Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1821-01-02
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,,


Mr.. Herrick attended this day.
Mr. Williams, of N. c. from the commit
tee of claims, made an uniavorable report
on the petition Of Eli Hart; which was re-
tered to committee of the whole.
The speaker laid before the house letter
from the secretary of the treasury, IA ansmit-
ting statements Of the district tonnage oftbe
United States, ON the SIst of December,
1919; also letter from the same depart
ment, transmitting statements OF goods,
wares and merchandise, exported from the
United States 10 foreign countries, during
The year ending 30!h September, 1890;
which were several,y ordered to lie on the
table, and be printed.
The speaker also laid before the house
letter from the secretary of the treasury sta
ting that the records of the treasury do not
contain the information required by the re-
solution of this house ofthe Goth instant, re-
lative TO the number and tonnage of Aneri-
can and British vessels which have cleared
out from the ports of the United States for
the ports of the West Indies, the Bahama Is
lands, and Bermuda, 10 1916, 1917, 1918,
1919, and 1890; that measures have been
taken to obtain The information from the COL
lectors OF the customs, which it is presumed
will be received in time TO be laid before
congress during the present session, except
tiouI the ports on the gull Of Mexico.
AFPoRTIoNMENT OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
Mr.. Anderson submitted for consideration
the following resolution
Resolved, That committee be appointed
TO enquire into the expediency of providing
by law, al the present session of congress,
Tor the apportionment of the representation
in congress among the several states, accOr-
ding to the fourth enumeration of the people
Of the United States.
Mir. Anderson made lew remarks in fa-
yor OF his motion. On most subjects, he
said, il was certainly desirable to have be-
fore you ali the facts OF the case before you
legislate: on this particular subject, however,
he believed Congress could legisIate best
without knowing The fact OF the population
OF the states respectively. On former occa-
sions 81 this sort, much difficulty had been
found in legislatirg, from The operation Of
local feelings, naturally producing desire
Oh the part of the representative of each
state 10 Tx on such ratio of apportonment
as should leave to ii the smallest fraction OF
numbers. The lcgislating at the present
session. before these numbers were known,
would, it appeared to him, obviate these
difficulties, as The oAy object of considera-
ton would be. what ratio is of itself the
mos: eligible? IT the census of each state
was waited for, he feared that the decision
of congress would be influenced Ly very
different principles, &c. He was careless
about the shape of this enquiry, but, feeling
anxiety for the object of it, he hoped the re-
solution would be agreed TO-
Mr.. Lowndes said, as The resolution
pTcpOScu du enquiry uclcIy, NC CcItaIu'J
should not object to it. Ii it were possible
to fix, by anticipation, the ratio of rePrssen-
tatIon, he admitted it would be decidedly
proper to pursue that course. But, imror-
tant as The object might be, lie feared it
would be found wholly impracticable. Any
act of this congress, fixing the ratio, would.
he feared, have no other effect than, as an
OF the opinion OF the present. con-
gress, i, might have an influence on the next
1t would be an imperfect law,
future legislation to carry it into
effect. Another act would be necessary, |
when the numbers OF population were ascer-
tanned. to declare how many representatives
each sta.e should be entitled to, and, he ap
in making that declaration, the
next congress would not be governed by any !
decision the present congress might make
Oh the subject. On this point, however, he
did not II can TO express a decided opinion,
out be ubmitted. for The consideration of