[redserk]

I can’t imagine the framers of the Constitution envisioned having 50 states, either.

26 Senators is a substantially different shape of legislative body than the current 100.

[petcat]

There were already 25 states (50 Senators) by the time James Madison died in 1836. The original Constitution framers had already seen the explosive growth of the US during their lifetimes. So I can't imagine they didn't envision it.

[cthalupa]

They might have envisioned it during their lifetimes, but I don't see how you can argue that things that happened after the Constitution/BoR were written informed their decisions while writing it.