Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1851-02-13
Congressional Apportionment.

But few are acquainted with the provisions of the act
OF Congress apporonng the Representatives in Con-
gress under the OF 1885, and the provisions of the
misapprehended The provision of the under
which the apportionment is to be make is as follows:
"SEc %. And be Il further enacted, That so soon as
the next and each SUBSEQUENT enumeration of the ina
tants of the several States directed by the Constitution
Of the United States to be TAKEN shall be completed and
returned the office of the Department Of the Interior,
shall be the duty of the Secretary of The Interior
IN the aggregate representative population oil the
United States by adding to the whole number of free
persons in all the States, including those bound
service for term OF years, and excluding Indians not
taxed threefths of all other persons which aggregate
population he shall decide by the number of two hundred
and thirty three and the product OF such DIVISION
lecting any fraction of unit, any such happen
MAN, shall be the ratio or rule of apportonment OF rep
resenatves among the several States under such
meration and the said Secretary of the Department
the Interior shall then proceed in the to
certain the representative population OF each State and
divide the whole number of the popu
laton Of each State by the ratio already determined by
him. above directed and the product Of this last div
sion shall be the number of representatives apportened
such State under the last enumeraton Prorded that
the loss in the number Of members caused by the rac
tons remaining in the several States the division of
the population thereof shall be compensated for by
signing many States having the largest fractions
one additional member each for its fraction may be
necessary make the whole number of representatives
hundred and thirty three and prorided also, that it,
after the appointment OF representatives. under the
any subsequent census State or States shall be
admitted into the Unon the representative represen-
tatves assigned such State States shall be
addition the number Of representatives herein above
limited which OF representatives over two hun
bred and thirty three shall only continue until the
succeeding apportOnmen of representatives under the
next succeeding census"
The Washington correspondent of the Commercial
Advertiser in commenting on this law, says
fThis section is clear and explicit. The House will
be composed hereafter of 233 members (omitting
States that NAV be admitted which apportonment will
continue until 1861, and by the simple rule of division
the Secretary IS determine the number oil representa-
ves each State entitled to- Suppose therefore, that
the aggregate population of the United States is "a OOO
000 and that OF this number there 900 900 of
slaves these 1000 900 would give federal representa-
ZION Of 400 000 and consequently the aggregate fede
rGI population would he % 400 O0O After this the rule
dividing by 233) is exceedingly simple 1t is supposed
under the present apportonment that member will rep
about 50 600 federal population; but it is evident
from received, that the South will barely gam
solitary member say this, however, with caution, for
the census after revision by the board may be
found imperfect incorrect On the contrary, the
North and West will gain largely; but the law re-
srcts the NUMBER the equilibrium will be pretty well
kept up New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Ohio
will constitute majority, Cat least such the present
appearances and will be able therefore, control
Presidential elections for the next ten years.
Another question arises whether the next electoral
college will be constituted according the present-com
ing the pastpresent enumerrtion and this question
have seen argued by the press with much gravity.
have the opinion direct from the constitutional expoun
DER himself, that the next Congress will comprise
representation elected under the presentpast
ton, and not according TO the Of 1880. pre-
sumo the authority incontrovertibe. again, it has
been asked whether the electoral Coegeof 1852 will
consist Of members equal the present ratio the
ceeding bat this score the facts reversed The
electoral college viii consist Of the representative
bsrs under the succeeding enumeration and not OF the
present. or past Hence, the four great States
med may east their votes, so will have Wing
Democratic Northern or Southern President