Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-06-14

sets 10; Connecticut a. Vermont 4; New ot NJ ..
Ind e Viruinia Is North Carolina .; South Caro-
l;n, Georgia S; Alabama Z; LOUISIANA Mis-
s"s;n, Tennessee II Kentucky 10; Ohio u In
',,.np Ia Illinois Missouri ) Arkansas ]; Mich
gan 3 Rhode Island 2--were c'ncnfrta M.
'rae onrs:icn then came UP on 'he aooisioh 10 'ne
second clause adopted Yesterday, namely
upror;d.d Thai the provisions OF tins law shall mol
ati 81 the election Of membersto the 2Sih Congress
On This question The yeas and nays having been call
ed for, were ordered, and resulted IN The negative
follows: VT, n. ~,
honm. caiSs Fulton rnton KING Linn MeRobs5ts
XIV n,,e1 wi SIur :" woodbury. Wright Yoe-
Archer, Barrow, Bates, iayard Chnar, Clay
s"n Mrrr:ck Miller Morrhcad, Phelps porier Peston sim
mons Smith Indiana, spragur IanadGe' "'e ana "o'd
The nr,t question was on concurring with the Com
mittee of the Whole in MIR. Benton's amendment, pro-
yidno that the districts shall consist, nearly d,
practicable, Of an equal number OF inhabitants.
Mr.. WALKER called for the yeas and nays; which
were ordered. and resulted in the affirmative, as fol
yo-Mcyrs Allen, Archer, Bagby, Bate, BENTON, icrrien
buchanan Calhoun, Clayton Cntlett Evan f"lun' .ienet
snn King Linn McRnrl, Maaen Porter, Preston, smith o
Connecticut Smith Of Indiana sturgeon mHF%m, Ma'sef
wnr wl'ox. Williams Woodbury., m,E! ama StnG g.,
Ms",s M sn AG,ssss r'pS s''' summons
Mr. LINN observed, that IT had been slated yesler
day by the Senator from Virginia. (Mr. Archery thai
his reason for voting favor of the second clause oil
this bill was that he wished TO protect mnortles-an
,icpating that III two years. lie and his friends might
be IN minority. He would, therefore, move for ex
emp,ing the State Of Missouri, which was one of the
minority States, from the operation of the compulsory
clause until after the 2Sth Congress; and he hoped
the Senato, from Virginia, whose sympahes were sc
strong in favor Of protecting mInortes, would vote
with him.
bod IN incl fba
State of Mississippi.
Mr.. LINN assented.
Mr. BERRlEN hoped the Senator would include
Georgia.
Mr. LINN said, Certainly.
Mr. SMITH of Connecticut hoped the Senator would
include the State of Connecticut.
Mr. LINN asked fthat Stale elected by districts, or
by general ticket
Mr. SMITH replied, partly By the district system,
and partly by the general ticket system.
Mr. LINN objected, that including any State elect.
ing partially or wholly by the district system would
embarrass his motion.
Mr. WILLIAMS asked the Senator from Missouri
to include the State Of Maine.
Mr.. LINN assented.
Mr.. SMITH OF Connecticut hoped the Stnator
would not object 10 including Connecticut
Mr.. LINN could not consent to open up the whole
discussion again. lie had proposed 10 exempt MIS-
souri, because he was unwilling tina: there should be
any collision between that State and the Genera Co.
vernment.
Mr. MERRICK objected TO the amendment, IN the
ground of Partially, IN legslating for special e:emp
tons from n general law.
MIR. LINN did not any force in the Senate OBJ
lection The States which elect BY the general Ticket
system subjected to special grievances in this law
and all he asked by his amendment was, that time should
be given 10 them for the change they are required TO
make.
MIR. BUCHANAN said if he knew himself, he
would vote for this amendment without the slightest
tinge Of party feeling.
fie appealed TO Senators to consider seriously the
consequences which might arise from the reec'ion
of this amendment II could do no harm, in any pos
sibe point Of view and it might save US from dell
Gale and dangerous question, which might sake the
Union.
The question was then taken on the amendment, as
follows:
Prordcd That this section shall not take effect, as
to the election of Representatives from The States OF
Missouri, Mississippi, Georgia, and Name, TIL alter
the election of Representatives for said States Tor the
2oth Congress
And it was decided in The negaiTe-yeas %, nays
"a, as follows
iaMess Allen Barhy Bates nenOp nsrIien h K,e
Linn McRoerts, Rivrs Sturgeon 1appan, Walker, "hcoa
Williams W1od' !es Mf a a"a asaid Clayton Conrad
Crafts. Evans Graham, Huntington Kerr sansnn' Mri,ek,
Miller Mofrhead, Phelps. Porter, Preston SIMMONS Snhh ."
Connscticu Smith Of lndiana spasue amadse Whe and
on which he called for the yeas and nays which were
ordered:
Prorided, That the next election for Congress in
those States voting under existing laws by general
ticket, shall not be affected BY this section
The question then taken, and resulted IN the
negative-yeas 23, nays %.
MIR. BENTON moved the following amendment:
Provided, That in any State were it shall be i'm
possible for want of tme to district the State before
the first election for Representatives, them and in thai
hall Sfatn
second election of Representatives. under this act
The yeas and nays were then called for, and order
ed and they resued-yeas 81, nays "A.
MIR. WOODBURY. submitted the following amend
ment
ind prorided, That this section shall not be cons
dered to deprive the people Of any State, or dstric
therein of the right to be represented, and to choose
Representatives to Congress the mode existing un
der the several State laws until regulations are maze
there by the State Legislatures or Congress, Prescr6
ing the boundaries of any new district required
Mr.. w stated that his object to preserve the re
preventative principle and guard against the people
being dsfranchised by any neglect OF either Congress
the State Legislatures in dstrictng the States The
Governor may refuse to issue his procamaton or one
House of the Legislature may be in favor OF dis
ricng the States, and the other opposed; or the Go
vernon may disapprove of any law passed by them. j
was therefore, to guard against any thing OF this kind
suspendng the representative pnciple-that he Offered
his amendment
MIR. PRESTON opposed the anne ndment on the prln
cpe that it was the duty of the Legislatures of the
States TO protect the representative principle TO the PEG
ple and it would be improper for the General Govern
ment TO step i'll between the State Legislatures and then
communities. This should be left to the States them
selves. He trusted therefore, that this amendmen
would share the fate Of its predecessors.
Mr.. HUNTINGTON thought it would be the same
thing leaving it entirely discretionary with the States
whether they would conform TO the law not. He wal
sure such proposition this could not be sanctioned
by the Senate.
Mr.. SMITH, of Connecticut, considered the amend
ment submitted by the Senator from New Hampshire
very proper one because Congress had not gone as a
as the only power ii could have required should go
in fixing the districts itself Having failed to do III
duty in this respect it bound to protect the repre-
sentative principle, which by its present action it en-
dangers
Mr.. CUTIlBERT said he thought the objections
made BY Senators the other side, that the operation
of the amendment would be partial, entitled Il
no weight because the Constitution, BY the acknow
edgment of ALL expressly designed in this section t
provide for partial legislation. when the expency