Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1831-12-10
THE QUESTION.


There is some doubt, whether the Electors to be
chosen in 1882, according 10 the ratio of representation
the present Congress, according the apporionment
which VIII be made under the late Census. The Consii-
tuition says that
If .Eacs State shall nppon such tn. Legislature
Gs ss to the whole number Of sDI which
Another clause says, that
"rhc actual enumeration shall three years AFTER
s Of TEN "a" o"ss.s of the IT, s,a and h
The Washington Globe thinks that the electors ought
10 De appooned according TO the numbers of the present
Congress-and pronounces the other opinion be SIN
STror-But we incline TO think this last opinion to be
the correct The Globe argues that entuckv now
has twelve, and although ii may be awarded her I'M
der the late census she ciH be entitled to that n-
Der in Congress until the 18th OF March, 3.-The ex-
preston, however, admits OF another mcanng-The Con-
suution does not say as, but may be ened(dy be en-
utled by the new and the apporionment UNI
uer -Admt inns last construction, and you give full
ecacy as possible TO the other clause, concerning the
cimal censusEou allow each State the benefit of her in
creased popuation in the election of PresdentY
ny out "e principle oil apportionment, far
and you prevent the States from being entirely at the
mercy of the funconaes who superintend the taking OF
the rights of the States.
Such too was the taken in 1872 in a similar
mad been no act OF aPporonment made at the
ceding Session But when Congress met in Nov. 1911
Mr. Dawson of Virginia, submitted the following resolu-
ton; 'Resoiued That Committee be appointed to bring
III Dill Tor the apporuonment of Representatives
the several States, according to the third enumeration
Tho bill took up much OF the time of both Houses. Ii
was dilcult TO agree upon divisor But at last 80 00e
was adopted. The H. of II. had originally passed the bill
with $4,000 i'm 1.-THE Senate, however, disagreed to IT,
and proposed the 5000The of Representatives ontheir
part disagreed to this amendment their Speaker giving
the casting vote; Committee of Conference was appointed
and could not agree-And at last the House gave way
900 ayes to 90 and not until the 18th Decem-
Der, that the bill finally paSedThis too, like the
present was the first Session of the Congress.-In
February following. the Virginia Legislature held their
Caucus and nominated 25 Electors agreeaby the APP
portionment OF the new aw-And in the following De-
cember, Mr.. Madison was re-elected President.
W. offer these statements without stopping calculate
how far the interests of State the election
General Jackson may be affected by either ratio.-But we
should like at the time have the opinions Others
who may have more maturcy considered the subject
According to our views of it, Congress ought take
up the subject at onceand pass the appoonmen bill
soon possible. Our own Legsaturcand that of
raj States in session-and they will then have
to make their arrangements, viz: amend their
Electoral Laws and 10 nominate their Electors.
We take leave TO make another suggestion-Four years
ago, the Legislature of Virginia had two Conventions
the first TO what Counties represented
by their Delegates i'll order that such Counties dele
gate extra members-and the second Convention was to
nominate the Electors and make all the other necessary
arrangements But the number of Electors is be de-
crmined by the new law of apportonmen any final
ton OF our Legislature will be dependent upon the move
mcnts of Congress.