ing in the way of increasing the number of their. representatives, by amending their constitutions, we may reasonably conclude that they have found by experience that their representatives are sufficiently numerous.

And it is worthy of remark, that the oldest of these states, whose constitutions were formed in the infancy of our institutions, have the greatest number of representatives-that the emigrants from them, availing themselves of their experience in their mother states, greatly reduced the number of representatives.

We have seen that in Vermont we have a greater number of representatives than any other state, excepting Massachusetts and New Hampshire, and a greater number than Massachusetts in proportion to the population; and that the state of New York, with a population greater than that of New England, has only 128 representatives, and that the New England states have 1,254.

This increased number of representatives in New England has arisen out of our town corporations, which we so highly prize. Such are the powers of the town corporations, that they lay the most burthensome taxes, and the people feel a deeper interest in the proceedings and finances of the town, than they do in the proceedings of the legistature and the finances of the state. This creates a separate town interest so great, that if a town be not represented by one of her own inhabitants, the people feel that they have no voice in legislation. Hence, the necessity of a town representation, from which we experience two evils of no small magnitude: a house of representatives by far too numerous, and an inequality in the representation. The following provision in the Constitutions of the New England States will show the efforts which have been made by some of them to remove

these evils. In the first Constitution of Massachusetts, adopted in 1786, we find the following system of representation:

"And in order to provide for a representation of the citizens of this Commonwealth, founded on the principles of equality, every corporation containing one hundred and fifty rateable polls may elect one representative; every corporate town, containing three hundred and seventy-five rateable polls, may elect two representatives; every corporate town containing six hundred rateable polls, may elect three representatives; and so proceeding, making two hundred and twenty five rateable polls the mean increasing number for every additional representative. Provided, nevertheless, that each town now incorporated, not having one hundred and fifty rateable polls, may elect one representative; but no place shall be hereafter incorporated with the privilege of electing a representative, unless there be within the same one hundred and fifty rateable polls."

Under the operation of this provision for increasing the number of representatives as the population increased, such additions were made to the number of representatives, that at the time when Maine was separated from Massachusetts, in the year 1819, the House consisted of about seven hundred members, and after the separation of Maine from Massachus etts, the number of representatives was so increased by an increase of the population, that great efforts were made to reduce the number, but a long time elapsed before they could devise any satisfactory mode of doing it. At length they adopted an amendment of the Constitution, making the following provision for a representation of the people:

"The members of the house of representatives shall be ap portioned in the following manner: Every town or city containing twelve hundred inhabitants may elect one representative, and twenty-four hundred inhabitants shall be the mean increasing number which shall entitle it to an additional representative. Every town containing less than twelve hundred inhabitants shall be entitled to elect a representative as many times within ten years as the number one hundred and sixty is contained in the number of the inhabitants of such town. Such towns may also elect one representative for the year in

which the valuation of estates within the Commonwealth shall be settled. Any two or more of the several towns may, by consent of a majority of the legal voters present, at a legal meeting in each of said towns, respectively, called for that purpose, and held before the first day of August in the year 1840, and every tenth year thereafter, form themselves into a representative district to continue for the term of ten years. And such district shall have all the rights in regard to representation which would belong to a town containing the same number of inhabitants. The number of inhabitants which shall entitle a town to elect one representative, and the mean increasing number which shall entitle a town or city to elect more than one, and also the number by which the population of towns not entitled to elect a representative every year is to be divided, shall be increased respectively by one tenth of the numbers above mentioned, whenever the population of the Commonwealth shall have increased to seven hundred and seventy thousand, and for every additional increase of seventy thousand inhabitants, the same addition of one tenth shall be made, respectively, to the numbers above mentioned."

Under this very artificial system of representation, the average number of representatives has been three hundred.

In the Constitution of Maine, adopted in the year 1819, is the following provision, limiting the number of representatives and apportioning them to the several counties and towns:

"The house of representatives shall consist of not less than one hundred nor more than two hundred members, to be elected by the qualified electors for one year from the next day preceding the annual meeting of the Legislature."

Provision is then made for taking a census of the inhabitants periodically, and following this are these additional provisions:

"The number of representatives shall, at the several periods of making such enumeration, be fixed and apportioned among the several counties, as near as may be, according to the number of inhabitants, having regard to the relative increase of population. The number of representatives shall, on said apportionment, be not less than one hundred, nor

more than one hundred and fifty; and whenever the number of representatives shall be two hundred, at the next annual meetings of election which shall thereafter be had, and at every subsequent period of ten years, the people shall give in their votes whether the number of representatives shall be increased or diminished, and if a majority of voters are in favor thereof, it shall be the duty of the next Legislature thereafter to increase or diminish the number by the rule hereinafter prescribed:

Each town having fifteen hundred inhabitants may elect one representative; each town having thirty-seven hundred and fifty may elect two; each town having sixty-seven hundred and fifty may elect three; each town having ten thous and five hundred may elect four; each town having fifteen thousand may elect five; each town having twenty thousand two hundred and fifty may elect six; each town having twenty six thousand two hundred and fifty may elect seven; but no town shall ever be entitled to elect more than seven representatives; and towns and plantations duly organized, not having fifteen hundred inhabitants, shall be classed as conveniently as may be into districts, and so as not to divide towns, and each such district may elect one representative, and when, on this apportionment, the number of representatives shall be two hundred, a different apportionment shall take place, on the above principles, and in case the fifteen hundred shall be too large or too small to apportion all the representatives to any county, it shall be so increased or diminished as to give the number of representatives according to the above rule and proportion, and whenever any town or towns, plantation or plantations, not entitled to elect a representative, shall determine against a classification with any other town or plantation, the legislature may, at each apportionment of representatives, on the application of such town or plantation, authorize it to elect a representative for such portion of time, and such periods, as shall be equal to its portion of represen tation, And the right of representation so established shall not be altered, until the next general apportionment."

Although, by the Constitution, the legislature were author. ized to increase the number of representatives to two hundred, they have added but one representative since the government was organized, making the present number one hun. dred and fifty one.

When the Colonial government was organized in Connect.

icut, a system of representation was adopted similar to the borough representation in England. The towns were considered as equal, and all were entitled to the same repreentation, without regard to the size of the town, or the number of inhabitants. It was the town corporation that was represented. And when a town was divided, and a new town incorporated, it was considered that such new town had a right to the same representation as the other towns.

As the towns were originally large, two representatives were allowed to each town. This system of representation was continued until after the close of the Revolutionary War, when an act was passed, providing that no towns thereafter incorporated should be allowed more than one representative. In the year 1818, the first Constitution of Connecticut was adopted, in which is the following provision relating to the representation:

"The house of representatives shall consist of members re siding in the towns from which they are elected. The number of representatives from each town shall be the same as at present provided and allowed. In case a new town shall be hereafter incorporated, such town shall be entitled to one representative only, and if such new town shall be made from one or more towns, the town or towns from which the same shall be made, shall be entitled to the same number of representatives as at present allowed, unless the number shall be reduced by the consent of such town or towns."

In the Constitution of Rhode Island is the following system of representation:

"The house of representatives shall never exceed seventy two members, and shall be constituted on the basis of popula tion, always allowing one representative for a fraction exceeding half the rates, but each town or city shall always be entitled to at least one member, and no town or city shall ever have more than one sixth of the whole number of members to which the house is hereby limited. The present ratio shall be one representative to every fifteen hundred and thirty inhabitants. The General Assembly may, after any new census taken by authority of the United States, or of the State, re-apportion the representation, by altering the ratio, but no