Nine cantons make a
commune.
Now let us take a canton containing a seaport town of trade, or
a great manufacturing town. Let us suppose the population of this
canton to be 12,700 inhabitants, or 2193 voters, forming three primary
assemblies, and sending ten deputies to the commune.
Oppose to this one canton two others of the remaining eight in the
same commune. These we may suppose to have their fair population of
4000 inhabitants and 680 voters each, or 8000 inhabitants and 1360
voters, both together. These will form only two primary assemblies and
send only six deputies to the commune.
When the assembly of the commune comes to vote on the basis of
territory, which principle is first admitted to operate in that
assembly, the single canton which has half the territory of the
other two will have ten voices to six in the election of three
deputies to the assembly of the department chosen on the express
ground of a representation of territory.
This inequality, striking as it is, will be yet highly
aggravated if we suppose, as we fairly may, the several other
cantons of the commune to fall proportionably short of the average
population, as much as the principal canton exceeds it. Now as to
the basis of contribution, which also is a principle admitted first to
operate in the assembly of the commune. Let us again take one
canton, such as is stated above.
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