266 Population. Property. Slaves. [1787 report made three days later ; which, after fixing the number of repre- sentatives in the first branch, for the present, at fifty-six, proposed that the national legislature should have authority, from time to time, to increase the number, and in case of division or union of States, or of the creation of new ones, to regulate representation upon the principles of wealth and population. Gorham, a member of this special committee, said in explanation of the report that two objections had prevailed against the proposal of one member for every forty thousand inhabitants. The first was, that the representation would soon be too numerous; the second was, that the western States might, on that principle, outvote the Atlantic. Both objections were now removed. The total number fixed upon was small and could be kept so ; and the Atlantic States, having the government in their own hands, could take care of their interests, dealing out representation to the western States in safe proportions. Paterson opposed the report ; an estimate according to the combined rule of numbers and wealth was too vague. Slaves were property only ; like other property, they were entirely subject to the will of the master. Had a man in Virginia a number of votes in proportion to the number of his slaves ? If then slaves were not represented in the States to which they belonged, why should they be represented in the general govern- ment? Did the slaves themselves vote? Why then should they be counted ? The plan reported would also encourage the slave-trade. Madison suggested what he had already referred to, that the States should be represented in the first branch according to the number of their free inhabitants, and in the second which, he said, had for one of its first objects the protection of property according to the whole number, including slaves. King had always believed that as the southern States were the richest, they would not join the northern unless that fact was respected. If the north wished to be protected in their greater commercial in- terests, they must give something in return. Slaves were to be con- sidered in apportioning taxes ; and taxation and representation ought to go together. The number fixed for present representation having been raised by the Convention to sixty-five, and apportioned among the States accor- dingly, an amendment to the rest of the special report was moved by Randolph to the effect that, to ascertain the changes in the population and wealth of the States, the legislature should be required to cause a census to be taken periodically, and should arrange the representation accordingly. This was opposed by Gouverneur Morris and by Sherman, as fettering the legislature. Morris said that new States, in time of war or when war was imminent, might take advantage of the power to extort favours. Such provisions in the constitutions of the States had been found pernicious.
