I must own, that I was originally of Opinion it would be better
if every Member of Congress, or our national Council, were to
consider himself rather as a Representative of the whole, than as an
Agent for the Interests of a particular State; in which Case the
Proportion of Members for each State would be of less Consequence,
and it would not be very material whether they voted by States or
individually. But as I find this is not to be expected, I now think
the Number of Representatives should bear some Proportion to the
Number of the Represented, and that the Decisions should be by the
Majority of Members, not by the Majority of States. This is objected
to, from an Apprehension that the greater States would then swallow
up the Smaller. I do not at present clearly see what Advantage the
greater States could propose to themselves by swallowing the smaller,
and therefore do not apprehend they would attempt it. I recollect,
that in the Beginning of this Century, when the Union was propos'd of
the two Kingdoms, England and Scotland, the Scotch patriots were full
of Fears, that, unless they had an equal Number of Representatives in
Parliament, they should be ruined by the Superiority of the English.
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