Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-05-31

Mr. SEWER said that the question would, of course
be first taken on his amendment being the highest, &c
insert a. 600 the ratio, which would give one hun
bred and ninety-three members, without regard &c
fractions lie believed that the House too large
and the people complained of long sessions and Of
doing NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. they looked upon it nu
sance. 1t time 10 change the number, and he
would go for the highest ratio that he could get He
then called for The yeas and nays, which were ordered
| Mr. PRESTON concurred with the view expressed
by the Senator from Arkansas, that The House shonlt
be smaller than it He thought that the proper
ton of three members to every Senator would be abou
right He therefore proposed % 600 the ratio BY
this the representatives which would be apporoned te
the various States in the Union would be hundred
and sixty five ; and by adherence to the amendment
with regard to fractions six more representatives would
be added making one hundred and seventy -one mem
bers in all This the general result, taken in con
junction with the rule already adopted
| Mr.. SEWER withdrew his call for the yeas anc
nays enable the Senator from South Carolina 10 sub
init his amendment.
| Mr. CALHOUN thought that increase of the
present number of the House would not have benef
cial effect. In 1910, when the number was but one
hundred and forty, the House nearly as quiet and
as orderly as the Senate. He thought that the frs
thing to be settled whether they ought TO have
large small ratio, they would have great Difficult
! ty in fixing the ratio in the manner proposed.
| Mr.. WOODBURY., in conformity with the idea JUS
advanced, had drawn up resolution, resolving, the
bill, they would first increase the number of the House
of Representatives This, he thought, would test the
sense Of the Senate.
Mr. CRlTTENDEN said that nothing could be &C
com pshed by such resolution, and that the only
practical and eeclua mode arrive at the result de
sired was by voting the various propositions cl
had already been submitted. Some of them were
| high, and others low
Mr. ALLEN believed that the people desired ratio
of about CO. 600, and that that number would be
acceptable to the State of which he Senator thar
any other The difficulties in the popular branch, lr
his opinion, owing TO the construction of the
| Hall, far than any disposition Of the members
He knew that harsh language was sometimes used, bu
one half of The epithes were in consequence OF one
gentleman not hearing what another said and that
supernduced call for explanation, which led to no
blood, and produced i'll feeling. The desks ought tc
be taken out, and the Hall made square, or some suit
able should be selected, not for show but utility
and then the House would be very near, if not quite
as orderly rs the Senate.
| Mr. SEWER said, it was Obvious that the House
was loo large and the structure of the Hall being
the Of the disorders in that body, it all "ea
Their and prunella." There was question taken or
apy bill at this at the last session. but what they hat
TO make rule by which to decide the question, ant
Immediately after member would move the preyi
Gus question, 10 put it beyond re consideration the
next day. All this the result of the large number
of Representatives.
Mr. BUCHANAN said that the House of Represen
tatves ought to be composed of such number woule
best consult the interests of the people, and render the
Representatives directly possible responsible tc
their constituents. He thought that House of tive
hundred members would be sufficiently large, and mol
too large 10 transact rapidly but with prudence the bu
siness of the country. He desired that the House
should be large that the political influence of the
President, could not corrupt ii; he thought that two
hundred would be sufficient to guard against such
suit; and he would 60 for keeping the House as neal
as possible 10 hundred members, and resist every
attempt at n lower reduction
Mr.. SMITH, of Connecticut, was understood 10 be
in favor of an increased number Of Repesen and
in favor Of the ratio as it came from the House.
Messrs CRITTENDEN, SEWER, CALHOUN
WOODBURY., and PRESTON, made some further
remarks, and the Senate, at o'clock, adjourned.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE
Mr.. GlLMER, from the Retrenchment Committee
to which sundry petitions, &c, had been referred pray
ing reductions in the pay Of members of Congress- and
other plans of reform, moved that the committee te
discharged from further consideration of the subject
it had made reports, in part in conformity with the
prayer of the petitioners.
Mr. LEVY offered resolution calling for cores
pondence respecting the Florida war. The resolution
was adopted.