Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1856-09-11
Every Shareholder has five Votes.

One of the most common of the fraudu-
lent statements made by the opposition is,
that owing TO the peculiar nature of the
institution of slavery, every STAKEHOLDER has
one vote. Strange as it may appear, We
met n man the other day who was willing
not addd that he was eloquent upon the out
rageous advantage Shareholders have over
free white men at the North. This mis-
representation has been exposed often: but
as often as it is thrown in the face of the
Democracy by these freedom shrlekers, 3"
We will explain the truth of the matter
again.
The subject is regulated by the Consti-
tuition, which, in Art /, See. 9, has the
following:
Representatives and direct taxes shall be
appointed among the several States, which
may be included within the Union accord
ing to their respective numbers, which
shall be determined by adding to the whole
number of free persons, including those
bound to service for a term of years, and
excluding Indians not taxed, three ffths Of
all other persons"
A few words will explain the practical
operation of this provision. In the State
CT Illinois, all persons, men, women, and
children, including al negroes, are inclu
ded in that population which is made the
basis of representation in Congress. Sup
posing the ratio Of Representatives was one
member of Congress for each 100, 900 IN
habitants, and that Illinois had Il popula-
ton of 100000 and 500, 900 negroes,
yet, rs the negroes of Illinois are free, Hi
nois would be entitled to thirteen members
of Congress. But change the scene to
Kentucky. Say that Kentucky has pop
ulation of the same number, and divided in
the same proportion between whites and
blacks; yet, because her negroes are slaves
she is not entitled to thirteen Representa-
tives. She would be entitled to ten, for
the million whites: but the 500, ,0OO ne
groes only count for $50 900, as federal
population, and are less than sufficient TO
entitle her to two Representatives. 300,
900 negroes in free State, count, in the
of Representatives, as SO
many white persons; but the same number
of negroes in slave State, are only count
ed for a like purpose rs $780, 900 persons.
The result is that the slave States lose, I'M
der this provision Of the Constitution, two
fflhs of their negro population when com
pared with that at the North But, in pro
portion that the negro population of the
South is greater than that at the North so
is the loss of the South in the matter of
Estimating the slave pop
ulation of the Southern States at the fic-
ures furnished bv the census of 1850. we
find it stated to be 3,l98,32 This pop
niation is, numerically, nearly equal to that
Of the six New England States. and the
States Of Michigan and California added. .
I he aggregate Of these eight States was,
in 1850, 3,206, ,367. Their aggregate rep
resentation in the House of Representa-
lives. is thirty five members.
While every man in these eight States,
both black and white, is counted in
the apportionment of Representatives,, the
same number of persons at the South suffer
, reduction of two-ffIhs. The advantage
IF this provision in the Constitution. is
wholly on the side of the North Where
he advantage is, can Ge distinctly seen 10y Il