按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
*p During the same period the State of New York progressed in the contrary direction： in 1790 it had ten representatives in Congress； in 1813； twenty…seven； in 1823； thirty…four； and in 1833； forty。 The State of Ohio had only one representative in 1803； and in 1833 it had already nineteen。
＇Footnote o： It may be seen that in the course of the last ten years （1820…1830） the population of one district； as； for instance； the State of Delaware； has increased in the proportion of five per cent。； whilst that of another； as the territory of Michigan； has increased 250 per cent。 Thus the population of Virginia had augmented thirteen per cent。； and that of the border State of Ohio sixty…one per cent。； in the same space of time。 The general table of these changes； which is given in the 〃National Calendar；〃 displays a striking picture of the unequal fortunes of the different States。＇
＇Footnote p： It has just been said that in the course of the last term the population of Virginia has increased thirteen per cent。； and it is necessary to explain how the number of representatives for a State may decrease； when the population of that State； far from diminishing； is actually upon the increase。 I take the State of Virginia； to which I have already alluded； as my term of comparison。 The number of representatives of Virginia in 1823 was proportionate to the total number of the representatives of the Union； and to the relation which the population bore to that of the whole Union： in 1833 the number of representatives of Virginia was likewise proportionate to the total number of the representatives of the Union； and to the relation which its population； augmented in the course of ten years； bore to the augmented population of the Union in the same space of time。 The new number of Virginian representatives will then be to the old numver； on the one hand； as the new numver of all the representatives is to the old number； and； on the other hand； as the augmentation of the population of Virginia is to that of the whole population of the country。 Thus； if the increase of the population of the lesser country be to that of the greater in an exact inverse ratio of the proportion between the new and the old numbers of all the representatives； the number of the representatives of Virginia will remain stationary； and if the increase of the Virginian population be to that of the whole Union in a feeblerratio than the new number of the representatives of the Union to the old number； the number of the representatives of Virginia must decrease。 ＇Thus； to the 56th Congress in 1899； Virginia and West Virginia send only fourteen representatives。＇＇
Chapter XVIII： Future Condition Of Three Races … Part VIII It is difficult to imagine a durable union of a people which is rich and strong with one which is poor and weak； even if it were proved that the strength and wealth of the one are not the causes of the weakness and poverty of the other。 But union is still more difficult to maintain at a time at which one party is losing strength； and the other is gaining it。 This rapid and disproportionate increase of certain States threatens the independence of the others。 New York might perhaps succeed； with its 2；000；000 of inhabitants and its forty representatives； in dictating to the other States in Congress。 But even if the more powerful States make no attempt to bear down the lesser ones； the danger still exists； for there is almost as much in the possibility of the act as in the act itself。 The weak generally mistrust the justice and the reason of the strong。 The States which increase less rapidly than the others look upon those which are more favored by fortune with envy and suspicion。 Hence arise the deep…seated uneasiness and ill…defined agitation which are observable in the South； and which form so striking a contrast to the confidence and prosperity which are common to other parts of the Union。 I am inclined to think that the hostile measures taken by the Southern provinces upon a recent occasion are attributable to no other cause。 The inhabitants of the Southern States are； of all the Americans； those who are most interested in the maintenance of the Union； they would assuredly suffer most from being left to themselves； and yet they are the only citizens who threaten to break the tie of confederation。 But it is easy to perceive that the South； which has given four Presidents； Washington； Jefferson； Madison； and Monroe； to the Union； which perceives that it is losing its federal influence； and that the number of its representatives in Congress is diminishing from year to year； whilst those of the Northern and Western States are increasing； the South； which is peopled with ardent and irascible beings； is becoming more and more irritated and alarmed。 The citizens reflect upon their present position and remember their past influence； with the melancholy uneasiness of men who suspect oppression： if they discover a law of the Union which is not unequivocally favorable to their interests； they protest against it as an abuse of force； and if their ardent remonstrances are not listened to； they threaten to quit an association which loads them with burdens whilst it deprives them of their due profits。 〃The tariff；〃 said the inhabitants of Carolina in 1832； 〃enriches the North； and ruins the South； for if this were not the case； to what can we attribute the continually increasing power and wealth of the North； with its inclement skies and arid soil； whilst the South； which may be styled the garden of America； is rapidly declining？〃 *q
＇Footnote q： See the report of its committee to the Convention which proclaimed the nullification of the tariff in South Carolina。＇
If the changes which I have described were gradual； so that each generation at least might have time to disappear with the order of things under which it had lived； the danger would be less； but the progress of society in America is precipitate； and almost revolutionary。 The same citizen may have lived to see his State take the lead in the Union； and afterwards become powerless in the federal assemblies； and an Anglo…American republic has been known to grow as rapidly as a man passing from birth and infancy to maturity in the course of thirty years。 It must not be imagined； however； that the States which lose their preponderance； also lose their population or their riches： no stop is put to their prosperity； and they even go on to increase more rapidly than any kingdom in Europe。 *r But they believe themselves to be impoverished because their wealth does not augment as rapidly as that of their neighbors； any they think that their power is lost； because they suddenly come into collision with a power greater than their own： *s thus they are more hurt in their feelings and their passions than in their interests。 But this is amply sufficient to endanger the maintenance of the Union。 If kings and peoples had only had their true interests in view ever since the beginning of the world； the name of war would scarcely be known among mankind。
＇Footnote r： The population of a country assuredly constitutes the first element of its wealth。 In the ten years （1820…1830） during which Virginia