The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1849-07-07
The Whig AppOrtionment Bill.

lAO Wig nPPVi iCi'hih0ht Diii'
Much has been said and written upon
the fraud and injustice perpetrated by the
whig apportonment scheme, Of l848, upon
the rights of the people Of this State; and
much more will be said and written, before
that foul stain, in our political history,
will be wiped out. Many, and loud, and
long professions were made by the wings
that their apportionment should and would
be fairly and honestly made; and even
now, when its iniquities had well nigh left
us without state government, men may
be found who will defend it as monu-
ment of whig justice and magnanimity.-
Perhaps it is; but if so, it is because it does
not entirely disfranchise the democratic
party. The division of Hamilton county
is, of itself, an outrage that ought to make
its perpetrators blush for very shame; be-
ing done, as it was, for party purpose and
to secure the return of two whig members
to the House of Representatives. Apart
from its unconstitutionality, the measure
is unjust and tyranical in the highest de.
gree. But this apportionment is, in other
reePo0t'' 90 unfaii as an superintendent
could we'll be. For instance the county of
Pickaway, which frequently gives a small
democratic majority, and has popolution
sufficiently large to entitle her to one rep.
resentative, is attached to the county of
Ross, with large whig majority, merely
for the purpose ofswallowing up the small
democratic majority of Pickaway. The
result of this gerrymandering at the last
election was loss to the democrats of one
member and consequent gain of one to
the wings. The great argument used by
the wings to justify the division of Hamil-
ton county, is that it will bring the repre-
sentative into closer contact with his con-
stituents, and yet in the same bill Ross and
Pickaway are joined for the express pur-
pose of sitting the democratic majority of
Pickaway! Such is whig honesty.
Numerous other frauds, upon the people,
were perpetrated by the wings in their ap-
portionment, to some of which we will brief
refer We find in speech of Mr.. Will
son, a member of the Senate from Seneca
county, a number of facts and tables rela-
tive to this whig apportionment, some of
which we give below that our readers may
Judge of its "fairness and honesty"
Let it be borne in mind that, at the last
4,888 white male inhabi-
tants was the requisite number to entitle a
county to representative. Now examine
the following calculations:
The counties of Belmont, Guernsey,
Franklin and Delaware, which almost al
ways send wings to the legislature, are en-
titled, under the whig bill, to representa-
ives, and yet have only 1926 white male
or 7,O44 less than would enti-
lie them to that number. So that in fact
hey have not a population sufficient to en-
title them to 5.
Now examine democratic districts:-
Knox, Holmes, Wayne, Ashland, Colum-
Diana and Clermont, Under the same bill,
nave only 6 representatives and yet have
30 ,572 white males, or 1926 more than
he whig counties above referred to with
he same number of representatives. The
average in the whig districts being only
,,714, while in the democratic districts it
S 5,428, or LIZA more than is required to
'lect whig in the above districts. These
TX democratic counties come much higher
'eing entitled to members than the four
vhig counties are to s. Again: Il
The democratic counties Of Columbianal
md Mahoning with 10, ,844 have but 2 rep
whilst Belmont and Guernsey
With but 158 more has 8. 3 II
The whig counties Of Montgomery and