Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1850-05-17
fhe Census Bill Remarks of Mr.. Mcacham


This important bill. has passed the House.
and only waits the action Of the Senate and the
| President to become law. II is 10 be regretted
that it WAS not passed months ago, since we
believe the several Marshal5 are required TO
make their reports within period which ar
torls them scarcely sufficient time to perform
he important work assigned to them with the
tuncss and accuracy that are contemplated by
the bill, and that arc, indeed, indispensable to
the usefulness Of the result
Ia the course of the debate on this bill, in
Committee Of the Whole, on the 7th inst. Mr.
MeA.nAM addressed few remarks to the Com
miitee which we copy from the ,agreSSional
iH,be. The question under consideration was
GA the amendment moved by Mr.. VlN.oy limit
Ing the number of Representatives hereafter, to
20J We quote the remarks Of Mr.. MrAcnAM
more because we believe this is the first occa-
sion Oh which lie has participated in dcbttc
than because there IS any specid Importance
in the proposition submitted by him. Indeed,
his Amendment was on,rcd, specifically, in
o.der to all''rd him an opportunity to say word
on that OF Mr.. NIToy. Oar readers " i'll agree
with him, however, that it was and is inoppor.
tame 10 cucumber the Census Bill, will. cmbar-
RAISING amendments that have No neccSSarD
Connection with it.
M. MEAcnAN will prove an easy, pcrspcuous
an iJrcib'c dcbucr, The G!o5c SAYS -
Mr.. MEACIAM moved to amend the amend.
m,nt, By substituting the number of 2 IS in lieu
of 300 He had offered the amendment (rc coid)
that lie might have an opportunity Of making
one or two remarks.
1t certainly did appear TO him, that the amend.
ment OF the gentleman from ONO Mr.. VINToyl
WAS entirely out of place. 1t seem. ID t. him
Mr.. Nd that the gentleman should Withdraw
it, in order that time might be allowed for a
more careful and deliberate examination Of the
question than could possibly be given to it in
the circumstances uud.f which tie committee
/ WAS now acting. As he viewed the matter al
/ present, he was inclined to the belief, that by
reducing the nanber of Representatives, a,
| cunem plated by tins amendment, the effect
WoulI be to tAloV the wi ole legislation of the
country into the hands Of a few of the larger
States, leaving the mtcr States mere. ciphcrs
and especially at lI!i, particular period in our
history, Whe! we wore receiving vast acces,
sIon7 To uuf territorial bouuaaric;--
Mr.. { OK in,erpoted, he said, to qucs.
ton Of order. lie submitted 10 the Chair wActh
e. II was in order, after vote had been taken
on The proposition OF the gentleman from Ohio
and call for division had en- made on
another Amendment, TO make these remarks ?
+ II G CHAENhN SAID it was in or lcr n,
question had been taken, nor any division lecl
had.
Mr. BOcpcK submitted that vote had beer
taken, anJ decision had.
/ Tne CHAIRMAN said there had been no fina
decision.
NJ, MaAcnlu proceeded with his remarks
Thoy har, he said in Vermont, two hundred
and forty nemb'rs and only about eight thou
sand square miles OF territory. lie though, thu
> amendment was especially inopportune at lhi
time, when our national limits, instead of bein!
f decreased, were increasing rapidly and, h,
thought, Il liberal and Enlightened policy wou,
require that, so far from diminishing the mum
Der ut Repre- ,cntativcs, it should be increased
Ia his Judgment, the Amendment was allogcthc
ont OF place. Let the matter 20 over until tn
census should have baen taken. Let Us lnoy
What new States were to be admitted into liz
3 Union, and what was the numb IF OF Rcprcacn
! tatiycs which might be desired in dili'rcu
parts of the country, and then let the qqesiu
! be decided. Let time be given for dehDpraio
for comparison Of vieWs-or let the com
. mjuca be appointed to inquire into the j,c
and to make report npon it. This vas til
best and the most proper mode of dsposing
the question and more especially so, becaus
it was his conviction, that to adopt this amcnc
J. ment would result in arrayiug against the CT
@ tire bill still more formidable Opposition lha
" already existed. lie believed that it was wron
, to introduce thcamendmcnt here. lie obiecte
-, 10 the attempt to force it through in this hast
~ and iuconaidcrate manner. 1t was doing i.
e justice. Some members might have had tim
If to consider it in all its bearings bat few ha
o had either time or opportunity to do so. II
thought, therefore, that it was not asking &c
~ much that the amendment should not be presse
at a time when the committee was discu,sin
J. the census bill, with which it was not nccess
III rily connected.
-, Mr. NJ. withdrew the amendment.
IN GA correspondent Of the Bran3cn II
; bane has discovered the following rcmarkab