Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1841-04-03
From the Missouri Republican.
THE NEW APPORTlONMENT.

IN our last, In tnlS (aOle, column is aided,
containing the free white male population over
81 years OF age. This column is intended for
the purpose Of showing the number OF persons
in each ncw county, competent, by age, TO be-
come parties to suits at law; as the remote dis
lance which the inhabitants Of the various terri.
tories prayed to be organized as counties, was the
only argunen, used by the advocates Of new
counties, in The Legislature, which poss 'ssed even
the Sembtahce Of nausbity. The new counties
are marked thus and those informed on the |
subject, as TO the proportion which litigans bear
10 the whole population, can now ascertain by |
calculation or otherwise, what proportion Of the |
33l Of Nangua, Of the 33l Of Ozark, Of the |
39S Of Andrew, etc., stood in need OF a court
house few miles nearer than the one they had |
The counties from which the new counties have |
been taken aIo marked hus1 as a matter Of in.
formation.
As we mentioned in our last, that 1920 is the
average equitable democratic ratio OF constituent
population to representative, under the last
census, it will be seen by reference to the accom-.
ranying table, that by the creation Of the fifteen
new counties, the number Of counties having less
than this population, has been increased from
screnieen to foriy.tro These AZ counties con.
tain 0,19l free white male inhabitants; which,
according to an apportionmenl based upon popu.
lalion alone would be entitled TO bit t,centy
nine representatives. it is, they have forty tro
which is thirteen more than they are entitled to-
By this means, the other 80 counties are delraud.
ed Of this uumber-l3 representatives The
average constituency Of each Of those 42 repre-.
sentatves is 1895 only and the allowance OF
representative 10 this number, in those ~ coun.
ties has the effect Of increasing the ratio Of con.
stitucnt population TO precisely 2lO0, on the
representatives Of the other IS counes-making
an average difference Of 905 constituents, be.
tween the representatives Of the two classes CT
counties.
The distribution Of representation among the
other 81 counties having to be made according
TO the free white male inhabitants ther.n," and
a, the necessarily increased average Of 2l0O, it
follows IS matter OF course, according 10 the
rule Of distribution which we adopted in our last,
OF requiring county TO contain at least ratio
and half Of population, to be entitled to two
representatives. that in the present case no county
containing less than $3.50, could be entitled to
two representatives; This number beng 2l0O.
and its half, 1850 added together. And no
county containing less than two aud half ratios,
or $3.50, could be entitled to three representa-.
ivrs. According TO this rule the following dis.
tribution OF representation would have been
madc.-[See the table.
From No TO No. g. Caldwell TO
Washington inclusive, 62 coun.
ties at ono representative each,
make. e. reps.
From No. 60 to No. Is, Clay to
Howard inclusive, is counties, at
two representatives, each, makes, 26 reps.
Booue, three representatives, 3 reps
ST, Louis, tight represen tatives, s reps.
90
Leaving one member to be added 10 Washing.
ton, to make up the 100. This the Legislature
did, and in the superabundance Of their love, q
one kind for ST. Louis, and their love of another
kind, for Howard, they took one from the oTmer
nad gave it to the latter. B 1t with the exception
Of this single instance, OF wronginI ST. Louis,
for the benefit and reward OF Howard the Lcgis.
la!urc have rigidiy adopted the system Of spPor.
,ionment among the 81 counties, that we EN-.
ploycd in our former article for apportionnent
amonS The Is no.c populous counties. The fact
is, there was no other mode, which could be
called system, for them to adopt.
Thus, we have above shown the rule by which
the above distribution was made; and that it is
iden:icaily the same which was mentioned by us
in our former Article upon this subject as being
the only one available under the constitution;
with the exception, however of the act Of inins
tcc done ST. Louis FOR the purpose Of bestowing
bounty upon Howard, As the same party, anu
same individuals who passed the apporlionment
passed the new comfy law also, We are COMPEL
ed, no. only to believe, but to know that there
were at lsas: same Of the members Of the maj
iIy who passed those laws, who knew what effect
the creation Of new counties would have upon
the apD1rtiOdment no matter how ignorant o.
those effects the balance Of them might have been
One Of the better informed leaders in this bust
ness, from Lincoln, upon being informed that
the creation Of only thirteen now counties, would
have the efcc; Of reducing the representation o.
his county from two to one, observed ''if that i,
the effect, will say, get thee behind me Satan.
Ie! he afterwards voted Tor both the new county
sad apponionmeni bills. That some Of the
majority knew the effect which the creation o.
new counties would have upon the apporton
rent is farther evidenced by the repeated refusal,
OF ha. majority in the House, to order the com
mtee on new counties, TO furnish the House
with an estimate u The population Of the new
counties, and Of the population remaining to the
counties from which the new were taken. Mr.
Bailey, Of ST. Charles, early in the stage Of the
pew co. movement, made this motion which was
promptly voted down. When the question cane
up in committee Of the whole, Nj. Coaltcr 0
the sane county, made the same motion, whlci
was adopted but after recess snI consultation
ard explanation, and a little drilling, one o
those wh) voted in the ma 0.ity moved recon
.idera,ion, which was carried and the order Wa,
IcscGded. And If We recoItrct ,ightly, bctwccr