Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1840-12-17
From. The Virginia Free Press.
RE-APPORTIONME OF REPRESEN.
TATlON IN TIE LEGISLATURE.


Ii seems TO have been forgotten that the
year lSll is the year designated in the amend
edConshtution of Virginia for the re-apporiion-
meht OF representation in the Legislature
ny the second section Of the third article OF
the Constitution, it is provided that the House
ol delegates shall consist of 1874 members,
whereof Mtriy-one shall be chosen for and
by the counties lying Yves, OF the Allegheny
Monnta,ns; f,ve,riy ,jirs Tor snd b tho fourteen
counties lying between the Allegheny and
Blue Ridge Of Mountains; )urfy-ftco for and
by the iWenty-nine counties lying Fast of the
Blue Ridge OF Mountains and above tile-wu-
ter and Mirty-sir for and by the counties,
cities, towns and borOughs lying upon tide
water.
The Senate is to consist Of 30 members, of
whom thirteen shall be chosen for and by the
counties lying West Of the Blue Ridge, and
nineteen for and by the counties, cities, towns
and boroughs lying East thereof.
Thus the State is divided, for delegates,
into jomr great districts, and for senators, into
taco great divisions.
The re-appor,ionment Of delegates in the four
great divisions, and Of senators in the two
great districts, Dihout any increase, is thus
provided for In the 18th section Of the I'd arli-
Gle of the Constitution
lit shall be the duty of the Legislature, to
re-apportlon, once in ten years, to wit: III the
year one thousand eight hundred and forty.
one, and every ten years thereafter, the rep
resentatlon OF the counties, cities, towns and
boroughs, of this commonwealth, in both of
the Legislative bodies: PrOuided, ho,ccrer,
That the number OF delegates from the aiore-
said great districts, and the number of scna-
tors from the aforesaid two great divisions,
respectively, shall neither be increased nor di-
minlshcd by such re-apportionment. And
when q new county shall hereafter be created
or any city, town or borough, not now EMIT
led TO separate representation in the house of
delegates, shall have so increased in popula.
ton as to be entitled, In the opinion of the
general assembly, to such representation, it
shall be the duty of the general assembly to
make provision by law for securing to the
people Of such new county, or such city,
town or borough, an adequate Representations
And if the object cannot otherwise be effect
ed, it shall be competent to the general as
sembly TO re-apportion the whole representa-
lion of the great district containing such new
county, or such city, town or borough, within
its limits which re-apportionment Shall con-
tinue in force till the next regular deccnnial
re-appor,ionment."
And the re-apportlonment of both delegates
and senators, NTH an increase of number, not
exceeding $50 in the House, nor 80 in the
Senate, is provided for in lhe 9th section Of
the Sd article, as follows -
1.-The general assembly, after the wear one
thousand eight hundred and forty-onc, and at
intervals thereafter oil not less than ten years,
shall have authority, two-thrds of each house
concurring, to make re-apportionments ofdelc-
gates and senators, throughout the common
wealth, so that the number OF delegates shall
not at any time exceed one hundred and fifty.
nor of senators thirty-siX."
i huS it will be seen, that whilst the reap
porticnment Of the present number of sena-
tors and delegates is made the duty Of the
Legislature of1S41, yet an increase can only
be accomplished by the concurrence Of i,U0-
thirds Of each house. So that no increase,
in the present stale fparties, need be expec-
ted. The census tables will no doubt soon
be in readiness, but as 4 -apportlonment of
Congressional representation cannot be made
until Congress shall have passed an ,appor-
tionment bill, it is not. probable an increase
of the legislative representation viii be at
tempted during the present session. When
ever the subject shall come up, it will be one
of difficulty, and will occupy much time. Its
Importance, therefore. should be kept before
the people, So that, il the choice of members
in the spring, an eve should be had TO the
selection Of the most judicious and fair deal
ing men. 1t is obvious that the Western
portion Of the State will gain something by
Tie new Legislative apportionnient, that region
having increased III population TO rather a
greater extent than the Eastern