Page:Joseph Story, Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States (1st ed, 1833, vol II).djvu/194

leagues, having a common interest and feeling for the state. And if it be not always in the strictest sense true, that in the multitude of counsel there is safety; there is a sufficient foundation in the infirmity of human nature to make it desirable to gain the advantage of the wisdom, and information, and reflection of other independent minds, not labouring under the suspicion of any unfavourable bias. These reasons may be presumed to have had their appropriate weight in the deliberations of the convention. If more than one representative of a state was to be admitted into the senate, the least practicable ascending number was that adopted. At that time a single representative of each state would have made the body too small for all the purposes of its institution, and all the objects before explained. It would have been composed but of thirteen; and supposing no absences, which could not ordinarily be calculated upon, seven would constitute a majority to decide all the measures. Twenty-six was not, at that period, too large a number for dignity, independence, wisdom, experience, and efficiency. And, at the present moment, when the states have grown to twenty-four, it is found, that forty-eight is a number quite small enough to perform the great national functions confided to it, and to embody the requisite skill and ability to meet the increased exigencies, and multiplied duties of the office.^[1] There is probably no legislative body on earth, whose duties are more various, and interesting, and important to the public wel-

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1. Mr. Tucker, (the learned Commentator on Blackstone,) in 1803, said: "The whole number of senators is at present limited to thirty-two. It is not probable, that it will ever exceed fifty."^{[a 1]} How strangely has our national growth already outstripped ail human calculation!

1. 1 Tuck. Black. Comm. App. 223.