Delaware State reporter., 1853-04-26
MORNING SESSION.
FRIDAY, April Is.

NlURPHEt.
The journal of yesterday was read and ap-
proved.
All the members were present, this morning.
except Messrs. Gray, Latimer, and Wilson.
LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT..
Mr.. BAYARp The Committee on the Lcgs-
latiye Department, after two sessions yesterday,
were unable to come to any agreement. They
voted down the amendment which had pro-
posed in Committee of the Whole, but no propo-
sition was made for any other amendment oil the
former report No other vote was taken, cN-
cept one directing me TO report back, as now
do to the Convention the former report, without
any alteration. intend, this morning, to move
in a somewhat modified form the amendment
which offered yesterday in Committee Of the
Whole. In modifying it, have adhered to the
great principle of representation according 70
population, waving. however, for the present,
its application TO my own town; but adherlhg 7
to the second principle, of distiicting the State.
In my modified amendment, have stricken
out the two districts of the city of Whining on
composed of the first and third, and second and
fourth wards, respectively and have put those
four wards, containing 1900 people, i'll sim
glc Senatorial district. | have retained the
principle of future division into Senatorial dis
trio s,as nearly equal as may bc in population
But in order to guard aga INST what ! consider
an ina ginary, but what other gentlemen may
view as a real cause of dangcr-that is the pre-
.pondcrancc of a large city, if Wilmington should
ever become 50, over the rural portion of the
1 S!atc-I have added, at the end of the amend
ment for the future division of the State into
Sena orial districts: ~
Provided, that in any future revision of the
districts the city of Wilmington shall not be
allowed Il number of Senators and Representa-
! tives exceeding two-lifths of the whole number
of Senators and Representatives in all the dis
| tricts within the limits New Castle county, or
exceeding one-SiXth of the whole number of
Senators and Representatives. in the State"
consider tile effect of this provision will be
perfectly harmless as regards my constituents,
bceauseI do not believe that the City of Whining
ton under any circumstances, will ever stand, in
point Of populations i'll such situation as to
demand greater representation. But, however
that may be, am willing that this restriction
shall be imposed. because it necessarily prevents
the danger which gentlemen suppose night occur
to the interests either Of the county or the State.
of majority of the representatives from New
Castle county or from the whole State coming
from the City Of Wilmington. 1t guards ellrc
tlally against any such danger, because it leaves
under all circumstances, no matter what may hc
the population of Wilmington. five sixthS of the
representatives of The State, and three ffths OF
the representatives of New Castle county outside
its limits If the proposition is not acceptable
to the Convention in that shape can offer nc
further amendments.
, have adhered for the present to the plan d
division proposed in my original amendment
for the other counties and the lCst Of New Castlt
county. have divided them as fairly as wa,
= able to do with the materials before me.
, have adhered, i'll every case, to the principle o
f, caual population i'll the districts, as near u,
! could be. | have adhered to the principle 0
f contiguous territory with three exceptions ON
i in New Castle one in Kent and one in Sussex
I and those departures from the general rule wcr
4 forced upon me from the fact that we have III
4 enumeration of population Of the local divisions
i less than Hundreds, and the inequality of th
a population of the Hundreds rendered ii ncccssar,
either that the principle fcontiglity Of teritor
J or the principle Of equality Of representation
q must give way. thought it preferable tina
5r the principle Of contiguity should give way
II it were not yielded with any political object
y Therefore, in three cases, | departed from til
u general rule. Those three cases, are the unio
n Of Dagsborough with Cedar Creek the unio
70 of Little Creek in Kent county with the tw
lower Hundreds of that county, and the mio
y of Appoquinimink and Rcd Lion. If any othe
- plan in detail can be submitted, which will b
4 more fair towards the several counties l sha
- be perfectly satisfied with it. The alteration
- which have made in my amendments are sue
8. as will, hope, satisfy the most Jealous, or,
= You please, the most Jealous against the undil
y y prcponderancc of the City of Wilmington, or I'll
= county of New Castle. The amendment whc
4; proposed to the nineteenth section, shall III
:. now offer, for il is matter wholly disconncctC
y from the other subject
~ y. Mr. BtRToN. | move that the Convention n
- solve itself into consideration of the report of ii
~ Committee OH the Legislative Department.
fNhn NyuS aurnrfl IN, a,,l Mr. NJ
ny resumed the Chair
Mr.. BAYARD. | understand that under Il
m rules of this body, now is the proper time
eu offer my. .omcndments. | move now, til rcfor
nc to strike out the provisions of the report in rel
hi ton to Senators and Representatives, and insc
al the folio wing:
ii ~ The Senate shall consist of seventeen mcr
y bers; and the Senators be chosen for four ycal
ny The House of Representatives shall consist
es thirty-four members, who shall be elcctt
sc bennally. The State shall be divided in
n fifteen districts, to be he called Senate district
a and each district except the first and fifth, shi
NO choose one Senator, and the first and fifth d
Dt tricts shall each choose two Senators.
lie The first district shall consist Of the lIundre
&C. of Nanticoke, Little Greek, Broad Creek III
II North West Fork, Gin Sussex county.)
The second district shall consist Of the IIu
drcds of Baltimore and Indian River.
ur The third district shall consist ofthc IIundrc
ar Of Broadkiln, and Lewes and Rchoboth.
ID The fourth district shall consist Of the Ill
lb- drels Of Dlgsborough and Cedar Greek.
on The fifth district shall consist of the IIundre
J | of Milford, Mispilion, and Little Creek,
ID Kent county.)
TO The sixth district shall consist of the Hundf
,m Of Murlerkll.
nv She seventh district shall consist of the Ill
~ drcd Of Dover.
-; The eighth district shall consist ofthc lIundl
~ of Duck Creek.
'Nc The ninth district shall consist ofthc llundr(
oh- of Appoquinimink and Red Lion.
my The tenth district shall consist of the Ill
ION drcd Of st. Georges.
to The eleventh district shall consist of
the Hundreds of Pcncader and New Castle.
/, | The twelfth district shall consist of the IL
the dreds Of Mill Creek and White Clay Creek.
ure The thirteenth district shall consist OF
!, I first, second, third, and fourth wards of
H.. CITY of Wilmington.