Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1849-11-15
The next AppOrtiOnment of Senators
and Representatives.

The Philadelphia Daily Ners Of the 3Ist ult,
has an article upon this subject, OF the spirit OF
which we fully approve, urging the adoption oil
the single district SYSTEM instead of the division
by counties which we now have The article was
evidently conceived in an earnest desire to pro-
mote the integrity, honesty and efficiency of the
Legislature, and to bind the representative, in all
cases, more closely and Immediately TO his consti-
tuenls. We think, however, that there are some
objections to this system which have been over
looked by our cotemporary; and which, in our judg-
ment, would far outweigh the advantages to be
derived from it. Such system would manifestly
destroy the individuality of the counties, those
smaller geographical well as civil divis ions of
the State, which it seems to US important to pre-
serve. 1t would be impossible to apportion the
Representatives amongst the several counties so
as TO give each its proper ratio of representa- ion
without sometimes forming district out of parts
of,wo or more counties; and it might even so hap
pen that county would be so situated in regard
TO the districts so formed, that it would have no
Representative at all, which could be claimed as
exclusively its own; and this would be in violation
of that clause Of the Constitution which provides
that every county shall have at least one Repre-
sentative" 1t was evidently the design of those
who framed the present Constitution, that the Sec
tonal influence of the counties should be pre-
served in the Legislature. The representatives
though apportioned chiefly in view of an equality
in regard to population, was not intended, in our
opinion, to represent population only but territory
also; and hence the geographical limits Of the
counties were preserved as one of the elements
ofihe Apporonment. The allotment Of members
is TO be made according to the number oftaxables
in each particular county," and not according to
the. number of taxables in the whole State. 1t
must, therefore, be inferred that in using this Ian.
guage, the trainers of the Constitution mea mt 10
preserve the county influence in the Legislature.
Otherwise they would have simply porvided that
the Representative Districts should be apportioned
throughout the Stale according TO population
The suggestion Of our cotemporary, that the sim
gle district system would identify the Represen-
tative more closely with his constituency is, never
theless. worthy of great consideration; and could
such system he devised without violating the
integrity and unity of the counties, we should hail
~
ment System of the State. 1t is at all events in
cumbent upon the Legislature to examine the SUBJ
ject intelligently and patiently with view to the
adoption of the best possible system that can be
devised, having proper regard for all the interests
involved.
The provisions of the constitution, having
bearing upon the subject, are as follows:-The 4th
section of the lst article provides, that every
" seven-years an enumeration of the taxable nhab-
tants shall be made. in such manner as shall be
directed by law; the number of Representives
shall, at the several periods of making such emu
meration, be fixed by the Legislature, and appor-
toned among the city of Philadelphia and the
several counties, according TO the number of tax
able inhabitants in each, and shall never be less
than sixty, nor greater than one hundred. Each
county shall have at least one Representative
but no county erected since the adoption of the
constitution, shall be entitled to a separate rep
resentaiion until sufficient number of taxable
inhabitants shall be contained within it to entitle
them to Representative, agreeably to the ratio
which shall then be established" The 9th Sec
ton of the same article provides tha. the number
OF senators shall be liked by the Legislature and
apportioned among the several districts" formed,
" according to the number of taxable inhabitants
in each, and shall never be less than ne-fourth
nor greater than one-third ofthe number of Rep
resentatives" The 7th section of the same article
further provides that no Senatorial district shall
be formed to entitle it 10 elect more than two
Senators, unless the number Of taxable inhabitants
in any city county shall at any time be such as
to entitle it to elect than two; but no city or
county shall be entitled TO elect more than four
Senators. When any district shall be composed
of two or more counties. they shall be adjoining;
neither the city of Philadelphia nor any county
shall be divided in forming district
Harrisburg Telegraph.
Constructive MiIeage--Re eform.
A correspondent of the New York Courier, writ
ing from Wasinotorl on the 2Qth savs.-