Weekly national intelligencer., 1850-05-11


r. Stanton Richard H. Stanton, Thaddeus Stevens Stetsou
Strong, Taylor, James Thompson, John b. Thompson Will
WORTH Whtesey Wdrek Wilson, Winthrop mSao, wsHs
NAYs-Messrs. Aiston Anderson Ashe, Averett, BayIy
s';s ses0sI nS"so1 Boyd Wsm Brown
Edmundson Featherson Gentry Gerry, German, Green
Haralson, Isham G: Harris Sampson w Harris, Henry
Hoagand Howard Hubbard Inge Jos. w Jackson Andrew
johnson, Robert w. Johnson Jones' Kaufman, La Sere
Marshall, Mason McCernand, r. M. McLane, McMullen
Phsin. poSe Sasa Ss%a ods o Outlaw
phens, Sweetser, Thomas Jacob Thompson Toombs Ven
able, Wallace, Watkins, Williams, Woodward-6l.
On motion of Mr.. THOMPSON. of Pennsy vania, tn,
title Of the bill amended to read follows sAn ac
providing for the taking of the seventh and subsequent
Of the United States and fix the number OF the
members Of the House of Representatives and provide for
their future apporonment among the several States"
when Mr.. VISToS submitted the above propositions two
three DAYS he made remarks explanatory them
which embrace the present opportunity Of inserting
follows
Mr. VNTON said he had risen for the purpose Of drawing
the attention of the committee to amendments which it
his intention to offer to the bill whenever it shall be in
order for him 10 propose them. The bill now before the
ee provides only for the taking of the seventh census
the United States, without looking the future The con-
suon of the United States makes provision for an equitable
aPporonment of representatives among the several States
stated intervals of years. according the number Of their
people, To accomplish this in way to leave nothing to the
discretion Of Congress, whether 10 do not provides
that the first enumeration Of the inhabitants shall be made
within three years after the first meeting Of the Congress of
the United States and within every term of ten
years, in such they shall by law direct" IF this
clause had simply directed that should be taken
every years for The apporonmen of among
the States, perhaps in case of omission by Congress
pass law regulating the mode of taking the enumeration
might be the duty of the President to see that this REQUIRE
ment Of the constitution carried into fleet But as the
constitution declares that shall be done in such manner as
Congress shall by law Direct it is very clear that if any
time Congress should fail to make legal provision for it, the
President waud have power to take the census From
this two consequences follow first that there could be
no appoonment of representatives second that there could
bs no House OF Representatives after the time when by the
constitution the apportionmen should be made And thus
by such an omission the House would be dissolved and the
Government in fact unhnged without the possibility of re-
organizing the House, and putting the making power in
motion again by any cors' s'itutiona mode.
Now, the bare stating of these consequences must think
satisfy every gentleman that the constitution contemplated
far at least the enumeration of the inhabitants concerned
some permanent legal provision and till that is done
apparent that the Government is only temporarily organized
instead Of permanently, which both wisdom and prudence
dictates should be- No foetel when how soon
the passage Of act may be defeated and the Govern
ment thus brought to end. To provide against such
have drawn section declaring that this
shall continue in force till altered repealed and that any
future census shall be taken pursuance it, in Con-
gess shall omit to act for that purpose, before
the first day Of January OF any year when the is
CURED to be taken This will the execution of that
important provision of the cons ution and put The Govern
ment beyond the reach OF casualty sn this have
doubt such precautionary provision has been heretofore
omitted from inadvertence and, if il find its way into
census act IT will be incorporated into all future acts and the
certain execution OF this provision Of the constitution eec
tuay secured The amendment propose is harmless and
precautionary, and may be of vital Importance. hope il
may receive the appreciation Of the committee. Akin this
there another amendment of still higher importance, which
intend to propose I'd this BILL but shall press it, if gem
emen shall think il would njuiousy embarrass delay its
passage The amendment proposes organize this House
by declaring the number Of members which shall
men that this House has yet been permanently ogan
led and as consequence from this, that the Government
d the country has had only temporary organizations and
must itself dissolve with the dissolution of this House
Hitherto alter the taking OF each census the House has been
rgauzed for period of ten years only and continue only
until another appointment of members among the States under
he next succeeding There is necessity for dis
solving the body in order to apporiion the members
Under the plan Of legislation heretofore pursued in order
preserve the organization of this House. and with it the
existence OF the Government ITSELF important laws must
DC passed within the period of every years. First law
take the census and then law declare what number
members shall constitute the BODY and apporon them
mong the several States If either be omitted the Govern
nent is unbinged. The trainers Of the constitution never
;'ud have contemplated that the work Of their hands, and
he existence Of the Government ITSELF would be left subject
any such contingency. The original organization of the
House provided for in the constitution temporary for
want Of knowledge Of the facts necessary wise and per-
nanent organization. The population Of the country
lnknown-a part of only nhabited-the Government
vas an experiment, and il matter of opinion only how
would work in practice At the end of than sixty
years. what opinion then history now founded
ual experience II left to Congress to frame these
organic laws, when it should possess better lights than the
ramers Of the constitution had their command. think
he time has when Congress should perform this duty,
md put the existence Of the Government beyond hazard
his cause 10 provide those laws necessary to the self
ervaon and perpsuity Of the Government is the very
md highest duty Of those who have the power enact them
Who can undertake to say that state Of things will
xist when either OF the three departments necessary to
passage Of law will refuse its sanction TO such law or
wholly omit to act Who undertake TO predict that
neither of these departments will be under the power
hose who might desire dissolution Of the Government
And if must not all perceive the imminent peril to which
he Government would be subjected when such would
lave nothing to do to overurn but 10 refuse to pass the
necessary preserve it from dissolution Can we
1pec in the progress of history, escape those dis
cnsons agtatons, and civil connections which have been
he lot of every nation that yet existed Can
hat we are to live and accomplish great destiny with
ut any o,hese calames and in that confidence fail pro-
de for the future propose to remedy hs and provide
or the permanent organic alton of the House, by fixing its
number permanently have named two hundred the fu
ure number Of members-ho apporonmen under the next
,r any other subsequent to be made follows BY
vision OF the whole representative population Of all the
~ two hundred, the number Of inhabitants ratio is
aimed which would be entitled member under the next
future census. By another division Of the whole
population Of each Safe by this ratio the
of members to which each State would be entitled is
ved at In this last division Of the individual States
ions would be left that would reduce the below
,undred propose to supply this loss by giving members
many States having tho largest fractions will make
the loss, and bring tie number Of members up to Two
hundred.
Now, this arrangement would be attended with many and