Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1850-04-19
GOVERNORS MESSAGE.
Returning the .Apportionment Bill ,cith
his directions.

10 the SenGte ana Rouse OF Representatives. Of the
Commonwealth Of Pennsylvania.
GENTLEMEN The necessity Tor the presen.
message lie most sincerely regretted. The ex.
ercise of the negative power, vested 10 me by
the Constitution has been hitherto caretuIlv
avoided, under the impression that ITS frequent
and constant use was well calculated to impair
the Republican simplicity of Representative
Government To unite with cordiali,y in
measures sanctioned by the Legislature, af.
fecting the welfare of the people, would at all
times afford me more pleasure than the adop-
ton of different policy.
When, however, IT becomes necessary, in nv
judgement to preserve the integrity of the
Constitution, and to protect the tights of Inv
fellow citizens, should feel that the trust re-
posed in me. by the sovereign people. was un.
ia thfully discharged, were | under any cir
cumstances 10 shrink from just responsibility.
or by any action of the Executive Department,
to permit the well established and reyered
principles of Representative Republican
Government 10 be endangered, outraged or de-
stTOyed.
In O government founded on the popular
will it is scarcely necessary TO remark that the
very basis of Its superstructure is the right Of
the citizen to an equal voice and influence at
the ballot box. The purity and equs ity OF the
ton of the favors and burthens of the State,
constitute the life-giving principles-the spirit
and strength of such government. The de-
struction of either may well be deemed an act
of hostility to the best interests of society, and
to the permanency of our institutions
In all ages and governments among civilized
men, the Infringement Of the right of repre-
sentation has caused the sturdlest and most
iustiiable opposition. Republican government
ceases TO exist whenever these cherished rights
are disregarded. In recognition of these ud-
mitted principles, the Constitution of this
Commonwealth has pledged the confttuted
authorities to their defence and preservation.
Impressed with the correctness of these
truths, | have felt it my duty to withhold my
approval Of bill No. $50 of the General AS
sembly, entitled An Act to fix the number of
/ Senators and Representatives, and form the
/ State into districts, in pursuance of the proyi-
SONS of the Constitution.
Ii Is due TO the Legislature and the people.
that | should briefly state some of the reasons
that have Influenced me in this determine ton.
The bill ls, in my Judgment, unconstltu.
tional, unjust and defective in its details
| The Constitution requires that in each "term
OF seven years an enumeration of the taxab!es
/ inhabitants shall be made in such manner as
/ shall be directed by law That the number tf
! Representatives ShaIl at the several periods of
making such enumerations; be fixed by the
Legislature, and apportioned among the city
of Philadelphia and the several counties, ac-
cording to the number Of taxable iuhsbitan,s
/ in each-and shall never be less than sixty, nor
/ greater than one hundred. Each county shall
have al least one representative, but no county
hereafter erected shall be entitled 10 separate
I representation, until sufficient number of tax
able inhabitants shall be contained within it,
. to entItle them 10 one representative, agreea-
bly, t0 the ratio which shall then be established"
I 1t further provides ''thet the number of Sem
ators shall at the periods Of making the emu
neration before mentioned, be fixed by the Le-
glslature, and apportioned among the districts
! formed as hereinafter directed, according 10
the number of taxable inhabitants of each, aud
shall never be less than one fourth, nor greater
| than one third the number Uf Representatives"
/ In It's further provisions are found limitations
/ OF the power of the Legislature in the forma
/ ton Of Senatorial districts
These provisions of the Constitution plainly
/ indicate the manner IN which the apportion-
ment shall be made, and in direct terms de-
clare as the basis of representation. the taxable
lnhab bltants OF each county-iheY require The
Legislature TO fix the number of the members
/ of the House of Representatives, and to deter
mine the ratio or number of taxable inhab-
tants for each member, according TO the seP-
tennial enumeration. Any departure from this
| standard or ratio must be breach of the or.
| ganIc law which guarantees to each county
an equal representation, according tu the num-
Der OF taxable inhabitants therein.
The ratio fixed in the bill is 1866 taxable
inhabitants for one member of the House oh
Representatives, and I4743 taxable inhab-
[ ia nj for ono
/ In the bill under consideration are found the
/ following palpabIe objections, and violations of
/ the ratio fixed upon by It's own provisions
! lst. The county of Fayette contains 1911
taxable inhabitants, and is allowed ttoO MEN,
/ bers being 2,ll9 taxabies less than the num-
Der required by the ratio fixed by The Legisla-
ture.
The county of Dauphin, with 1858 taxable
! inhabitants, is allowed one member, with an
unrepresen;ed surplus of ISIS. Thus Dau-
phin county. with larger population, more
taxable inha abitants, and whose citizens bear
much larger proportion OF the public burthens
than the county OF Fayeite, has only one-hdt
the influence and weight in the House OF Rep
ressntatives
ID. Allegheny county, the great CONNER
cial and manufacturing district OF western
Pennsylvania. with % SAT taxable inha bianis.
IS allowed hve members, pelnS one HeHoef 'o
every 5709 taxable inhabitants, while the adj
joining county of Westmoreland, with less va
riety of interests to protect, is allowed ihree
members on tax lis; of l,6lS-belng one
member to every 3S72 taxables. In other
words, to 5, 700 taxables in Allegheny county,
in given the right to elect a member of the
House OF Representatives, while in Westmore-
land county 1872 taxables have the same po-
litical influence. The unrepresented excess
in Allegheny county, by the provisions OF this
bill, is 4, ,22!2 taxabes, being $50 more taxables
than the ratio fixed for Westmotelan1 county.
| cannot believe that the honest Seomanry Of
Westmoreland county would desire this undue
influence, in the assessment of taxes, over
their fellow citizens of an adjoining county.
Sd. Schuylkill county, whose citizens are