The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1851-03-20

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Erccinct is not entitled, of itself. to conn
cllor-neither il Chisago county aud the
MzT:oe precisct. We cannot throw these
,Lrcc iogethH with the precinct Of Sti,,wa-
Jr tween them, Certainly the yen,le-
sran Weulsi not run the dividing li,,u through
the centre of the town of Saltwater.
The gentleman has failed to state whe,h-
er no objects 10 the manner in which our
county fWashngton1 is divided into repre-
fcntatiye districts, which reads as follows,
Ur not:
The Cottage Grove precinct shall con-
stitCte one district, and shall be entitled to
elect one member 80 the House of Repre-
sSataiives. The precincts Of Saltwater
aud Arcola shall constitute one district,
and shall be enrit!esl To elect two members
70 the House Of Representatives. The
Marine precinct in said county of Wash
ing,an ami the county of ChisaSo shall con-
slitate one district, and shall be entitled to
rlecr one member to the House of Repre-
sentatives."
OF this provision, the gentleman has said
nothing. But, il is certainly not for his pre-
rinci Cottage Grove TO complain at this.
The census returns Will show that Cottage
Grove is over represented, and Saltwater
conside rably under. II any injustice is
siene here, il is to Saltwater. Still from
the location Of the different settlements of
she county, can see no means OF remedy
ing ,he matter.
Ma. NoRRIs. This bill, Mr. Chairman,
takes II for granted that there will he no in
crea-e Of the representation provided for
by lhis Legislature. Tie gentleman from
MENDOZA, r. Mr.. McI.eod,l who reported II,
and the gentleman from Marine, Mr..
tooniis,l act entirely upon this assumption.
70 ne. there is manifest propriciy III
making al increase. The Organic Act
gives Us The power, and hold it is our
duty 10 exercise it. | do no, know what
ri-h. The gentlemen have to ASSUME that il
~ n not be Increased, Here Mr.. n. read
from the 4,h section of The Organic Ac; J.
We have no evidence that Congress acted
under the impression that our population
,yas 10 100 when the Territory WAS organ
;zed. This information does not come To
us otficiai. They have given us the power
- increase from time ID time, as the popn-
ialiou increases. Docs any gentleman deny
that cur population has increased since the
act was passed? We must increase the
rerreseGta,ioa in order TO do Justice 10 GER
tam POI ions Of the Territory. There must
o, some hing behind ths curtain III this OPP
position 20 an increase.
Nh. McLEoD. have not taken it for
granted that this Legislature would not in
crease ne representation; only speak for
i,,yseif am opposed To 1t on the grnunh
that mere is NJ necessity for II. repeat,
that Congress was lead to believe. when the
Territory was Organized, that we had with
iE our hnrders population Of 10, 900. This
was stated on the floor Of the Senate. Ii
t,,h. Ia
Chairman, [ desire to see the curtain renov-
e,l, and whatever there is exposed. know
Of nothing. | repeat, that in drawing mp
this Lll no deviation tha, could he avoided
was had from the census returns. | know
the people of Washington county are EMIT
lei TO all honor and praise, but it is not
proper % detract from the rights Of other
counties, in or.ier To give them larger
representation than they are entitled to-
y here are other communities that have
done 80 much as they To advance the inter-
csis Of the Territory, and Justice demands
ia lr they have Whatever representation they
are entitled 10. els
MR. LooMIs The gentleman fram Cot
iage Grove Is mistaken in referring to any
assumption of mine in regard TO an increase.
l am, However, opposed 10 it. The power
Of course we have, but the policy Doubt.
" had prabally not over 5000 souls when
the Organic Act was passed. But II Is
notorious fact that MIR. Yulee, of Florida,
staitii, during the debate in the Senate, that
we had over 10000. We have now only
little over 6 900; and the basis OF The pres
cur presentation is cSS in the Council,
and 3Bi in the House. Under the next
Congressional appointment, il will prob
ably require 100000 people To send rep
resen,alvc to Congress. We will, upon
this assumption, not become State until
We have that population. But if we go on
increasing our Legislature upon the present
basis of representation, we will have about
10 Councliors, and $50 Representatives.
M state House in The Union can hold such
4 body, md no Legislature so large can do
business with any degree Of dispatch.
MR. NORRIS. did nc; intend to mis-
c0nstrae the remarks OF the gentleman last
up, or the remarks of any other gentleman.
Neither ihi intend To accuse the gentle
man who introduced the Hill with intention
"a injustice. Blu, the bill does great mi us
tlce IN certain portions of the Territory, and
for that reason, with others, am in favor Of
increasing the representation. ] arm not
prepared at present to give all my reasons
Tor ihis increase, but viii do so hereafter
As. nCLEDb he gentleman sun
harrs upon Injustice. Here are the figures
upcn which the districts named in the bill
are hlsed: Mr.. Mcleod read the census
figures, showing the population Of each dis
irici. nud proving thar the representation
was as fairly apportinned as possible. -
This IS all as plain and correct as n ,na,he-
NAUTICAL demonstration. There is no getting
refund it, Mr.. Chairman. tMr. Mcleod
further argued against an Increase Of rep
Tesentai On. 9
Ma. 0LMsTED-i hal not intended, Mr..
Chairman. to say anything at this stage of
the bill, nut the question has come up in
reference 10 an increase of representation,
and may as well give my views upon that
subject at this time as any other. am
compelled 20 differ with my friend from
Cottage Grove mr.. Norris. have given
notice &C memorial to amend the organic
act, and itIs upon this point that wish it
amended. Instead Of increasing the repre-
seaiaJion, am ia favor az diminishing it.
ar Ia IA or of having The Council to consist
IL three sen,5ers, and the House of five. Ii
Is we'll known that all important measures
OF itg'..l'iou in this Territory are carried
ty ~hat $ denominated ''los-roliing." II