The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1851-03-20
LEGISLATURE OF MINN EsorA.
DEBATE ON THE APPoRrIoNMENr BILL.
Council.


DEBATE ON THE APPoRrIoNMENr ELL.
Council.
Friday, March II.
The bill introduced some days stree ~
MIR Mcleod, for the apportinnnent OF the
legislative representation throughout the
territory, came up for consideration in con-
mittee Of the whole. The following SEC
ton being before the committee,
"SEc. 2. The counties Of Washington
and Cbisago shall constitute the first coup-
Gil district. aud shall be entitled 10 elect tvo
members Of the COuncil," ssl a.e
Mr. NoaRIs spoke in substance rs lo:-
lows: '-" e't -
Mr. Chairman-I rise 10 declare nv hos
tliiy TO this feature Of the hill, az | stall Ia
other porto rs Of it hereafter. | consider
this blending together of counties and com
munities of different interests, in one couH-
ciI district as au,i republican, art subver-
>ive Of the rights of the people. By lie
section before us, Washington county, he
| sides being thrown with Chisago into duu-
bic district, loses one councillor Wash
ington county, the oldest settled portion IT
the terrtory-the bone and inuscie--,he
community that took The lead in procuring
the organization Of the territory, is, by this
| Oill 10 pc uclDIfNeu VI ucT TtguSS lot tAt LEI
eff. Of other portions which have neves
done anything towards advancing Ire gen.
eral prosperity. protest againsl il, Mr.
Chairman. il may be that it is in,cnds q to
pass the bill just as it Isl. may have Leen
drawn up with the understanding that IL
was SO 10 pass. but l, for oGe, shall rot
vote for ii.
MIR. McLEoD.--l drew up this bill, Mr
Chairman, with very little consullaisn
among members or Others. | bal nanny
difficulties TO contend with, as gentlemen
must admit / do not regard it as peril ct
+ by any means; and Of course, like ether
bills, il is open for aue ndment. Il is, how
ever, as nearly rs it MAS in my power TO
accomplish that end. founded strictly upon
) the census returns. unaware the dusy OF
presenting a Till Of this nature is q defeat
one, and my determination was 10 take the
census as my guide--to look neither to the
, right nor to the left, bur 10 give reprcseIi.
tation to each portion Of the terriior1.,
strictly in accordance with the fgufes. D.
vi'Iing the aggregate population of the ter
ritory by. njile,. (the present number Of
councillors1 genlleinea vii! find as the pro-
1 duct 6ss. This number of population Is
then required to elect one councillcr, the
population Of Washington and -ChiSag7,
counties is but ll64, being oI2 less thar the
full number required to elect two couH:.-
4 Tors. BY what show Of justice, then eau
the gentleman from cottage Grov, Mr.
Norris1 say that the rights Of Was lnetau
: county are sacrificed by this bill: What
h the gentleman says of the services aad d
v votion Of the Washington county people fo
the interests of the territory, is true; bgt
this is no reason why the interests cf other
= portions should be sacrificed to give them "a
lgreater representation than they are eas-
G tied to. with To see equal and exact Jus
}. tice done to all parts Of The territory. l. N
tH w almshaw were attached To Washins-
ton, the district will not be entitled t. lbr. =
councillors. 1.-THE gentleman looks to an iu-
= crease ~ the number Of councillors aAj re-
representatives., that Is another matter. Box
0 this u measure may as well state ut the
outset ] am opposed TO. We have now
. quite As large a repsese Ltation as orr pres
ent population demands. When the urgan-
:. y &c act was passed by Congress, ard tie
present number Of nine councillor anil
! eighteen representatives provided fer. 'i
was believed ant! so stated in Congress ID "a
" we had population of at least &c, 000
! again wish ii understood, MIR Chair
= man, thai do not regard this bill rs pcs
feet. The division into districts is proba-
{ bly, far from, faslliIsss. This is for esniii
men 10 look TO before the bill passes
. viii cheerfully vote for any amend nc
: that. seens proper asd Just. aEgET
Mr.. LooMis.-The gentleman from Col
. tase. Grove, Mr. Norsis] ! think, rs :
. Chairman, need have no fears of this bill
passing without amendment There are
: cersnsn features in il to which am opposed
4 but with the provision more directly before
y tue committee at this time 1 can sud no