The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1858-04-08

crctary ol inc tuurtor wgs 10 cause census
of the inhabitants TO be taken and that the
State should be entitled TO one representa-
tive, and such additional representatives III
the population should. according TO the cen.
sus, show her To bc entitled to upon the
present ratio Of representation. That IL Just
and fair. Whatever the State Is entitled ia
on that basis. OF course, she ought 10 have
and no more. The whole difficulty has
arisen from perhaps not unnatural eager.
ncss On the part Of the now State TO act bc-
fore SHE was in "a condition TO act, and 10 act
beyond her power, In the schedule 10 her
constitution, Minnesota has undertaken. in
violation OF the very law under which she
organized her constitution. TO claim repre-,
scntaiion IN Congress TN different basis
from what the INV allows her. II Is for
Congress. no, for II State, 10 prescribe the
basis under the constitution Of the United
States. Not only has shc done that, but she
has. in article sixteen Of her constitutions
violated the existing law OF the United
States, which requires elections for mem.
bers OF Congress to be by single districts.---
She has provided that. 'for the purposes Of
the first election the State shall constitute
one district. and shall elect thrno members
TO the House OF Representatives. OF the Uni.
ted States
The general law requires that the clec-
tions oi members Of Congress shall bc by
single districts. Minnesota has chosen az
hi Grsf nct 10 annex 10 hur constitution
provision making the Stat. into one district
imtcad ol lhrco, il she ia entitled 10 three
members. This clause IL wrong in all re
spec,s. In truth, II ought 10 form no part
OF the constitution. agrce with the sena-
tor from Vermont, that this clause being
there. il We admit the State under this con.
stitutlon, il will bc considered a. AN nsctnt
10 the clauac, unless we insert aomc proyi-
sion excluding TINT conclusion. A. do
not think Minnesota had n right 10 exercise
any such power. ! cannot vote for striking
on, or amending this section of the bill, IA
now proposed. She Is no more entitled to
two Representatives than 10 three, on any
evidence VIZ have. The bill reported by the
committee gives her fairly all tha, she is en-.
titled to; that II. ont Representative Ger.
tainiy, 90 which every State il always en-
titled, and any additional number that. as
tia ratio 81 representation ahc IL entitled 10
for her population That leaves the rcst Ie.
ultimately 10 the lioua oi Representatives.
IL belongs 10 them. after we have declared
what number Of members the Htatr il en-,
titled 10 under the ratio, to determine as TO
the election Of their own members, aud whom
they will admit Whether they will admit
the pcr'ons already elected or not Ia n qucs.
ton Tor them and not for us Congress IL
To prescribe what the representation shall be
in the admission Of n new State, not the
State hcrsrlf, not either House 0f Congrsa
alone. Then. M to who has been elected
and whether the election has been in accord
ance with the right 10 whirh the State IL
entitled after her admission IL nqucstion Tot
the IIousc in which the case arises 10 deter
mlne for iiself
submit then that the acti0n, as reported
by the committee, ought 10 stand and that
th' objection to fixing two Representatives
Is just as strong IA ~ liking three. Accord.
my 10 The enabling net, Congress il TO
give u MiDBrsota the number of ltcprc1n,
iatIycs 10 which her population entities her.
There IL no Gyitlcucr before us under the law,
there is no consus which shows that shc IL
entitled, according ~ the ratio, 10 more than
one representative. II she Is entitled 10
more than ono and has elected them under
the terms ol the law, il will be simple mat
nr oi calculation when they 20 10 the Ilousc
0f Representatives, whether that House will
admit one or two. and the right will b. fixed
properly by the terms Of the law itseif
The Vice President. The Senator from
Ohio has asked for division Of the gu'ss-
ton upon the smeninent of the Senator
from North Carolina. The Chair thinks II
ia susceptible Of division. The first question
therefore. will be on striking ont "op,' and
inserting 1.-TWO" before tbe word "Reprcsen-
tatye"
Mr.. Clay called for The yeas and nays
and they were ordered.
Mr.. Fitch. The question, IA stated by
the Chair ia on striking out zone" and in.
srting "iwo" Cannot that be divided 80
a. 10 let us vote simply on striking out
The Vice President II IL not 10 order,
according 70 tie rules Of this body, % divide
u motion 10 strike ou, and insert
The question being taken by yeas and
nay, resultol--ycas IL. nays J3 az FOL
l0w.:
Yeas--Ns..fs. Alien. Bgg,, Bright. Brown,
Douglas. FitL. Green, Jones. fggh, seba,tan,
StuAft ass Wright ~.
Says-Me.sr,. Baysrd, Benjamin, Bgler,
Bfodstiek. Cameron, Chandler, Cisrk. Clay,
Cnllaroer. CtiitsndsB. Dixon, Doolitiis, E,sns,
Fszzsnden. Fxpatriek. Foot, Foster. Hamlih,
Ha,lin. Houston. Johason ~ Arkansas, John.
son of Teno~s-se, King, Mason, Prarce, Polk,
s~ward. simmons. tAdsn. Trumban, Wade,
Wilson and Yples~ss.
80 The irSt branch Of Mr. Bigg', amend
rncnt was rejected.
Mr. Bggs The Senate having rejected
tie srt part Of the smendment, my object
cannot BE- attained by the rest Of The prop.
ositIon and thesefre ! withdraw II.