Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1841-01-23

consist, it will give 1920 free white males
in county as the ratio for single Rep
resentative; but if the total population be
taken as the basis of the calculation, and for
want of the necessary facts, we are driven
to its use, then, it would require 3S17 souls,
to be entitled to one member in the House,
as q general proposition. But from the
facts before the Committee it does not ap-
pear that a solitary county proposed to be
organized by the BILL reported, by the ma
iority of the committee, has the number of
free white males, assumed as the ratio, in
the above calculation; or, the total popula-
ton that would give evidence of its having
such ratio. The proposed county of Dade
|approximates most nearly, having from the
facts before us, population of $685.; a
partial deficit, which, in the opinion of the
minority of said committee, comes well
within the necessary and unavoidable ine-
quality allowable, by the spirit of our Con-
stitution-were it not that 2174 of that
number is proposed to be taken, from Bar
ry county; thereby reducing the whole
population of Barry, with population of
only 434S, about one half, and greatly be-
low the ratio.
The second, in order, is the proposed
county of Scotland, with an estimated pop
ulaton of 5000 souls.
The three next highest in population of
the proposed new counties, are Mississippi,
with an estimated total population of 1884.
Usage of 276O, and Wright of $500. The
first taken from Scott will reduce the popu-
laton of the latter to 1894; the second with
an estimated part of its population of 1900
{oIy d. +bo Loot ifc
whole $500 taken from Pulaski, also, will
reduce its total to ENTHUSIASTICALLY less
than half of the estimated ratio.
The total population of the proposed
new counties then descends in rapid pro-
erosion, so that the five with the least esti-
mated total, sink to 1900, 1870, 1850, 1850,
and down to s35, being less than one fourth
of the estimated population indicating the
ratio assumed, while they will, at the same
time, reduce counties already organized,
from which they are taken below that esti-
mate.
But, it will, in our opinion be found, un-
der the operation of this bill, that there will
be at least IS counties with single Repre-
resentative! Among which, there must
be those, with greater population than six
thousand!
There is another striking result, that will
be produced, worthy of full consideration
here.
There will be majority of the Repre-
sentatives, given to, and elected only by, a
total population of l24,7ss, while the re-
naming 256,966 souls - will be rep
resented in the House by minority of
members
This does seem to us to abrogate and an
null those vital princip pies of the Constitu-
ton that guarantee to our people, an equal
representation; and is, in our opinion, at
war with, and forbidden by, the provisions
and spirit of that instrument, to the support
of which, each member of both Houses and
every officer, civil and military of this State
is solemnly sworn.
The minority of the committee are not
unapprised, and feel as sensibly as any, the
great inconvenience many of our fellow
citizens labor under, who are knocking at
the door of this Legislature for organiza-
ton. We believe too, that the difficulties
and obstacles that stand in their way, have
been, and are the result, in part, of impro-
yident Legislation, heretofore, in the organ
lzatlon OF counties, with too sparce popu-
lation, upon promises, assurances and ex-
Pectations, of an early increase, not realized
by time; and, in part, upon the unwise pol
icy of pairing down those counties, so as to
cripple their subsequent prosperity, at the
ingenious, and earnest solicitations of per-
sons, influenced only by local, selfish, or
mistaken considerations
Another very striking and important re-
suit, flowing from the same cause, is, the
baneful and disastrous effects produced
upon the finances of the State.
1t will be found, by examination of the
abstract OF the Taxes reported by the Audi
TOR, that no inconsiderable number of coun-
ties Ia! short of yielding to the Treasury a
nett revenue, sufficient to discharge the
travelling ana per diem wages of their
members, to the Lcgisiatnrc-leaving the
whole burden of paying the executive and
Judicial officers Of the State, to be borne by
those counties that are the greater suffer-
ers by the injustice of this enequal repre-
sentation. This, in effect is giving the pow
er OF taxing the counties that bear the
principal burden and expense of the gov
eminent, in the hands of the non-paying,
or rather, least paying counties.
This is result that strikes us as abhor-
rent to all correct views of our Republican
institutions All will recoIlect, that, it was
the claiming the right of taxing the colo
mes without representation, by the Parlia-
ment of Great Britain, that led to the war
OF independence. And in the discussion
of that subject the American Statesmen in
sisted upon, and established the principle
that taxation and representation were CO.
relative terms, and should go hand in
hand, or there could be no rational eniov