The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-01-06
Correspondence Of the Commercial advertiser.
WASHINGTON Dec. 81, 1850.

Correspondence Of the Commercial Advertiser.
WAsmNGroS, Dec. 81, 1850.
There seems to be some misapprehension re-
speeding the law, passed at the last session of
Congress, for the apportonment of represent
tatives among the States and in order to re-
fresh the public mind, quote below the sec
ton principally brought in question All that
relates to the subject is embraced in the 2fth,
25th, and 26th sections of the census act:
"SEc. IS And be il further enactcd, That SO
soon rs the next and each subsequent enumera-
ton of the inhabitants OF the several States, d.
rected by the Constitution of the United States
to be taken, shall be completed and returned to
the office Of the Department of the Interior, it
shall be the duty of the Secretary of the lnte-
rior to ascertain the aggregate representative
population of the United States, by adding to
the whole number of free persons in all the
States, including those bound to service for
term Of years, aud excluding Indians not taxed,
three-fifths of all other persons, which aggre
gate population he shall divide by the number
of two hundred and thirty-three; and the pro-
duet of such division, rejecting any fraction of
an unit, if any such happen to remain, shall be
the ratio, or rule of apportionment Of represent
tatives among the several States under such
enumeration and the said Secretary of the De-
| partment of the Interior shall then proceed in
the same manner to ascertain the representative
| population of each State, and to divide the
whole number of the representative population
| of each State by the ratio already determined
| by him, as above directed, and the, product OF
| this last division shall be the number of repre-
scntatives apportioned to such State under the
last enumeration; provided, "that the loss in
the number of members, caused BY the fractions
remaining in the several States, on the division
of the population thereof, shall be compensated
| for by assigning to so many States, having the
largest fractions, one additional member each for
its fraction, as may be necessary to make the
| whole number of representatives one hundred
and thrty-three; and provided also, that it, after
the appointment Of representatives, under the
next or any subsequent census, new State or
States shall be admitted into the Union, the rep
resentative or representatives, assigned to such
new State or States, shall be in addition to the
number of representatives herein above limited,
which excess of representatives over two hun
dred and thirty-three, shall only continue until
the next succeeding apportoument of represen.
ta,ives under The next succeeding census"
This section is clear and explicit The House
will be composed hereafter of 233 members,
| (omitting new States that may be ADMITTEDLY
which apportionmcDt will continue until 1861,
| and by the simple rule Of division the Secretary
is TO determine the number Of representatives
each State is entitled to. Suppose, therefore,
that the aggregate population of the United
States is 2400O,000 and that of this number
there are four millions of slaves these 100000
would give Federal representation of 2,400,-
600, and consequently tho aggregate Federal
population would be 22,400,0JO. After this
rule. dividing by 233l is exceedingly simple
Il is supposed, under the present apportionment,
that a member will represent about $4,000 Fed
era population but it is evident from returns
received, that the South viii barely gain soil
tary member. ! say this, however, with caution,
for the census after revision by the census board,
NAV be found imperfect or incorrect. Oa the
contrary, the North and West will gain largely;
but as the law restricts the number. the equiti-
brium will be pretty will kept up. New York,
PENNSYLVANIA, Virginia and Ohio will consti-
tute majority, Cat least such are the present
appcarances) and will be able, therefore, to con-
trl our Presidential election for the next ten
years.
Another question arises, whether the next
electoral college will be constituted according to
the present coming or the past-present enumera-
ton: and this question have seen argued by
the press with much gravity have the opinion
direct from the constitutional expounder' him
sclf. that the next Congress will comprise re-
presentation elected under tho prcsent-past emu
meration, and mol according to the census of
1850. presume the authority is incontroverti-
Bile. Again, it has been asked whether the cleo
tora college of 1852 will consist of numbers
equal TO the present ratio, or the succeeding;
but on tins score, the facts are reversed. The
electoral college will consist of the representa-
tive number under the succeeding enumeration,
and not of the present, or past Hence, as the
four great States named may cast their votes so
will ". have Wing or Democratic, a North
ern or a Southern President. VISDicAToR
THs DEAD IN SAN FRANcIsco.-We nre often
named to witness the implied, il not positive
disrespcct shown toward the dead 10 this city.
Il is a matter Of daily, and sometimes hourly oc-
currence to see the hearse pass out OF kearny