Constitutional history -- United States -- Sources; Constitutional law -- United States
be sufficient to overrule the opposition; a coalition which,
notwithstanding the rivalship and local prejudices which might prevent
it on ordinary occasions, would not fail to take place, when not merely
prompted by common interest, but justified by equity and the principles
of the Constitution. It may be alleged, perhaps, that the Senate would
be prompted by like motives to an adverse coalition; and as their
concurrence would be indispensable, the just and constitutional views
of the other branch might be defeated. This is the difficulty which has
probably created the most serious apprehensions in the jealous friends
of a numerous representation. Fortunately it is among the difficulties
which, existing only in appearance, vanish on a close and accurate
inspection. The following reflections will, if I mistake not, be
admitted to be conclusive and satisfactory on this point.
Notwithstanding the equal authority which will subsist between the two
houses on all legislative subjects, except the originating of money
bills, it cannot be doubted that the House, composed of the greater
number of members, when supported by the more powerful States, and
speaking the known and determined sense of a majority of the people,
will have no small advantage in a question depending on the comparative
firmness of the two houses. This advantage must be increased by the
consciousness, felt by the same side of being supported in its demands
by right, by reason, and by the Constitution; and the consciousness, on
the opposite side, of contending against the force of all these solemn
considerations. It is farther to be considered, that in the gradation
between the smallest and largest States, there are several, which,
though most likely in general to arrange themselves among the former
are too little removed in extent and population from the latter, to
second an opposition to their just and legitimate pretensions. Hence it
is by no means certain that a majority of votes, even in the Senate,
would be unfriendly to proper augmentations in the number of
representatives. It will not be looking too far to add, that the
senators from all the new States may be gained over to the just views
of the House of Representatives, by an expedient too obvious to be
overlooked. As these States will, for a great length of time, advance
in population with peculiar rapidity, they will be interested in
frequent reapportionments of the representatives to the number of
inhabitants. The large States, therefore, who will prevail in the House
of Representatives, will have nothing to do but to make
reapportionments and augmentations mutually conditions of each other;
and the senators from all the most growing States will be bound to
contend for the latter, by the interest which their States will feel in
the former. These considerations seem to afford ample security on this
subject, and ought alone to satisfy all the doubts and fears which have
been indulged with regard to it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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