The Nevada journal., 1855-05-04
Division OF the State.

We are indebted to Hon. D. T. Dou
glass for copy of the report of the select
committee with reference to the division
Of the State, of which he is chairman. The
report is an ably and carefully drawn doc
ument, and reflects much credit upon its
author for its moderation ftone. Altho'
we do not coincide in all the ideas Of this
report, we believe it is document that
will enlighten the people and excite inves-
tigation, while it can work no injury
That division of the State must be made
by and by is unquestionable, and it is well
that the basis on which such division is
proper to be made should be thoroughly
understood before the step is taken. Of
the reasoning of the report we may here
after take more full notice a principal
reason for the division is expressed as fol-
lows:
"The Atlantic seabord two thousand miles
in extent. is composed of fourteen States, which
have an aggregate representation in the ma
tional councils oftwcnty-eight Senators eleven
hundred miles of the coast of the gulf of Mex
leo, divided between five States, is represented
in the United States Senate by ten members
while the entire Pacific shore, on which bor'
ders the Territories Of Washington and Oregon
and the present State Of California, fourteen
hundred miles in extent, is now represented by
only two Senators. The evils of this limited
representation have been experienced ever
since the admission of our State into the Union
ard will increase with the growth Of the inter
cSts Of this coast. California as now bounded,
contains le6.98l square miles 23 ,3l5 square
miles more than the area of the States of
Maine New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachu.
sctts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New \ ork,
New jersey. Delaware and Pennsylvania the
wants of these States, numberless and often
conflicting, ale represented IN the United
States Senate by twenty members of that body,
while California, with necessities almost as
numerous, important and conflicting, is repre-
sented by only two.
The illustration of this disparity of repre-
scntation from which California suffers will be
perceived by comparison with any section of
the Union. The States of Maryland Virginia,
North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia,
contain only S,627 square miles of territory
more than that within the borders of our
State they have their ten United States Sen
ators to our tro. The varied demands and
peculiar requirements Of this Pacific common
wealth, need, to obtain them more vote. in the
National Legislature. The ablest, purest and
most influential representation Of but tlro voices
can scarcely exercise q dominant influence in
or gain control over deliberate asSemblage
nf Il, Cfi ,lar, 'iN;
crease of our Senatorial representation would
be beneficial in another point of view; if so
unfortunate as to select corrupt men to trans
act our public business at Washington, of the
six Senators to which the three proposed
States would be entitled, actuated by different
motives desiring the attainment of different
ends, they assuredly could not unite in any
improper scheme, some would be a constant
check upon the action Of the others"
Now this argument is insufficient for
several reasons. The states on the Allan
tic scaboar4 are compactly settled, and
embrace in very small space popula-
ton equal to the entire population of Cali
fornia If the Senatorial representation
is at all governed by the numbers of the
represented, the present division of power
is nearly correct. 1t is not miles Of unin-
habited territory that are to be represen
ted according to the policy Of our institu-
tions in any department of government.
And We presume the author of this report
would be aversc to making of every coun-
ty Of this State sovereign State, in order
to match the representation of the New
England States in the Senate. IF then
the principle is not carried to its utmost,
there is little additional advantage gained
by having six instead of two Senators. Un-
less we can really secure enough votes
from the Pacific coast to Exercise DOM
inant influence or gain control'' in the
Senate, which can only be done by cut
ting up this coast in States as small as
those of the Atlantic side, the small gain
of members is Of doubtful advantage, for
it increases the chances for divided coun-
sells among those we may have, while their
influence as body is proportionably weak |
ened. 1t is a notorious fact that even the
small body heretofore sent, though of one
party, and elected with the same general
instructions, have been divided and con-
ficting in their actions, and BY that divi-
sion have perplexed and defeated the
friends of California from other States,
who have desired sincerely to legislate for
the good Of this State, when able to un-
dcrstand what measures were needed. Tn
less we can command by adequate num-
bcrs, any show of less force is contemplate.
Six members will not place us in the posi-
ton desired by the author of the report,
while for the purposes of persuasion, which