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Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826

"Memoir, Correspondence, And Miscellanies, From The Papers Of Thomas Jefferson, Volume 3"

In these ten States the
minority is certainly unrepresented; and their majorities not only have
the weight of their whole State in their scale, but have the benefit of
so much of our minorities as can succeed at a district election.
This is, in fact, insuring to our minorities the appointment of the
government. To state it in another form; it is merely a question,
whether we will divide the United States into sixteen or one hundred
and thirty-seven districts. The latter being more chequered, and
representing the people in smaller sections, would be more likely to
be an exact representation of their diversified sentiments. But a
representation of a part by great, and a part by small sections, would
give a result very different from what would be the sentiment of the
whole people of the United States, were they assembled together. I have
to-day had a conversation with ------ who has taken a flying trip here
from New York. He says, they have really now a majority of the House of
Representatives, but, for want of some skilful person to rally round,
they are disjointed, and will lose every question. In the senate there
is a majority of eight or nine against us. But in the new election which
is to come on in April, three or four in the Senate will be changed in
our favor; and in the House of Representatives the county elections will
still be better than the last: but still all will depend on the city
election, which is of twelve members.


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