Constitutional Compromise

The February 27, 2013 "Room For Debate" section of the New York Times is devoted to the issue of "The Constitution's Immoral Compromise" the Three-Fifths compromise in Article 1, Section 2, paragraph 3 of the US Constitution:

Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a Term of Years and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other Persons.

Five scholars weigh in provocatively and thoughtfully on the political and moral necessary of this compromise: Paul Finkelman (Albany Law), Henry L. Chambers, Jr.,  (Richmond Law), Leslie M. Harris (Emory) Sanford Levinson (University of Texas Law), and Ray Diamond (LSU Law).