40 MARYLAND.

census of 1820, therefore may be classed a-
mongst the larger states, but it is every way
probable that the census of 1630 will alter that
relation, and place her amongst the smaller
states, as to population as well as to territory.

The state is entitled to nine representatives,
and two senators in the United States congress,
and consequently to eleven electors, for choos-
ing the President and Vice President of the
Union. The total number ofelectorial votes
is 261—Divide that number by twenty-four
the number cf statts in the Union, and we have
11 votes for each state of the Union, lacking
a small fraction—Maryland is, therefore, in this
particular, exactly at the medium between the
powerful and the weak states,in political impor-
tance, were the states all reduced to an average,
Maryland would remain as at present. According
to the last apportionment, one other state, (Ten-
nessee,) had eleven electors—seven states had
more than that number, and fifteen statts had
less. Thus numbered, Maryland classes deci-
dedly amongst the large states.

This relative advantage of number in politi-
cal consequence has been marly lost to the
state of Maryland, by the peculiar construction
of her laws for chosing electors of President and
Vice President, and regulating their manner of
voting. Electors are chosen in Maryland by
districts, and vote individually—the conse-
quence is, that whilst other large states have
chosen electors either by general ticket or by,