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

anu py olher cousioelations. Abe- nuhucI
named will constitute formidable force and
be adequate to protect the in'eresls Of tho city
SO far as they are, involved in legislation,
while it will not yield her az. overwhe Ginning
weight as against other sections Il is the
number 10 which she is now entitled and is
more than one.ssventh the whole House. As
she has q local government consisting Of
councils, an executive. and other funGlioua-
ries, chaTged with the transaction and man.
agemeni Of a great part of her public con-
Germs, il Is not unreasonable 10 withhold from
her increased representation here; represen-
talion unnecessary TO her owo interests and
disturbing to the balance of power, which
should be maintained between the different
divisions of the State. isip be observed
thai any counis or district ksmed OF coun-
lies is limited 10 five, 10 preyeui an undue as.
grseation Of slrergh at any point, and 10 pre-
serve the feature of quality in the proposed
arrangement. There is also Limitation upon
the entire number OF representatives from the
whole Stale, as in the present constitution
The number shall never be less than sixty
nor greater than one hundred; SO that the
city with fifteen members must always have
more than one seventh the whole number.
Any increase of the population of the Stale
can never be expected 10 make her weight
and influence less than il is at present. ,.
A reason for the proposed Limitation is
found in the inequality Of the existing plan
of distributing representation. This is not
generally understood, and as it is material to
The arsumeutI wilIsailempt to explain it. By
the constitution, at he ,ime1f making each
spporionmeni, The SepSssfajatiSsst are 10 be
apporioned Ito quote the sAact words) ga
mong The city of Philadelphia and The sew
eral counties, according to the number of
taxable inhabitants in each.n But This ap.
parent equality of distribution is disturbed by
practical difficulty, always embarrassing,
but greatly enhanced and aggravated by con.
,soida.ion. The ratio, or number OF taxables
for a representative, is asceuainad by divl'
ding the whole number OF iaxables in the
State by the number one hundred, (if that be
the numbe, of representatives fixed, as is
usually the case,) the quotient is the ratio.
Then the number of laxables in any city or
county is 10 be divided By the ralio to ascer-
tam the number 10 which il is entitled. The
result in each case almost inevitably is, a
certain number and a fraction or surplus
This is the process by which the dislribu.
lion is to be made 10 ,hs eiy sa'i VI. .e-vr-t
oounties, according to the number of taxa
BILE inhabitants in each" Suppose the ratio
is 5000, and that Philadelphia has fifteen
times that number and a fraction or surplus
over of only dozen taxables. She gets her
fifteen representatives and the fraction is
dropped. Schuylkill may have twice the ra'
ito and Two thousand taxables over, she gels
two members and the fraction is lost; Leba-
non, adjoining, may in like manner get one
member and lose fraction Of one thousand /;
Northumberland NAV get a member and lose
fraction of Eve hundred; Cumberland with
two members may lose fraction OF four
hundred; York with three fraction Of ff
teen hundred; Perry with one, six hundred;
Erie with two, eighteen hundred; Washing.
ton with two, fourteen hundred; and Indiana
with one, a fraction oil nine hundred. Here
the nine counties named wousd have fifteen
members, Ihe same number as Philadel-
phia, } and the lost fraction when added to-
gether would amount 10 over ten thousand.
If, however, these counties that lose in this
manner were merged into one, they would
get seventeen members, because, as in the
case OF Philadelphia, there would be loss
OF but one fraction, instead Of as many ffac-
tions as there are counties. 1t will bs obser.
we'd, that while the city and county were sep
arate, there might be loss of fractions in
each, but hereafter there can be loss of but
one. si.I.5i ~ ,..&.H =. t..-.b Cd. .r- ..
il is true The fractions are 10 be considered
in completing lbe distribution. Representa-
lives are TO be allowed for some of the lar
ges, but in this the city fraction is just at
likely 10 be favored as any one else.
The sum Of the matter is this: the city from
the extent and aggregation Of it's population
is secure from the peril of undsr.tepresenta-
tion; instead of running the risk of losing a
dozen fractions ii can lose but one, and is not
likely 10 lose that if it is Of any magnitude.
II may be remarked also, that in framing an
apportionment bill The city has a manifest
advantage over any other district, upor all
points within the discretion Of the Legislature.
Az spportionment is a question of party as
well as Of localities, and no party can afford 10
defy Phil adelphis by framing a bill disPleas-
ing 10 her. A county with but one or Two
representatives, may be hardly used with i'm.
punily, but the city with fiIeen members iu
one House and iour or more in the o,ier must
be treated tenderly and can command her
own terms. ''''f"' 'H.'' ''i
/ A easonable limitation Of the number Of
representatives from the city will but pre-
serve an equilibrium between her and other
parts of the State BY preventing the extreme
weight which she wilf otherwise obtain in the
government. "'"
Blu, it is objected that representation shoul Id
be based exclusively upon numbers in 9th.
er words That the numerical majority alone
should rule. deny this proposition, and
as ii is the main If not the only objection
made TO this amendment shall proceed 10
show how decentive and un founded il ia.