Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-03-13

Apply 70 TINS the ratio according to the latest and full
est returns from California 3d. 420 Doc. No. 81 and it
gives her one member and fraction "a 401 The add-
ton Of the population Of these three lost counties would
make little difference and lessen her fraction.
The fraction Of South Carolina is 47478, and that Of
Louisiana is 49, 1876. doc. No q This shows clearly
that not only has South Carolina but Louisiana larger
fraction than California, and that therefore South Caro-
lima Is entitled to Representative by her fraction
which would make the number she is entitled to six and
leave California only one member Document No. and
the returns to the Secretary of State of California both
made IN April 1851, show that at that time the returns
from some OF the counties imperfect and efforts
were being made TO correct them The only corrections
made are shown in the additional population given by
them doc. No. A. the first returns. Since April
1884, there were documents other evidence show
ing that any efforts have been recently made to obtain
more complete returns and it is believed to be imposs
be now or at any future period obtain accurate
returns OF the population in june 1885, which the law
requires.
There in Of the papers submitted to the com
mee estimates Of the population Of c as Is no
hsceranng the correctness of these estimates but If
there were they ought to be made the basis of repre-
sentation That must depend the actual enumera
ton made every ten years The suggestion is also made
these papers that there were great and unusual difficult
ties IN taking correct in California There
doubt OF 1t; but this is not sufficient why the
rule provided in the constitution should be departed from
The question Of representation is quite too delicate
one and the States respectively too deeply interested
in IT to allow the slightest departure from the
strict rule which is applied to all others Other States
have doubt suffered from inaccuracies in their
as well as CALIFORNIA; and If departure from the strict
rule is allowed in case who shall decide to what other
cases It shall not be applied? In the commencement of
our Government, and when new States were admitted
where there had been enumeration from the necessi
ty Of the case representation is allowed at the dscre
ton of Congress- estimates, but in other
cases. There is another difficulty in the way of allowing
California two Representatives. After allowing her all
her returns her fraction is 81 95 less than that of Lou
siana 1t certainly would not be just and equal to allow
Tho frsta nd NOT he last nm nd his
may be done If the Senate shall direct but majority
Of the committee considered it their duty to ascertain and
declare how the existing law ought to be executed and
what the respective rights of South Carolina and Cali
fornia, not to suggest or recommend a new law.
bill is accordingly reported directing the Secretary of
the Interior to make out and transmit the certificates of
the number of members each State is entitled to accord
ing to the provisions of the act Of 1885, and its
passage is recommended Two sections also reported
amendatory Of the census act Of 1850.
The following is the bill:
AN ACT supplementary An act providing for the taking
of the seventh and subsequent the United States
and the number of members Of the House of Repre-
senaves and provide for their future apporonmen among
+ the several States" approved May %, 1850
BE enacted dc That the Secretary of the Interior proceed
forthwith apporon the Representatives the several
States in accordance with the provisions contained in the 18th
population which been completed and returned
to the Office in the Department of the Interior in
Guiding the population of the counties of San Francisco Santa
Clara and Contra Costa in the State of California according
to the made thereof by the agent Of California
to the Secretary of State of California amounting to 25224
Sec O. Aad be IL further enacted That if any future de-
cennial enumeration of the inhabitants of the United States
the of any district sub division in the United States
shall have been improperly taken, if the returns of any dis
shall be accidentally lost destroyed the
Secretary of the Interior shall have power to order
meration Of such district or subdivision.
Sec g. And be It further enacted That the goth section Of
the amended by striking the words has been"
from the last line, and insert the words may necessarily be
in lieu thereof.
Mr. DOWNS then gave notice that the moment the bill
r.xb nta1 ia
move to take the bill up and have it disposed of.
Mr. BRADBURY said he held in his hand report from
the minority of the committee dissenting from the views
of the majority which he would ask might be printed
The CHAIR expressed its willingness to receive the
document the views of the minority of the committee
and it was likewise ordered to be printed.
From the rapid glance which the reporter took OF the
document he gathered that this view of the minority,
signed by Mr. BRADBURY and Mr. GEYER refused to
cur in the opinion that justice had been done to California
by adding 24 for the population of the three counties
from which had been received at the census
oce the 597 returned and assuming S2 to be
the actual population to be enumerated when the census
required be taken The minority report thinks the
estimate falls far short of the actual population OF the
State and goes to say That from all the reliable
sources they have consulted they believe the population
of California now exceeds 800 000 which conclusion they
arrive from information from all parts of the State ms
well from record of overland emigration arrivals and
departures by sea- &c. That of the population
of California approximatng to accuracy appears to have
taken under the authority of the Federal Govern
men the omission TO do which not the fault OF that
State They there is to believe that accu-
rate returns had been obtained her federal
would be reduced and in view OF the case IL
pears that the population exceeding the ratio for one he
preventative is least equal to the fraction on which
Representative is assigned to South Carolina Under all
the circumstances they express the belief that greater
ustice would be done by giving to California an additional
Representative the allotted to her on the imperfect
census returns and thus leaving her number as it now
stands at two until general apportionment shall
be made under census, which they think can be
done without disturbing the apportionment to Sodth Ca
rona by increasing the whole number Of Representatives
from 233 to 234
ELECTORAL VOTES FOR PRESIDENT
Mr. DOWNS, from the Committee on the Judiciary, to
which was referred the joint resolution in relation to the
number of electoral votes to which each State is entitled
in the Presidential election of 1882 submitted the follow
ing report:
The constitution provides that Each State shall APP
point in such manner as the Legislature thereof may
direct number Of electors equal to the whole number
of Senators and Representatives to which the State
be entitled in the Congress" The act Of Congress of
March st 1892 passed before any election Of President
had been held under new apportonment gives con-
struction 10 this Of the constitution in these words
(which electors of President and Vice Presdent shall
be equal to the of Senators and Representatives
to which the several States may by law be entitled at
the time when the President and Vice President thus
to be chosen should into office" The appor-
tionment under the first took effect from and after
the Sd of March, 1898, fact Of 14th April 1922 Ac-
cordinpy in 1892 in 1872 and in 1892 the States gave
number of electoral votes for President and Vice Presi
dent equal the number Of their Senators and Represen
tatives respectively from and after the Sd Of March, 1898
the Sd Of March, 1873 and the Sd Of March, 1888 and
the act of 1850 having similar proviso to that of 1892
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