The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-04-07
CONGRESSIONAL.
DEFERRED DEBATE.
MONDAY, APRIL 8. 1882.


4 0sI suppleIntHIHy pTUVIdInE
u ihs seventh aud subsequent censuses oil the United
states and to fix the aumber OF members OF the House
II representatives, and provide for their future appor
onment among the several States, approved 23d May
1850; 10 whicn hii' ONO P'opoScu 'o toiioWing
amendment
sso 1ad be IL further enacted. That the State of
ci1o,nla be entitled 20 The number Of representa-.
Congress that the said State now has and that for
W. purpose OF May 20, 1850 providing for an ap.
nodionen among the several states, be amended that
s whole number shalt be two hundred aud thirty our
sssd Of Two hundred and thry-three, until apporon-
ment under a new census.
Mr. DOWNS This amendment brings up question
which was discussed in the committee. on which they
Sdered IN opinion. | hope il will not be adopted I
think the ground taken in the report OF the majority of
le committee cannot be departed IRON with proprety.
his alleged in the minority report that an additional
ought to be allowed California, because the returns
we're mperectly taken But the ground on which the
committee proceeded is, that in matter so important
that Of representation nothing but the actual returns can
with proplety be relied upon. We cannot ground our
action upon mere estimates OF population. The consu-
lion Of the United States does not contemplate any such
thing II has been done, except lna case where
State first admitted into the Union, where there is
appotonment and where, matter OF necessity, the
population must be computed and representation allowed
But in no instance in the history OF the government has
representation been fixed after census taken by
estimates, or on any other calculation than the actual
enumeration of population reported by the census
takers i woad be unsafe TO adopt any other rule
II is said that The returns OF California very defec
tive that some OF them have been lost The difficulty
in regard to those which alleged to have been lost
destroyed by fire. is obviacd, not only with sufficient
uracy to satisfy the Senate butn an official form, and
such is contemplated by the law itself; for there
provision in the bill directing the census to be taken,
that in addition TO the returns which made to the
Secretary OF the Interior, copy OF them should also be
made TO the secretary OF State OF the State Territory
Some twelve months ago, the call OF the legislature Of
California, such return was made. The duplicate re-
which had been sent to the secretary of State for
the Stale laid before the legislature OF California
Drln plsi nj a nrin nfpd
copy OF those returas was laid before the committee.
Thus, the returns OF those counties which lost
known with sufficient accuracy The committee have
taken them, and allow the State the full returns they
were taken. This Is going as far as the committee
thought they could go with proprety shall not now go
into the details; but, the report shows the committee
took the population reported and found that would
give to California but representative, and very small
faction of some twenty four thousand would remain.
Now, we ground our actions here upon estimates at
d' Or, If go into estimates. is there sufficient
data before us, by which say that the State OF
California is entitled 10 another representative, although,
according to the returns, che appears to have much
smaller fraction than other States think not If we
allow estimates OF the popoaiion OF California, where
shall we stop'
may be that there are errors in the returns of Cali
ioa There may also be errors as to the other States If
you admit the principle you cannot stop there; but
yoa uust 60 lRi0 a ejaculation whenever any member
EsPand alleges that the same error has been commit
kdmlhe returns OF his State Whenever that is alleged,
fyou admit the principle, you will have TO go into es
nses of the population OF that State. Hence the
ntee thought that this claim ought to be allowed
hat II would be unsafe 10 follow that principle.
There is another objection to these proceedings II was
settled In the census act OF $780, that permanent number
d representatives for this census and future censuses
should be fixed upon, and that il should remain fixed
There s provision in that BILL that when by the ad
mission OF States, the number should be increased
over the two hundred and thirtyhree members allow
a. at The mex next aPpoIilonmen, The number should be
committee thought ha, the policy OF the bill ought to
Be departed from There have always been dficulties.
heretofore, IN fixing the apportionmeni, account OF
iactons. That has been the heretofore because,
until the ascerained, there was no number OF
representatives fixed. Hence there difficulty about
IT, because il impossible that the fraction should
operate equally regard 10 the different States There
has always heretofore been difficulty in settling that mat
Ter.
But by fixing the number OF representatives. in the
hs place, before the population is ascertaned State
can complain, because the calculation operates equally
upon all and although, according to the apporonment
some States may suffer by not receiving additional
member from very large fraction yet II will no doubt
happen that, when another appor,ionmen is made those
States which lose account of fractions will have
hmade up
II we are to change the number OF representatives
whenever 1t suits the convenience OF any particular
State you destroy the convenience Of the bill Of 1850,
which liked the number oil representatives permanently
and hereafter whenever an apporhonmen rs made, the
number will be unsettled, and shall have the
dIcnlty in settling IL that have had in all the appor
honmens heretofore.
There Is another reason why this amendment ought
not to be adopted The Committee the Judiciary took
he returns from all the counties OF California from which
returns had been received at Washington those
added the returns presented to the legislature of Caor
MA Tor the remaining three counties The legislative re-
lums give the county OF San Francisco population OF
HOg0; Contra Costa, 722; Santa Clara, 3,5Oa making
all 25,22i Add TO this the population OF the other
counties, 92,5g7, and i makes the total population OF
TIE State ll7s21 Apply TO this the ratio, according to
ihe latest and fullest returns from California, p3A2o
and gives her member, and fraction OF "a
Inc addition OF the population Of these last counties
would make little difference and lessea her fraction
Ihe traction OF South Carolina is 4747S, and that Of
louisiana is te,196 Here we see that while in Cali.
olnla there y fraction OF 1900, in Louisiana, the
neM State which, according TO the returns not en-
uea 70 an additional member for her traction there is
soooo coming within little over 900 of the number
"men gives South Carolina member.
-. we allow thus claim OF California we do strange
sctlon Of 2iOoo, while, a, the time. refuse
us,ana member, upon well-ascerained and undls
guseu ifaenon OF 5000 and odd Now, ask, are the
'ease M o. me United States prepared to do this'
l PRESIDENT, you will recollect, and we all recolec
. we have liked the representation OF California once
% %to,e oy computation. And am inclined TO think
@ s. nese returns show that great mistake was then
@mml'ied hope we shall not again commit such
wass ,ate sevlden that very great mistake has al
ps been made in regard to the population OF California
instance take the OF the city OF San Francisco
% aeoaies here, we spoke OF II as large city, OF
%a %%,Y or'y OF fifty thousand inhabitants According to
@ returns, as they sent usand there have been
Soechons IN that respect made sincethe population
pal city not more than 1000. Look at the report
he committee OF the legislature OF California, which
o oeoreus II IL true that they state that the pop
undoubtedly larger; but they give MS no facts
gshow that II IL larger So in the report OF the minority
a he Committee here, they say that the population is
NV ager-but they give us no facts Can they sup
49, mat 10 matter OF 40 much dellcacy as that OF rep
aAhon, we are TO go on mere coniecturef
ngan hese returns made to the legislature Of
i1a Voor aUn in