384. APPORTIONMENT RATIO, Fractions and.—
It will be said that, though, for
taxes there may always be found a divisor
which will apportion them among the States
according to numbers exactly, without leaving
any remainder, yet, for representatives,
there can be no such common ratio, or divisor,
which, applied to the several numbers,
will divide them exactly, without a remainder
or fraction. I answer, then, that taxes must
be divided exactly, and representatives as
nearly as the nearest ratio will admit; and
the fractions must be neglected, because the
Constitution calls absolutely that there be an
apportionment or common ratio, and if any
fractions result from the operation, it has left
them unprovided for. In fact it could not but
foresee that such fractions would result, and
it meant to submit to them. It knew they
would be in favor of one part of the Union at
one time, and of another at another, so as,
in the end, to balance occasional irregularities.—
Opinion on Apportionment Bill. Washington ed. vii, 596.
Ford ed., v, 495.
(1792)
