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the mind of the people on the important question of raising an army.

Pausing here to examine again the basis of representation, we discover that for the first three Provincial Congresses there was no attempt at equal apportionment. Dover with a population of 1665 sent five delegates to the First Congress, while Rochester with 1,548 inhabitants was represented by only one. To the Second Congress, Dunstable with a population of 705 sent three delegates, and Durham with a population of 1,214 was represented by only two. Exeter sent five to the Third Congress to represent 1,741 inhabitants, while Londonderry returned but one member for a population of 1,290. Such examples might be multiplied.

The Fourth Provincial Congress met at Exeter, May 17, 1775, with a membership of 151. On November 4, toward the end of a long session, it was:

"Voted, That the Delegates or Representatives to be chosen to represent this Colony in Future shall be chosen by the voices or Votes of the Electors and not by the value of their Estates.

"That every Elector for Representatives in this Colony be Possessed of a Freehold or real Estate to the value of Twenty Pounds Lawf1 money in such Town or place where the Election shall be.

"That every Person so elected shall be worth Three hundred Pounds L' money in real Estate in this Colony; the Election to be adjudged of by the Selectmen & the moderator of the meeting, saving an Appeal to the Congress or House of Representatives.

"That every Town, Parish, or Precinct in this Colony containing one hundred Freeholders as aforesaid may send one Delegate or Representative to the Congress or General Assembly; and that Every such Town, Parish, or Precinct having a greater number of Freeholders, may send a member for every hundred such Freeholders.

"That Precepts be sent to every Town, Parish, or Precinct in this Colony, Directing them to Elect a member & send to the Congress to be holden at Exeter in said Colony on the . . . . day, of . . . . next, if such Town, Parish, or Precinct contain one hundred such Freeholders, and if not, then to couple with one or more other such Towns or Parishes untill they make up that number of such Freeholders."

Ten days later, on November 14, it was voted:

"That every Legal Inhabitant paying Taxes shall be a voter.

"That every Person Elected shall have a Real Estate in this Colony of the value of Two hundred Pounds. lawful money.

"That no person shall be allowed a seat in Congress who by themselves, or any Person at their Desire Treat with Liquor &c any Electors on that Account.

"That the Towns, Parishes, & Places in this Colony be represented as Follows, viz.

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"That Precepts signed by the President of this Congress, be sent to the Selectmen of each Town Named in this List singly to be represented, to Elect & choose a Person to Represent them in Congress to Meet at Exeter on the Twenty-first day of December next; also to the Town or Parish marked where Towns or Parishes are classed together, To Notify the several Towns or Parishes in their respective Classes to meet at the most convenient Place in thier Town or Parish to accommodate the whole Electors, To choose some Qualified to Represent them as aforesaid: and all Selectmen are directed to give the Electors fifteen days Notice of the time and occasion of meeting. Said Members when met to set in Congress as often and so long as they shall judge requisite for Acting the Publick Business of this Colony: And to be Impowered by their constituents to Prosecute such measures as they may deem Necessary for the Publick good During the Term of one year from their first meeting, Unless they shall see fit to Dissolve themselves sooner.

"And in case there should be a recommendation from the Continental Congress for this Colony to Assume Government in any way that will require a house of Representatives, That the said Congress for this Colony be Impowered to Resolve themselves into such a House as may be recommended, and to remain such for the aforesaid Term of one year.'

In addition to equalizing the apportionment of representation the effect of the enactments of the Fourth Congress was greatly to reduce the membership of succeeding bodies, an effect which becomes at once evident in the comparatively small numbers of the next Congress, of which the roll shows but seventy-five.

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