The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1857-05-27
The AppertIonment BliI.

| The bill as passed was arranged or COM
promised by Henry d. Foster on The part of
the Democrats and Mr.. Jordan on the part
of the Opposition. The only excuse for
agreeing TO it lays in the fact that the Gov
ernor and Senate were with the Opposition,
and the House in rather doubtful condition.
| Under these circumstances the bill is per-
haps as good as could have been procured.
| If the fates are not against us there will be
! a Democratic majority in both branches of
! the next Legislature. After that Philadei-'
| phia will be re.districted, and the chances
are about even in the State; which is a
shame, because lhere is u large Democratic
majority on the popular vote.
Our district, as usual fares about the worst
of all; and we have a surplus OF taxables in
the district over both the Senatorial and Rep.
resentative ratio. For Il Senator the ratio is
l7,0II, while our district of Columbia, Mon
tour, Northumberland and Snyder contains
1884. The first three counties 1869
which ought to have entitled them 10 Sen.
ator much rather than the 2s, les taxables of
Lancaster should entitle it 10 two Senators.
Where several counties are joined in dis
trct the discrimination ought always TO be
in their favor, and where one county is en-
titled TO several Senators the discrimination
should be against it. Lancaster and Leban-
on were formerly district with two Sena-
tors, and have now together s5, l6o ,axa-
bles, which would have given II $50 TO each
Senator, a number less than is in tho district
fixed for us. But because Lancaster and
Lebanon We're Opposition counties they
were allowed TO spead, and 4 Democratic
district was crowded.
This seems to have been the general rule
in forming the bill. The Opposition district
of Butler and Beaver has only I4,6Oi taxa.
bles, and the other one of Indiana and Arm
strong only l3,l03: in both instances less
than our three counties Of Columbia, Mon
tour and Northumberland contain. The
Democratic counties of Northampton and
Lehigh are crowded together for district,
though they contain 81 ,S27 taxabes.
But in the Representative district we are
still more wronged. Our four counties OF
Montour, Columbia, Sullivan and Wyoming
contain 10, ,264 taxables, while the ratio for
member is 1916 The three counties of
Montour Columbia and Sullivan contain
9,757 taxablcs; which is u larger number
than is found in the double district of Dau-
phin with 1924, of Butler with $500, OF
Potter and Tioga with s,763, or of Bradford
with 9,7l4. But these arc Opposition coun-
ties, and therefore the favor TO them and the
injustice 10 us. II three counties are united
in district there is certainly moro reason
TO let them be below the ratio than whore
one county has two members, or where
only two counties are united.
Bat the Opposition evidently went upon
the principle OF "divide and conquer IL
they could not here form IN anti-Dcmocrat-
ic district, they could at least make one
clumsy and cumbrous; in which, from the
large number of counties, there would nat
urally be greater chance for mischief on
account of discord, disuuion, and jealousy
between rival counties aud rival candidates
of the party in the majority.
We have no objection TO Snyder or Wy
oming counties as y part of our district, be.
we know excellent men in both of ,hem.-
We promise ourselves pleasure and profit
from the new political associations which
our county thus forms from the centre of the
state almost TO the Northern line. But we
do object 10 having districts made cumhrous
and clumsy with four counties, when each
district ought only to have embraced three
10 be fair and just with the others OF the
State.