
their adoption, the final result so iar as
representation In the Senate i7 con, eli.eu.
must be conceded by all 10 have been
triumph hv the small over the large
States for reurcsentation by states as
ge-,are'o political entities.
50 that we start with the proposition
that the determination or me cotEeh ,Ioh
{ % the interest," or HAE-
fnorv between the great and small states
conceded TO the House representation ac-
cordir,c- 10 D0nuiafiOn. but demanded ana
secured for the Senate representation oI
The States as distinct pOllIlcu orsahl]a-
lions. irrespective OF popul .a. u.
STATES REPRESENTATION.
The bodv politic called n State must
not he confounded with the government OK
"a state The legislative, executive ana
judicial functions Of state neither con
iunctively nor disjuncuVeiy conseisule ,ne
political entity called Sta.e, ~. ~ a..
three functions conjoincd conSll.ui Us
government IL. then, sovereign states as
nolitical units are 20 be represented ~
the Senate, how Is II 10 ne accoihptisneu
ONLY by representation when rrprtae..'
directly the sovereign power IN t,is S1a We,
Doc; this power reside either IN tne Leg
islature. the judiciary or the executive de-
Each OF these arms OF the government
possesses powers which are ohly neIIN .i
tive and not original. They are the crea-
lions of the sovereign power ana hol .he
sources OF II. An early authority on tue
Constitution well says;
This unlimited power Is mat supreme
absolute uncomfortable authority wnlea'
by political writer's In general Is denoHii-
mated the sovereignty, ana when 9y
most OF them. IL supposed 70 pe vested IN
the government OF administrative az nor,
ity OF the State. but which We contend
resides only in the people. IS inherent III
than and unalienable from tneu>' surer