Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1845-02-08
From our Jefferson City cOrrespondent.

are dissatisfied with the act Of the Legislature
establishing sixteen new counties. For the rea.
son that every man has not a copy Of the consti.
tuition, in his house, make the following ex.
tracts from that formerly generated instrument.
The second section Of the third article Of that
paper says 1.-THE house Of Representatives shall
consist Of members to be chosen every second
year by the qualified electors OF the several
counties. Each county shall have at least one
Representative, but the whole number Of Repre-.
senatves shall never exceed one hundred.
The fourth section Of the same article provides
that the General Assembly shall at The end Of
every four years, "cause an enumeration OF the
inhabitants Of this State TO be made, and OF the
first session, after each enumeration, shall APP
portion the number Of Representatives among
the several counties according 10 the number OF
free white male inhabitants therein" These are
provisions of the Constitution which in the for.
nation OF new counties cannot be overlooked,
nor will they be dsregarded by the people. In
the present organization Of the House Of Rep.
resentatives, they see the county OF Caldwell,
with but 1926 voters, (al free white males over
twenty one, considered voters) represented now
in the House, equal to the county of Buchanan
with 2,099 voters. A good and salutary meas.
ure is proposed advocated and voted for by the
member from Buchanan, bu. defeated by the
opposition vote OF the member from Caldwell.
Here is an instance Of 325 voters defeating the
wishes OF 2,0S9 voters. These two counties are
named simply TO show the gross and glarng
inequality now existing in the legislation OF the
State. The majority is controlled in making
good laws, or repeating bad ones, by a minority
OF less than one sixth of that majority, and this
too in a country which processes to be governed
by the equal rights OF man. That which now
exists in the organization OF the House Of Rep.
resentatives, is mentioned only for the purpose Of
showing that the creation OF new counties will
produce greater inequality in our Representation
than we now have.
With the new Ones there are now ninety
three counties in the Stale; each county must
have at least one member; the House cannot con
sst Of more than one hundred members, and
representation is based upon the number OF vo
:ers in each county. There are about 96, 057
voters in the State 500, in round numbers, is
requ site as the equal constituent body OF each
representative, and TO say nothing Of the mum.
Der Of voters in the new counties, about lchich
no one knO,rs) Caldwell has 325 only. ST.
Louis, for example, has 1873 voters, and is
just as much entitled TO forty one representatives
as Caldwell is to one. | mention the county
OF ST. Louis, 10 bring this shameless injustice
before the eyes OF the people. Under the ap
portionment which will be made during the
present session, the ninety three counties Should
no more new ones be created) will have mem.
her each, and there will be seven OF the one
hundred TO give TO the larger counties; say that
the other seven are given 10 St. Louis, she will
still require SO members more, to place her
upon the equality contemplated by the Constitu.
ton, with the county OF Caldwell. And that
position would leave all the other large counties,
to.wi: Platte, Clay, Boone, Marion, Pike,
Howard and many others with but one member
each. These are facts for the consideration OF
the people.
You have been advised how the vote went off
in the House for the new County Bill. 1t was a
democratic favorte, party move, as trust all
may be, which SAVIOR Of reputation, or nullifca
ton, or which are destructive Of private rights,
or positive violations of the Constitution. How
can man, sworn 10 support the constitution,
vote to create new counties under existing facts?
Is it not forgetting constitutional oaths in the
love OF party power? 1t is not commended that
in the apporonment of representation positive
equality can be attained, but the principle can
be maintained by divisions which are practicable.
The case OF The contested election from
Cooper is still in doubt and uncertainty; it may
not be determined for several days to Gomez the
legality OF each contested vote being tried as
ssperate case in Court. Public opinion is now
much in favor OF Mr. O'Bden. 1t is said the
deeds which would have 10 be done 10 sustain
Mr.. Miller in his suit, require darker places
and that democratic Senators are beginning to
make virtue OF necessity, and now declare they
intend to be honest which is construed into a
disposition TO give it up.
In the House, on yesterday, there were several
more resolutions offered on the subject OF the
disposition of the funds TO be realized from the
100000 acres o. land. No definite action has,
however, been had on that subject. There was
also set OF resolutions offered by Mr.. Hough
approving and lauding our naturalization laws
which, under the rules, lie over one day. These
are of the same 111rt7j MIA tpr as those oered in