Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1821-01-02


have an influence ontle next Congress.
Ii would be an Imperfect law, requiring
future legislation Ia carry II into eject
Another act would be necessary, when
TIL numbers al population were ascertain-
ed, tn declare how many Representatives
each state should be entitled to and he, |
unprecedented, Ia making that declaration,
the next Congress woHld not he governed |
by any decision the present Congress
NIGH, make on The. subject. On tins |
point, however, he dis not mean TO ex.
press decided opinion but he suba,iiicd
for the consideration of the committee
which would be appointed, II this resolu-
tion was agreed tn, whether any le.isia
lion by the present Congress would be
dehniive, or whether il would not IN fact
leave the question yet open for The deci,
sion Of the Congress.
MIR. Anderson said, that, snpposing this
10 be, according to the suggestion OF the
gentleman from South Carolina, prclimi
nary law only, yet, being passed, 1t would
be considered by The next Congress bind.
ing on them so as TO make the actual
declaration of the number of Represents
tives TO which each state should be emit.
tied, matter of course. The only objec-
ton To the proposed course which had
ever suggested itself 10 his mind, mas,
| that II would leave uncertain the exact
| number OF members at which the House
OF Representatives would b. composed
| Yet. he believed, though the number
| could not be exactly asceiiained, IL could
be nearly SO. and that, II Congress lesis
| lated OIL the subj ci al The present session,
the toisl number oi Representatives would
be less than at present.
MIR. Fuller and, lie much approved the
reason which had been assigned for fixing
The ratio OF representation al The present
session; but he thought the purpose could
have been better attained al the last SEES.
| sion of Congress than a, the present, be,
cause members could not by possibility
have obtained any pariisl information
which would have an Influence on the
| decision Of any one Of them on tiie ques,
| ton. Al the present session, said he We
are no, III that itua,ion. The states lras,
remote can CONT pretty near a certainty
as to The amount OF Their population, ant
| some states NAV have All accurate know,
ledge OF their numbers. K representatives.
| from other states, from tbrIr SITUATION,
ould not obtain similar Information l.
| determined no., moreover, the decIsi n
would be liable 10 be reversed al theneX
session. Tic Wa, therefore,, inclined 10
| oppose the resolution
| Mr.. Anderson SAID, if tue population Of
| The respective Sialcs were noe really
known, Tie fact would be great argu
meDt against his moion. II had suppns
ed an entire ignorance prevailed on that
! SUBJECT For himself, lie sand, he did not
Know The population even III the village
| IN which he lived, much less ot the stale
which he represented. He did not AL.
nii, thar, decided now, The subIec. " onid
yet be open al TIC neN, session. All the
next Congress would have 10 do would
be. to pass la" conforming the num-
Der 81 Representatives To the principle
esiaO. lShed III the preceding law. That,
] he believed, might be done without
law; but he supposed il would be most
formal ami proper 10 do il by law.
| Mr.: Campbell said, # the resolution en-
biactd an affirmative proposition, he
! should say II was ineAprdient 10 pass il.
lie did believe, he said, thai from
many OF The states Information might now
| be obtained which would influence the
decision of This House as TO the ratio OF
representation. Mr. c. also believed, If
partial Information could be guarded a
gaInsi, there would YET be as much diff
Guilty III leglslating OH The subject no@ "a
al the next session, and the same opDo
siiioD 10 large RATIO from the apprehen
sion oil lis reducing the numbers OF re
representatives. from some ot The states-l
On The former OCCASIONS, although diff |
culiies had occurred, the ratio Ina been |
always fixed within The proper time, am,
as lar as lie knew, To The general saiIsfac-
lion oi ihe colrntry. ii, boped The same
would he The case al The next session |
Every man cannot reaIIz. his own wish
rs, and the majority OF opinions mus, a,
last decide. Under all the cIrcumslan-
ces, he thought II best 10 deter ihls |
mailer 10 The next session, when Con-
gress could at with the aid of all tic |
lBnts that could be- thrown upon IT..
MIR Sm'M OF May Iaud, sdl1, as Ills |
resolution proposed enquiry only, H. saw |
no obJ clioD to II. The committee wonld |
enquire fully INTO the subject, and report |
the result of their deliberations. Ii would |
then be time enough to debate the maIn |
question, which Was not pTese ted by the |
question now before lie House.
The question being then taken on |
gIeelng 10 the resolve, was dccided in The |
afhrmaIVe...... AMI Aleszrs. Ander ON. |
LOundeS, Fuller, Campbell, and .Sto,rs.
were appointed committee accordingly, |
under SAID resolution.
The Orders OF lie Day were called |
over but many memb rs being absent, |
and 10 disposition appearing 10 call up |
business,
The House, on motion Of Mr.. HiH, |
adjourned To- Tuesday.
Just before The lIpnae adjourned on |
Thursday, Mr. +. johnson of Kentucky, |
gave notice, that on tHe 9Th day OF ia |
nuary, lie should move 10 take I'd for |
consideration the bill, reported al the last |
session OF Congress, 10 authorize The Pre- |
sldent OF tie United States 10 take pos |
session OF East and West Florlda. He |
bad been reminded OF 1t, he SAID, by the |
bill reported this day by the committee !