Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-02-20

eSistinS compact. MS Is Inc very Positioh DIS
sumed By Eastern members. They, TOO, repud:-
ate the basis Of total population. They, TOO, be-
lieve that we should look TO The existing compact
for fair apporlionmcnl Of representation, or
adopt some ratio sni;cd 10 lhe diversified Interests
OF society as il now exists. II you organize the
Convention on The basis ol Federal numbers,
which is the basis OF representation in the Con-
gress oflhe United sta,cs, The East ia entitled 10
50 members, and the West 10 50, in The Conven-
lion. This apporonment wou'u be more untaro
rable 10 the West than The one proposed. ltyou
organise on taxation alone, so as 10 apporiion
representation and direct taxes in The same ratio,
then the Eastwill have ninelyhIee memfeis AID
the West foriy.une in The Convention. This ha-
sis is still more un!ayorable 10 the Yves; liyou
take mixed basis Of taxation and free Wkiie
population, giving 10 the East and Ike West their
relative power in The separate proportion Of TAXA
lion and free whites, then the East Will have
eighty members, and the West f!ly-four in Con-
veniun; or allowing 10 the West lis estimated in
creased white population since 1910, The relation
would be sevenly-Gne 10 fifty four il yor adopt
The ratio OF the last Convention, The relative REP
resenlalion would Re cighly-tour 10 lilty. II you
take the present Senatorial districts, and give TOUR
members 10 each district the East would have
sevcnly-sx and the West fiiy-lwo, in a house OF
one hundred and twenly-eighl members. II you
distribute representation according 10 Congress
sonal districts, the relation will be eighly-one
Eastern and filty-thIec Western members. The
bill of the majority Offers them The existing o'Sa-
nizalion ofthe House Of Delegates, which ]: more
favorable Than any other arporlionnen', except
that Of free white population. That appoIlion-
ment has been selected, because Il approxima'eS
very closely the combined ratio OF taxation aa'
free while inhabitants and because il recognises
The existing organization of the Government The
| f.o N,,tha fA1r Off uinh\ claims
majority of four members for the West, In the
Convention; and The minority report and bill
claim in substance The same majority. lie inf-
Their Informed Us, that The present Constitution
was formed upon IN principle--thai every prlnci-
pie OF The Bill Of Rights WAS repudiaicd and dl'-
REGARDED in the Constitution, and that Tree whie
persons should alone he regarded AZ The element
OF eqnal representation
In examining lhcs. various propositions, We
shall be much assisted by looking 10 The policy
Of other States OF this Conlederacy similarly ST.
luaed. We should ascertain whether he mixed
basis has obtained The sanction OF other States
where property and slavery are unequalIy dis
uibuted, and We should gather lessons OF prac-
tical wis'om from he experience they furnish
We are not, al this late day in the history OF
American governments, 10 lay down abstract the
cries Of The natural rights OF man, but look 10
the social condition as developed in SO many
States for so long period. beg leave, there
! fore - call The attention Of the House, very
briefly TO the apporiionment OF representation
/ by the Constitutions OF several States, 10 She"
| that The inequality Of representation 50 much
complained OIL prevails in many Of he States
and that the principle OF representation and tax
/ ation or Of representation on Federal numbers,
is neither anti.republican arislocratic, Dor monar-
| chical, as The terms are understood 10 The States.
/ And frs, as to
North Carolina. b. the old Constitution oil
| this State each county elected one Senator and
TWO Representatives 10 the House Of Commons,
| and one from each Of The towns OF E.dsnion, New
bern, Wilmington, Salisbury, Hillsboro and
| Halifax. This was an equal county rerresen-
talon The people called Convention, and by
the Constitution adopted in 1885, they changed
the county basis. The Constitution OF 1888,
provides that the Senate shall consist OF fifty re-
| representatives., TO be elected BY districts, which
| districts shall be laid off By The General q Assem-
| bly,, in proportion 10 the average public lakes
paid into The treasury for five preceding years.
! The House CT Commons is composed OF one
hundred and twenty members, 10 be elected by
the counties according TO their fedora! pupnla-
lion, each county 10 have al least one. The
| Senate represents taxation, the Commons repre-
sent federal numbers. The Constitution follows
The Constitution Of The United States very close
| w, making representation and direct taxes IN
The same ratio in one branch, and representation
| and federal numbers in The other. No conven-
ton can he called except hy vote OF two.!hirds
OF each House.
South Carolina-The old Constitution of this
| State apporlioned representatives in he Senate
and House OF Representatives among election
districts, giving fixed ratio to each The new
! Constitution (adoplcd I808) organizes The House
| of Representatives, oil one hundred and twenty
| four members on a combined ratio oil taxation
and white inhabitants Ii provides In assign
| ing representatives 70 The several districts OF The
| State The Legislature shall allow one represen'
| laliye for every sixty-second part OF The whole
| number Of white inhabitants IN the State, and
one representative, also, for one slxiy-second
| part of The whole taxes raised BY the Legislature
of the Stale'-the average taxes for The preceding
ten wear. TO be the guide. Here we have one
half Of the House OF Representatives representing
taxes-.he other hall representing white persons.
/ The Senate is composed OF one member from
each election district One distric. has two Sena-
!! TORS
Georgia-The Constitution allots one senator
10 each county. The House OF Representatives
is composed OF members elected from counties,
according to The number of free white persons,
and includng Mree-ffLhs of0N Tic psople Of color "
| Each county containing three thousand such
persons shall have two epresentatives-seven
thousand, three presena,ves-tweiveth ousa I'd,
| four representatives. Each county shall have
| one, and not more than four representatives.
/ The Senate here represents COUNTIES The House
| Of Representatives is based nearly upon federal
numbers, with lie important restriction, that each
county shall have al least one, and mol more Than
four representatives. There is no representation
Of free white persons.
Maryldnd-adopled an amended Constitution
In 1897 The Senator'S are apporioned among
The counties. The House Of Delegates is elected
from counties according 10 their federal numbers.
Every county having less Than fifteen thousand
| federal numbers, elects three Delegates; every
county having more than fifteen and less Than
twenty-five thousand federal numbers, elects four
Delegates; every county having twenty-five and
less Than thirty FIVE thousand federal numbers,
elects five Delegates; every county having over
hirty-fve thousand lcdefa numbers elects six De-
egaies. The city Of Baltimore elects as many
a the largest county. Here is county repre-
seniaion in the Senate, and federal numbers in
the House Of Delegates, with an important limi.
aion on The large city of Baltimore. No conn
" shall have more than six Delegates, and Bali
more shall have no more than The largest county.
Every county shall have AT cas. ihree, and none
more Than six. This Constitution, il must be
observed, was adopted in 1857
New Hampshire has twelve Senators, elected
by twelve districts laid of in the proportion OF
public taxes paid by said districts" The Hou.e
Of Representatives is composed Of members al
olled 10 the towns and parishes, according 10 The
number of ratahle male polls. Each town with
one hundred and City polls may elect one Repre-
sentative, and another Representative Tor every
three hundred additional ratable polls. The
Senate has direct relation TO taxation; The other
House has certain relation TO the ratable male
polls.
Senate and House Of Representatives fixed in
the Constitution
Masss chusel,s has Senate Of forty, elected by
districts in proportion hpntlie 'ozsslc@ tyfhe Dis
triets The House q Representatives is arror-
toned according to rainble polls The Governor
has The veto power, and ,wo-ihrds are required
to to-, mass a law after his veto. We lind here rep
resenla,on and taxation adopted Tor The Senate,
and The veto power rarosed in The Governor 10
restrain The numerical majority oil The House ct
Representatives.
Vernon, has a fixed county representation 10
the House of Representatives. The ntoer house