The daily union., 1852-04-09
CONGRESSIONAL.
DEFERRED DEBATE.
WEDNESDAY,, APRIL 2, 1852
I'm oNTINUATIoH.l
aE ENAEr,

The Senate having under consideration the bill supple
S sd as
6y he number oI the members of the House OF Repre-
seola,ves and provide for their future apporonment
among the several S'5ss" approved 2ad OF May, 1850
n he halls oi Congress that has al all times excited
deeuer and stronger interest than this which is 10 de-
,srmns The political power Of State in our national
legislation. think, sr, that every gentleman who has
been present. after the census has been taken, and wit.
messed the struggle for this power. will confirm what
saw in regard to It, Il a very delicate question, sir II
+ one that involves very delicate considerations. ap
uoach il SUCH when come here to act upon in any
shape whatever in order TO get rid OF his exciting d
Guilty which has characterized the passage Of similar aea
heretofore Congress- passed law 10 take effect under
he present OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES the census returns Of
ls50-and in that act they adopted principle which. if
NV memory serves me correctly, il derived from sug
sesion made by Gen Washington in giving his interpre-
iaon TO the constitution. AT OF the earliest appor
tonmenls made, he suggested the propety OF represent
ing the fraction when amounted TO more than one half
Of the amount OF The superintendent That SIR. is the
way recollect it, Well, sir upon examining that prin
cpie thought sound one. and have on former
sions commended ior the adoption OF the principle, but
without success.
taking OF the That was very well calculated
and now, instead Of experiencing the difficulties which
we have heretofore encountered, difficulties
arise upon dividing the aggregate of the federal popua-
ton The number of representatives fixed by that law
was 233 II turns out that the number required for
representative is 900 and fraction; and then very
Der OF fractions to be epreseniedenough to make up
whatever number is wanting after the division takes
place 10 complete the whole number--233. Now. the
difficulty arises s, here n and i s one invoy
said, from California inaccurate, and il is said that
they largely erroneous It is also said that South
Carolina, il the census OF California be taken it is
Teiurned is entitled TO an additional member by frac
lion that fraction being foryseven thousand and odd
louisiana in for having fraction OF fory-six
thousand and odd, and claims also rlgh, 10 be repre-
,.tal( '. yH.l
ST. these three claims 10 one membership raise the
whole question as IL presents itself TO my mind. There
are, tact, three claimants TO one seatCafonia, South
Carolina and Louisiana but gentlemen propose TO get
over that difficulty by giving two additional seats The
original proposition is 10 give seat TO California, at the
time leaving South Carolina in possession OF hers
Now, the honorable member from Louisiana lMr.
DowEsl proposes 10 have the State Of Louisiana
10 also for another seat
MIR. President. do not these gentlemen perceive that
when you undertake by corrections 10 add 10 the agge
saie oi the federal population, you disturb the whole
Hoporton II you increase thai aggregate, and make
diyisionl Suppose you diminish a. il will have the
effect i dsturbs the whole proportion is made
under that law, 60 which way you will II you dimin
h H. you VIII reduce the proportion States, and
pve them OF being entitled to representative by law.
The representative s given upon fraction. That sir
wAb the result OF IT, Perhaps there is another insu
ysraSe difficulty in this. But what wish 10 draw the
attention. OF the Senate 10, in regard TO the question now
kce US, 10 this more particularly: mentioned on Mon
y, when this question was up that should be glad To
kinfomed what evidence had been adduced here by,
which IL was shown that there is sufficient number OF
PERSONS IN California 10 enie her by fraction. or by
jail NUMBER 10 an additional representative That the
point, sir. Well, heard il said over the other side
Of the house. upon Monday, that there certain
Inmates made BY the legislative body OF the State Of Cali
ioma and in those estimates they assumed that there
a much larger populaton-a population OF 800 600
and they made the apporonmenl OF their political power
upoR that assumed basis suggested that should be
yery glad to see those estimates there
made here, so far as understood. that not ques
honed-that were correct | would be glad to what
oil estimates made in relation to those returns
then could form some opinion by comparing the esti
males made with the true returns and make COMPARE
also with those returns which said TO be inaccu
rate But have moi yet seen hat paper, and should be
glad still 10 see IT,
will ask your attention for moment. Mr. President
Or do not propose TO occupy very much OF the time OF
lbe Senate with this maerto some OF the returns, as
they printed and laid before in the document
neced with this subject that may how these esti
mates compare with The returns which made. For
example, take some three or four counties, 80 far as
know that unquesiioned. According 10 the returns
sr The estimate made in letter from gentleman which
sprinied with this document OF the population of that
county is eight thousand The county OF Yuba, as re.
tuned, had population OF p.673i and this same gentle.
man, who was the chairman OF the committee OF the
legislature estimates, says that the population OF this
county is estimated al thirty thousand The county OF
Su,er as returned had 44 and he estimates the popu
aion at seven thousand five hundred. The county OF
SHASTA. ss returned. had 375, and her population s est
mated at six thousand Now, SIR, these four counties
are returned as having total population OF i5 80 while
lis esimaed ~ Ibis gen,lemans letter being 81 500
That is the estimate. s-t /
will turn TO that document and Just read the ounda-
ion OF this genemans estimates. He saysthe data from
shch the committee formed their estimate OF the enre
population OF the State sufficient satisfy them
that amounted TO 100000: that information is based
hs upon the number OF emgrans who had crossed the
plains, and then upon the number who had arrived by
va and thirdly upon the total number who had departed
Thai IS taking those who had arrived By and those
who had crossed the mountains and the plains and then
ssmang them together with those who had Departed
hl population Of three hundred thousand
This number he says OF course included the arrivals
BY from the FIRST Of jane 1880 when the census was
10 be taken up 10 April, 1851 which, for the present
purpose, should be deducted. The number who had
arrived by sea during that period estimated nj for
" 'ooasand' which y large estimate. Well, sir, the
census was iaken, and upon these estimates the State
CALCULATED The strength OF lfs political power.
wow, hs writer goes on TO say "as illustration
e gross inaccuracies OF the census feiurns from Cali
lo'nn VIII give you-what, Mr. President To cor.
ee, gross inaccuracies OF enumeration taken by
Pubic offcer under oath, and upon the spot, he says
W give You an illustration OF the gross inaccuracies
me census returns from California" and "gve you my
s,males OF few counties in the northern part OF the
sne" That ls 10 correct the census taken under the
N, and taken by public oihcer upon the spotsn Off
ss under oath. To be corrected, sir. by the estimates
lhs gentleman, which have read 10 you, and which
pFehy thousand persons when the taker could
nnd only fifteen thousand That It's The result OF these
1amaes Now, sir, without going into this subject as
ioo not wish 10 make myself tedious, and have
esne TO examine into the matter beyond what IL
av . enable me TO do my duty undersiandingly, will
s mat California ought TO be subjected to the same
n.sne'ions as all other States. and share equally with
rlaton =
IS said, Mr. President. that we may get over this
%"euly BY reference TO the act which passed for