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§3. Formula for determining, for each District, how many Members it shall return.
A preliminary question must here be asked, viz. are we to count population, or Electors only? I do not think it matters much which, as they probably vary nearly together, i.e. a District having twice the population of another would probably have twice as many Electors. The Formula can best be determined for the number of Electors: but if, in using it the number of population be substituted, it will make no important difference in the result.
The formula will of course have to be modified for each case, if it be agreed to give political weight to differences in rateable property, or to the distinction between town and country voters: and for this purpose rules would have to be laid down.
Now, taking 'e' to represent, for any one District, the number of Electors, and 'm' the number of Members to be assigned to that District, and assuming that each Elector has only one vote, we require a formula giving m in terms of e. This formula must evidently be such as will secure that every Member
