The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1856-04-10

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may enti:ls. to six or more, but they are dis
regarded, 1t can hsvebul four. By section
A, same article, leach county Gexisiing when
The constitution was fosmedl shall have at
least one representative !" no matter what
may be its number Of isxsbles. BY section
4, no City or county can be divided IN form
| ing senatorial districts, however much the
numerical principle may require il; 10 fact,
Senators are 10 some extent the representa-
lives of cities and counties and not of TAX
ables alone. l..-.. #-.r -.
Neither in establishing the basis Of repre-
sentaiion or of suffrage do yor regard The
| whole number Of the population, nor do sou
put suffrage and representation upon the
sane ground. -you exclude, frem the right
OF suffrage aliens, minors, non-iaxables, ne.
groes aad females, and require local .esi-
dence, aud tax paymea, of those otherwise
qualified. But you base representation upon
taxabes, not excluding all whom you exclude
from suffrage, but still excluding part of the
population. The result is that taxabie mi
rors, females, foreigners and negroes are
represented but are not permitted to VOTE
The proportion of the two first to the whole
population is pretty uniform throughout the
Slate from the operation of obvious and nat
ural causes. But, lomiuiug to notice foreign
ep as 10 whom similar course OF remark
would apply,1 tho case is different as 10 me-
groes. Four-seven,hs of these are locaisd in
Philadelphia, Chester, Lancaster and Ale
gheny, and over one.third in Philadelphia
There are twenty Thousand in Philadelphia,
the laxables among whom, although not vo-
ters, ars-counled 10 swell the representation
of The city. II this Glars Of non-voers were
distributed throughout, the State in Uniform
proportion 10 the white taxables In eachpar,
there would be no disturbance oflhe basis Of
representation, but as the fact is not SO, ine-
quality TO some extent is created.
Ilis sometimes u-ged as matter Of reproach
ag anst the free while voiers Of the south that
they have representation in Congress based
upon their negroes, and ESQ 10 speak) vote
| for them. The same fact stands out in our
own case, fas TO our free taxable negroes,
and the city and few other points gain the
advantage thereof in the distribution of po.
III tcal power. ..''.' ',-
But TO return. Representation in the Con-
gress of the United States is no more based
on the strict principle of numbers than it rs
with us; on the contrary less regard is paid
10 it, Every one knows that representation
in The United States Senate is by States and
that popular numbers is entirely disregarded
Delaware, with $4,000 inhabitants, has the
same number Of Senators as Pennsylvania
with over Two millions. Have evils resulted
from this? Have the interests of the large
States been sacrificed or put in perila On
the contrary, is it not more than probable that
this very arrangement has tended 10 keep the
general government in its true course, and
promote the common good2
Nor is the lower House of Congress FORM
ed in strict conformity 10 the principle Each
State, however small it may be in numbers,
shall always have Representative. Who
shall elect The members, is left 10 each State
10 determine, for they are to be the same
persons qualified 10 vote for members Of the
most numerous branch Of the State Legisla.
,ure. But, what is most noticeable is the gen.
sral basis of apportionment, which is 10 be
for each State "the whole number. OF free
persons, including those bound to service fol
a term of years, and excluding Indians moi
taxed, three.fifths of all other persons."--
Gentlemen may say this is peculiar ar
rangement, grounded in a compromise be-
tween great national interests. Whatever il
NAV be, il is certainly not dislrbolion ol
representatives upon the strict principle ol
numbers.
The example of other States can also be
consulted. As far back as 1919 Maine es-
tsblished limitation upon The representa-
lion of towns in her House of Representa-
lives. The whole number OF members was
not 10 be less than one hundred nor more
then two hundred, and by q subsequent
amendment it was fixed al one bundled and
| fftv lone or these Portland had assigned 10
| II, al uIst, tnIe6 ID6uiucIs, ofu Ho oW" "~e
ever to be entitled to more than seuen." There
is also principle Of graduation in the appor-
tionment. Towns with 1900 Inhabitants are
10 have one member; with $3.50, two; $3.50,
three; 10, 500, iour; is, 900, five; 10000, six;
26,250 and over, seven. When population
becomes too large for these numbers they
are to be raised, but the same principle OF
graduation and proportion is 10 be maintain
ed af
The amended Constitution of Rhode ISL
and provides, that The Senate of that State
''shaIl consist OF the Lieutenant Governor aud
of one Senator from each town or city iE the
State;n no regard being had 10 population.
"The House oil Representatives shall never
exceed seventy.lwo members, and shall be
constituted on this basis ofpopulation always
allowing one Representative fora fraction
exceeding half the ratio; but each town or
city shall always be emitted 10 at leas, one
member, and no town or city shall have more
than one.sixlh the whole number OF mem
bers 10 which The House is limited" The
population Of Providence city in 1850 was
81 ,5I3, and Of the whole State l47 ,545 And
| yet the former can have but one Senator, and
but q sixth of the Representatives, although