Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1856-12-13
The STATE APpoRrIoNMENT.

guilty practised by the Legislature Of 1872 in dis
tricting the State for Representatives in Congress
and Members Of the State Legislature. We have
heretofore presented tables showing that that lie.
gislature, By disregarding in the most outrageous
manner, both geographical symmetry and equality
of population, managed to pack the districts as,
on basis of less than two thousand snt-demo.
cratic majority in the State, in 1851, to give the
democrats but two Congressional districts and to
place that party in a minority of sixteen in the
Legislature. The process by which this was done,
tive power on record in any State. Less than
10000 of population in one district was given
Representative in Congress, while near 100000 in
an adjoining district was only equal to the 10000
in the former district. No single consideration
was regarded but how to keep democrats out of
Congress. This we have often shown, and no one
has dared controvert fact which the map of
the State and the figures of elections and of
population demonstrate with all the exactness
of arithmetic and geography.
But outrageous as was this Congressional appor-
tionment its infamy has been partially hid by
the overshadowing outrage on popular rights
perpetrated by the Legislative superintendent. 1t
happens that the snti-democratic strength, in 8
much greater degree than the democratic strength,
lies in certain localities; and hence, an spportion
msnt which only looked to the constitutional re-
quirements in such cases, would at any time with
in the last ten years have given the democrats
majority in the Legislature. And yet, by carving
and cutting-by disregarding, in short, every
thing but partisan OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES was be.
lieved to be an impregnable majority against the
democrats was secured. Fifty thousand wings
AS they were then called-were given sixteen
Senators, and 6fty.three thousand democrats were
given nfRs Senators. In the House, it was impos-
sble to place the democrats in SO large minority,
without dividing counties. But by skilfal ar
rsngement of fractions, and floating districts, it
was managed to give seven majority against the
democrats.
These general remarks are called out by an arti-
Gle in the Patriot of yesterday, replying to pre-
ceding article on the same subject in this psper.
The Patriot properly CONSTITUTES our previous re-
marks as favorable to redisricting of the State,
and processes to hold us to the issue. Very good.
But the tOhOle issue, in this event. we notify the
Patriot involves first the fairness or unfsirness of
the superintendent of 1872. We undertake to
show, first, that that apportionmsnt was unequal,
fraudulent, and unconsitutional-so far IS 81 eva.
sion of constitutional requirements is violation Of
the constitution. We undertake to establish this.
If we succeed, the next question will be, whether
an unjust and arbitrary enactment ought to be so
modified as to render equal aud exact justice to
both parties Ii we fail in the first point, we will
cheerfuly abandon the other For it is because the
apportionment of 1872 was unequal, unjust, and
oppressive that it ought to be amended.
We repeat, that we shall not shirk the issue as
we have made it and as we restate it above. We
intend to press IT with whatever vigor possess;
and, in our hands, it will resolve itself into the
proposition that it is the duty of legislators to
edy legislative wrongs and modify dishonest and
oppressive ensctments. The Patriot may very
safely set it down that in discussing this issue with
US it will find no opportunity for lodgings and
eyasions.
So much for the subject at large. We mast now
correct the Patriot on one point 1t says we ode
sire so to re-arrange the districts as to give cur
party COuAOi Vi lLO ObSOO III al AuboiO tihhO.
This is the issue which it accepts. But we have
made no such issueI What we want is, an honest
apportionment, which, as near as possible, shall
nut every voter of the State-every county of the
Stste-eyery district of the Stste-on an equality
as respects representative power. We know that
such honest apportionment would give Q large
democratic majority in the Legislature; but We
aduOoofo rryoro Re
10 be different We believe in the strength Of our
principles with the honest PEOPLE of the State;
and, by all our hopes we would never consent to
accept power for our party, obtained by the dis
reimbursement of our fellow citizens of any party,
or by dishonest exercise of legislative authority.
Let the Patriot then, be careful, in accepting an
issue, to state it correctly.
We notice but one other sentence of the Pa.
triots article. 1t says:
"The present superintendent laws were enacted
by a Wing Legislature, at time when the politics
OF the State were Wing, and the districts were ar
ranged with view to give expression to that
Wing sentiment"
This admission covers pretty much the whole
ground. The Patriot admits that the present ap-
portonment laws "aUere enacted at time s0hen the
politics of the State qoere 'ohig 1Oih vieO to give
expression to that aohig sentiment" This is true.
No other "view" was taken. There was no at
tempt to equalize representation among the popu.
lation. And now, although we would not follow
such an exsmple-slthough we would take no ad-
vantage which did not follow fairly and
Il, eoro o,r rn-,-I---- J---'JI III III houesI ap-
1u5fhIohhenf, made without looking at that major
ity at al-yet, we feel little curious to see how
the Patriot will defend its own party for district
ing the State "cih viesO to give oppression to the
sentiment of its friends, and, st the same time,
when the sentiment of the State has changed, at
tack the majority for proposing a change in the
districts with view to give expression to the DEM
ocratic sentiment of the great majority.
az Ia the debate in the Senate OF the United
States, few days since, reference was made by
some of the Southern Senators, with great bitter
ness to an article 10 the Eaiabsrg RsUistO, of Oc
tober, which Mr. BUTLER, of S. c., said viifed
the South and bore eAr-marks of5hsVing been
written in this country. Mr.. BENJAMIN, of Louis
al. tba artiola bad haar xurittar bu N