The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-05-16

quality or inferiorty of class or Of section-
This was s.rikingly exemplifed not long ago in
congress of the Industrial Associations at
New York. The first question was, how they
should vote-whether according to the numbers
in each trade, or whether each trade should have
one vote. And, after much discussion, they de-
cided that each trade should have one vote, re-
CARELESS OF its numbers; and they decided
: wisely. For, if it had been otherwise, one of
the trades numerically powerful, would have
controlled the interests Of many others. And
as this congress ultra democratic and social,
) the result to which it was compelled to come
is signfcant-Opposed as it is to the absurd no.
ton that each individual must have the same
nominal vote in State. Why, if the argu-
ment of Western Virginia is good. what be-
comes of the United States Senate? Why
should Delaware have the same vote as Virginia
or Rhode Island an equal vote with New York I!
We are frequently reproached with the arts
tocratic and anti-republcan constitutions Of Vir-
ginia and South Carolina, and one would infer
from the cant and clamor against them, that
they differed generally from other States. What
are the facts! Maine does not pretend to per-
sonal equality of representation She gives to
town of 500 inhabitants, one representative,
$3.50, two $3.50, three; 10000, four $4,000,
five 90, 1850, six 26,250, seven and to no town
however large, more. Hence, the inhabitant
of small town has three times the political
power of one in large town, and the provision
| ;s l.. H. NJ
model State, the senators are appointed accord
ing to the taxation of districts, and the repre-
sentatives according to the mode in Maine, thus
departing more widely from the theory of per-
sonal equalit, than South Carolina. In New
Hampshire the steadfast Democratic State of
the North, both houses are based on the plan of
Massachusetts, In Vermont, the undertaking
Wing State, the representation is equally une-
quail. Why don't Gen. HoUsToN and the In
teihgencer denounce these States? In Rhode
Island the senate consists of one member from
each town or city, regardless Of size or number,
and this by the Constitution of 1912. In New
Jersey each county, regardless of population,
has one senator, and the house is unequal. In
Pennsylvania the senate is based on taxable
inhabitants. In Delaware each county, re-
gardless of size or population, has three
senators and seven representatives. In Mary
land, the new constitution gives every county
in the State one senator, and Baltimore
only one, although it contains about third of
all the people in the State. In the house, also,
the apportionment is unequal. In North Caro-
lima, which amended her constitution in 1886, the
senate is based exclusively on taxation or prop
erty and the house of commons is constituted
precisely as the Southern delegation in Con-
gress, according to the number of whites in a
district, and adding three-ffths of the slaves
In Georgia, the senate consists of one member
II from each county, and the house according to
the population of each county, adding to the
whites hree-hfths of the slaves; and then giving
to county of 5000 persons thus enumerated
: two members, to county of 1000 three men,
bers, to one of 10000 four members, and to
none more. Hence, person in small county
has twice the power of one larger, and perhaps
four times the power of those in the largest
Such is the representation in nearly all the old
thirteen States. And now we assert that the
plan of South Carolina is the most sensible and
most liberal Of all She assigns a representa-
tive to each sixty second part of the white popu-
lation, and one to each sixty second part of the
taxation Of the State and one senator TO each
election district, and she gives to every white
citizen over twenty-one, resident for two years
in the State and six months in the district vote
in eecting them. Such is the representation of
> South Carolina and such that of other States
> And yet Presidential aspirants and Presidential
sycophants talk of South Carolina as an aristo-
cratic State
1t is true that both Virginia and South Caro-
lima elect their governors by the legislature.
This is necessary and proper result of their sys-
tenn, for it subjects the Executive branch of the
government to the same political distribution of
power that governs the legislature. If one is
right the other is. And if Virginia in her new
constitution changes the basis of the guberna-
torial judicial elections from that of the legis-
lative, she will do a very foolish thing
We regret that want Of time prevented us
from reading the debates of the Virginia conven-
7 ton. From what we have seen, we think they
vastly excel those of any State which has lately
been engaged in tinkering her constitution
They are prolix because there are so many
speaking members-enough to supply half
: dozen conventions But they have spent good
deal of time in supcrduous professions of love
and affection for both sections the State when
contending against each other for power, with
consistency that shows that each very wisely dis
trusts these professions. 1t would be infatua-
ton in either section to surrender voluntarily
, the predominance to the other.
t We trust that Virginia md South Carolina
. will lorg preserve TIE integrity of their const
i tutions, and their unity as States They are the
a only two States that have ever made respecta-
BILE resistance to federal encroachment And