Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1852-03-09

RICNMOND ENQUIRER.
-~~,-s>~-~
TuEsDaY MORNING, MARCH 8 1852.
,ppoINTuENr OF ELECTORS.

TUESDAY MORNING, hAhSh -.
APPOINTMENT OF ELECTORS. .;,n
The rcwspapers have been recently engageo !" ,s
, ,,es,iop of considerable public interest," 80
with the apportionmen, OF repreFeh'ao - -. 1,ro ie
os Presidential electors. Tho Secso'a'! - "
air..,ed nv the Census Act after RECEIVING '"o iei " ~
a.'essas9 IS ,he Census to make the aPporilonment
~ REPRESENTATIONS and inform the Executive OF eaeh a'a'o
80 ~ nnmber of representatives TO which It en'leo anu
" w. ,nnun;cots the apportionment TO Congress. This
hos no vet been done the California returns nave
M, been nrocured We observe however, that bill mas
been reported by the Judiciary committee OF Inc SENATE CIV
ing such population California as VIII ent!te her 10 TWO
representatives If this arbitrary element be ratified by Con-
sres. Of which we have doubt from the last accounts
mn difficulty exists the subject, and the States VIII 1T
once proceed to apporilon Their representatives IA 1s
under the census OF lSoO.
Another interesting question: Infinitely aepeneh' ''"
ha above has been discussed in papers, viz whether
the Presidential electors for the approaching
ton shall be under the appoonment OF io1o OF ooo
prea, difference of opinion has ascn whether oy 'c con-
,tution the number of electors OF President IN eoc o1ae
,houd correspond with the Number Of Senators and Repre-
,,ives at the time of the choice of those electors from
and after the Sd of March, 1883 The question one deep
at the present moment the Virginia Democratic
s,n,e Convention called TO nominate electoral ticket,
will assemble in this city in weeks from Tomorrow. We
have examined the question in all Its bearings and though
the opposite opinion generally prevails here we have arrived
a, the mos, positive conclusion that the Presidential election
should by the apporonment under the census
of 1885, instead of under tina, OF lSlo
The point made clear by the following concise agu
nent of correspondent of the Baltimore Sun, thar we
adopt it in place Of our own speculaons:
II Congress SHALL by passed for the purpose as
that the population of California the 30h day of
June 1851 was sufficient cnc the State, under the
stine rate of apportionment members the whole
difficulty will be- settled and the number of representatives
which each State is entitled VIII be The same which MI
Kennedy assumed in the table accompanying his general
report. ,.,u a.,
sage of the 7th u shows proceed this act OF Con-
gress TO notify Congress and each State executive Of the
number of REPRESENTATIVES TO which the State will be emit
lied from and after the 81 day of March, 1853.
If the Secretary ehul thus mako the apportionmen
cordiug act the election be held
in November next by the constitution and by the law
of 1891 passed explanation execution of
constitutional provision be governed BY the new apporlon
aent.
Nothing can be palmer than this yet the press gene.
rally and the members appear to be mystied about it,
One of city papers week ago. that the next
tonmen and the dicsu was adopted by the Northern PRESS
noticed in the Sun.
paper purporng be constitutional view of the question:
and which argues that the number of electors which each
s any tmc entitled in the choice for President
and Vice President, correspond with the number
Senator, and Representatives in the Congress existing the
ile the appointment election Of those electors, and
npon one branch Of which Congress the election
in the Of non-elecon by the people. The writer de-
rives this view from construction which he gives to
stut1ona provision which construction is contrary 10 that
OF the Of 1892; and TO the ct three times occurring in
Presidential elections, to wit in 1888 in 1873 md in
1888 The circumstances recur at this election of
President and Vice President whose is commence
the 4h OF March, 1853. II will 1873 and perpeta
ally at the interval OF twenty yea.sthe Of twenty
embracing two Congresses and five Pre-
The Constitution provides ha. each State shall appoint
number of electors equal the whole number of
and representatives 1rict the Stale maybe emitted in Tie
Congress-" The Of March 1892 relative the cleo
lion of President, &C., carries tho constitutional prov
sop and provides that the number of electors shall be equal
the number Of and representatives which
President and Tee President thus 10 be cossn shall
into Office.
The Preden, and Vice President to be chosen in Noven
Der next will como into office IT, 4th OF March, 1853.
The appoonmeut will fix the number representa-.
lives to which each State will be entitled in Congress the
4h of March, 1853.
Thus it will happen for the fourth c--as II will every
twenty yearsthat while the President and Vice President
elected under apporonmen tho Congress- upon
branch Of which the election will devoc the people
fail to make choice is elected under previous apolion
ment.
ton unsss, through cause the uppoonuent under
the seventh census be not made, Yours, &C., ION.
We do doubt that Congress will pass law specifically
settling the of California require the Pres
den,ia election to be held under the wo
take for granted that tho Democratic State Convention of
the Path March, and the Wing State Convention of the 4!h
OF April will adopt the apporionmcnt OF congressional rep
resentaton under the Of 1885, This will give TO
Virginia thirteen members Of Congress- according the
BILE below and fifteen Presidential Electors A. the number
OF the latter corresponds exactly that Of the present
Der of members Of the House from Virginia, oil that our
Legislature will have do will be adopt The present Con-
gressiona Districts rs the new Electoral Districts
Tho view that have la:en Of this question eads 10
anomaly that while tho President is DO elected under
appoonment he may be elected by the House of Rep
resen,a,yes under different But latter is an cx
ceptional case while the election BY electors is the regular
Of afairs-and less volenceis done popular p
cip!es in making the apportionmea and conforming the
number of electors il, under tho rather than under
the old Moreover the House Of Represent
has for Presdcn, by Sates apporonment
the least affect This mode Of election. At the time
this PECULIARLY in the approaching election In
with every other election thar takes place every
teth year. that while the President and Vice President
elected under appnr,onment the Congress, upon
branch Of which the election deyove elected under
previous apporlionmen The fact occurred in 1872
In lSI2 in 1852, and will again Occur in 1852.
ELECTORAL VOTE FOR PRESIDENT
The Tor President and Vice President in tho next
election will DO apporoned the States according the
census follows:
STATES. voTB Is 1852 vo!r ~ 1885,
Maine,
Vermont,