The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1851-01-14
Tn. New censu. ana an Extra Session,

Tn common with the conductors OF the city press,
we have so far urged such reasons as carried convlc
ZION TO our minds in favor of an extra session OF the
Legislature. The growing distractions in the ave-
nues Of our commerce, the languor which in conse-
oueuce of these obstacles seems 10 exert palsying
inusnce on its wonted activity, the necessity not
only of remedyiDg what every one feels to be an
increasing evil, but also of creating more enlarged
means of thrift and prosperity for the city and
snafe-these have, hitherto, appeared 10 US to be
sufficiently important TO advocate the measure pro-
posed.
But in supporting this measure, we have not had
recourse 10 the argument derived from the new
census law, nor have we deemed ourselves Justl-
fed to call it in the array of reasons in behalf ct
extraordinary legislation, knowing that the law OF
Congress imposed no such necessity. Two of our
morning contemporaries insist on the iaie census
act, to authorize the call for an extra session.
This, we conceive, must be done in manifest mis-
apprehension of the fact. Ii is commended that the
law cannot be disregarded or evaded, in order to
a timely election of members of Congress for this
State under the new appor ionmeni; that the law
Of Congress is Of peremptory nature, and that an
omission to convoke the Legislature in extraordi-
nary session, would inevitably deprive Louisiana
of her represen tation.
While we admit the imperative character of the
law, we cannot find in it anything that warrants
such an assertion, as that the State without the
extra session, would be in danger OF being unre-
presented in Congress, under the new apportion-
ment. We fluid, on the contrary, in the clear and
imperative language of the act, abundant reason
to know that the Legislature will have held its
regular session and disricted the State, long be.
fore the necessity Of Congressional election un-
der the new apportionment will have occurred.
The 24th section of the act providing for the Ia
king OF the seventh end successive censuses OF
he United States, dispels every shadow of doubt
from the subject. 1t provides that from and after
the third day of March, 1852 the House of Rep,
resentaiives shall be composed OF two hundred
and Ihiry-three members, to be apportioned among
he several States.'
The change in the representation, contemplated
by the new census act cannot therefore be expect
ed to receive its legal effect until after the day in
March, 1858, pointed ont by the law. But in the
intermediate time the Legislature of the State will
have assembled at Baton Rouge; and should the
increase or decrease in our federal numbers require
a new distributing of the State, the question will
come up naturally in the regular session, which
BY the terms of the Constitution, is fixed for the
matter understood that several OF the States of the
Union proceeded, in the course of the last summer
and fall, to elect Representatives under the old
lpportionment-aware that whole session of Con-
gress would intervene before they could be called
upon to regulate their represen tation on the basis
Of the new apportionment In the same manner
the electors of this State will be called in No.
sember, 1851, at the regular period of cleo ton,
make choice Of Representatives on the existing
basis to take their seats on the first Monday of Dec
1851, and continue until the Sd of March, 1853
In the mean time the Legislature, having term of
nearly fourteen month, before them, will have been
enabled, in course Of ordinary enactments, so to
alter the political geography of the State, as to
meet the corresponding changes which may take
place under the new law In this view of the ques-
ton, we cannot consent rest the necessity of an
extra session, on the supposed consequences of the
aew apportionment.