▁feelings ▁of ▁the ▁mass ▁of ▁the ▁people , ▁and ▁that ▁their ▁power ▁be ▁dil uted ▁enough ▁to ▁limit ▁their ▁ab use ▁of ▁the ▁public ▁trust ▁and ▁interests . ▁ ▁Anti - F eder al ists , ▁who ▁opposed ▁the ▁Constitution ' s ▁rat ification , ▁noted ▁that ▁there ▁was ▁nothing ▁in ▁the ▁document ▁to ▁guarantee ▁that ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁seats ▁in ▁the ▁House ▁would ▁continue ▁to ▁represent ▁small ▁constitu encies ▁as ▁the ▁general ▁population ▁of ▁the ▁states ▁grew . ▁They ▁fe ared ▁that ▁over ▁time , ▁if ▁the ▁size ▁remained ▁relatively ▁small ▁and ▁the ▁districts ▁became ▁more ▁exp ans ive , ▁that ▁only ▁well - known ▁individuals ▁with ▁re put ations ▁sp anning ▁wide ▁ge ographic ▁areas ▁could ▁secure ▁election . ▁It ▁was ▁also ▁fe ared ▁that ▁those ▁in ▁Congress ▁would , ▁as ▁a ▁result , ▁have ▁an ▁ins u fficient ▁sense ▁of ▁sympathy ▁with ▁and ▁connected ness ▁to ▁ordinary ▁people ▁in ▁their ▁district . ▁ ▁This ▁concern ▁was ▁evident ▁in ▁the ▁various ▁state ▁rat ifying ▁convent ions , ▁where ▁several ▁specifically ▁requested ▁an ▁am end ment ▁to ▁secure ▁a ▁minimum ▁size ▁for ▁the ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives . ▁Virginia ' s ▁rat ification ▁resolution ▁proposed ▁ ▁Anti - F eder al ist ▁Mel an ct on ▁Smith ▁declared ▁at ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁rat ifying ▁convention ▁that ▁ ▁Federal ists , ▁who ▁supported ▁the ▁Constitution ' s ▁rat ification , ▁re ass ured ▁those ▁oppos ing ▁its ▁rat ification ▁by ▁agree ing ▁that ▁the ▁new ▁government ▁should ▁immediately ▁address ▁Anti - F eder al