Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1842-02-08

LEGISLATIVE APPoRTIoNMENT-AB Bill has been
introduced in the legislature, providing for new
apportionment of members. The bill in the shape
proposed is manifesty unjust, inasmuch as 1t de-
signs to base the apportlonment on the census
of 1910. In a country new as this, where the
tide of emigration is continually rolling IN, and
changing the relative population OF the different
counties, every year, even a few months pro-
duce great alteration. Since the census of 1S4O,
there has been added at the lowest calculation to
Wisconsin population of $4,000. During this
time some of the counties have increased from 90
to 70 per cent, while other counties have received
but few no additions to their number OF lnhablt
ants. The village of Southport has increased SINCE
June 1910, at the rate of 80 per cent per annum.-
Other villages in this County have had rapid IN
crease during the last eighteen months. Racine
County presents entirely new aspect in point of
numbers now, than was exhibited by the census of
1910.
Should the bill which has been presented to the
legislature be passed, the Counties of Racine and
Iowa, will lose member each in the house land
the County of Brown, lose one member in the coun-
Gil The County of Milwaukee will gain one
member in the house, and the County of Walworth
will gain member in the council and one in the
house. Now if these changes were warranted by
the actual condition of things, one would have
cause to complain. But no one who is at all
quanted with the progress of population, during
the last eighteen months in this Territory will pre-
tend say that this proposed representation would
be just. 1t would deprive the County of Racine of
one representative in the House, which the County
is entitled to retain by its present population. The
County of Walworth is entitled to an increase Of
its present representation.
We know of no possible way, by which the le-
gislature can change the present representation
from the several counties, and at the same time
render justice to all parties concerned, without first
providing that a new census be taken, and upon
that let the representation be based fit be objected
that this would be attended with expense;
swer that the item of expense would sink into IN
significance compared to the wrong which would
be done to some portions of the Territory, were
the representation to be based on the census of 40.
| We recognize representative government, and we
acknowledg &c other representation as legitimate,
except that which is based according to population.
The right of representation for Legislative purposes
is one that cannot be wrested from the people with
impunity. The people are justly Jealous OF their
rights; every County in the Territory is entitled to
its just proportion of power in the halls of legsla
ton. 1t is therefore high handed usurpatlon, to
wrest from county its just proportion of legsla
tive power, and give that power to another.
Mr.. MARTIN of Green Bay on the 18th ult. pro-
posed to add a RESOLUTION to the HarbOr memorial
-of~N1r Upham, requesting Gen. Dodge, Dele
gate in Congress, to bring in bill providing for
improvement of harbor at Milwaukee, unconnec-
ted with any other point This attempt of Mr..
Martin to embarrass, and dictate to our Delegate
! at Washington, certainly stepping aside from
, his duties as legislator. Mr. Martin could not
have been ignorant of the fact, that Gen. Dodge
had publicly declared tothe people the akeshore,
that he should give preference to either of the
three prominent points on the Lake claiming ap-
preparations, but that each should receive his und
vided attention. Mr.. Martin ought to know too,
that the Delegate from this Territory is an Off
created by the legislature but an officer elect
ed by the people. What right therefore have the
W oI W pIeScIlOc 10 uu-
ties in this matter! The very fact that our Dele
| gate publicly announced the policy, which would
govern him In asking for appropriations, and that
the people have expressed their approval of that
policy by electIng him, is equivalent to his being
instructed by the people the subject of harbors.
| We have the pleasure to say that the aforesaid
resolution was promptly rejected by the Council.
REPORT OF Mr. ELLIS ON STATE GOVERNMENT
We had designed to bestow some further remark
upon this report, but have been waiting to see
whether the legislature were prepared to endorse
the positions which 1t assumes. In the meantime
/ the Chairman of the ''Commttee on Territorial
Affairs, any other learned legislator will confer
a favor by enhghtening to the process in
mathematics, or principle of logical reasoning, by
which one modest item of S;50,O50 is produced in
the report. The report after giving in detail the
estimated expenses of state government, goes on
! to say
:. 1t seems that the sum of $5O,575 90
: in specie or its equivalent is now
! paid us per annum by the General
Government that after banishing
! this sum from our limits, we should
have to raise rom
Ces to pay the expenses OF the pro-
posed State Government, the sum of 50,050 90
| Equal together to the sum of SI0I,I 25 90
year.
CASTOR BEANs.-We learn from the Genius Of