Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1853-04-06
Congressional districts.

10 the surprise of every. body, the Senate, on
Wednesday last, rejected the Congressional Dis
trict bill passed by the House of Delegates, and
adopted plan of their own. GAS 10 the sub.
stitusc," says the Richmond Wig, "it gives the
Wing, but single District, and is only less OK.
ceptionable than the original in this that the Dis
tricts are more compsct, and on that account more
nearly comply with the constitutional requisition
The Gerrymander was nothing but concatena
ton Of shoe strings, twisting and winding in eve
ry conceivable direction. Most of the Districts il
the substitute, though adverse 10 the Wings, arc
compact, and composed of contiguous territory
The Morning Mail gives the following notice
of the debate in the Senate:
A very spicy and entertaining debate took place
in the Senate yesterday morning upon the House
bill, commonly known as the Gerymander, which
was the order Of the day for yesterday. Among
the gentlemen who advocated various amend
mentS Of the bin with zeal and ability were Mess
rs Witcher. Thomas, and Saunders, Wings and
Messrs Amber, Douglas, BraXton, Catlett, and
Thompson Democrats. The speakers for the bill
were Messrs Deneale, Stovall Roger and Shack,
leford Some highly piquant and amusing passa-
ges occurred between the champions and oppo-
nants of the measure. Our Democratic friends
did not exhibit upon this occasion the compact
front with which they usually march to battle
One or two specimens Of the debate exhibit plen-
ty of cloves and cayenne
MIR. Catlett, the veteran Democratic Senator
fsom Gloucester, demanded t, know whether
those who acted with him were to be crammed
like geese for the spit. lie would never attend
Caucus again if he could be forgiven for the last
enc. He avowed his determination to be gov
erned BY the Constitution in making Districts as
compact as possible This ought to be done, and il
it makes every district in the State Wing Oh
Democratic, let them be SO. He would not bring
Mr.. Braxton, of the Richmond County District
endorsed the sentiments Of Mr., Catlett, declared
the bill was an unconstitutional bill, and said he
would support only such bill as was in accor
dance with the Constitution if it made every dis
trict in the State Wing.
Mr.. Amber, of the Louisa District, took the
same position, and indicated it with that manly
frankness and dignity, as well as logical power
for which he is emincntly distinguished. On the
other side, Dir. Roger, of the Barbour District
made very spirited.speech, in which he denounc'
ed the idea of Gerymandering THE Democracy
He said there was faction of Democrats on thai
floor who set themselves up Us exponents Of the
Democratic party, and who would tear the party
to pieces, if they did not submit to their will
Mr.. Roger described those gentlemen as Straight
outs and Fllibm!ers. lie invoked them to leave
the Oyster Shores, and 60 among the Dutch
where Democracy shines in IFS purity and beauty
Mr.. Douglass, of Prince George, replied to MIR
Roger, and demanded to know who had commits
stoned that gentleman to crack the Democratic
whip about his head. He,defed him to come in
to his district and compare merits and services
with his Democracy He also spoke of the spa.
riOus Democracy Of Barbour and denounced the
bill as odioas, unjust and unconstitutional. The
bill, as will be seen, was finally rejected.