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

men have an equal right, II they have any
right ut all. | do not know how the qucs
ton OF selection between them could be do.
termined. Minnesota is entitled TO but onc
Representative for whatever the fraction
may be- it is not large enough to cntitle her
under the existing apportionmcnt, to another
Representative.
Mr.. Douglas, will state. on refreshing
my memory by talking with the Senator
from Missouri, that the enabling act did no.
provide Representative for any fraction.
II provided that she should be entitled to one
member, and such additional ones as the
population returned in the census should
show her to be entitled TO under the existing
apportlonment not giving any for n fraction.
Mr.. Mason. Then. under the existing mp.
portionment, she would be entitled TO but
one Representative.
Mr. Green. The constitution Of Mime.
sofa has this provision, section seven, article
sixteen:
For the purposes Of the first election, tho
state shall constitute one district, and shall
elect three members TO the House OF Represen.
tatives Of the United States"
They fix the number by their own law !;
and if we say nothing on the subject they
are entitled to them under their constitution
Mr.. Mason. think we should restrict
them to one Representative because under
the existing apportionment, their fraction is
not large enough 10 cntItle them TO more
than on; ; but which Representative that
-shJufd be is a matter That think the Sen
ate ought not to undertake TO determine. II
is a matter that seems 10 me belongs pro
perly either to the House Of Representatives
or TO the State OF Minnesota, when i, shall
he admitted to determine which OF the three
shall be that one
Mr.. Bggs. The objcc, of my inquiry Of
the honorable Senator from Illinois was, 10
determine as TO the motion should make Tor
the amendment Of this section before it il
proposed TO be stricken out, az suppose i,
will be proper TO amend the section before
the question is taken upon striking il out.
! concur with the Senator from Missouri
that We ought to determine in this bill the
number of representatives, to which the State
is entitled in the House Of Representatives,
aud am disposed TO be liberal to this new
Stale II you takc hcr population now, 10
which she IL entitled Of course sho has an
advantage over the States whose apportion.
ment was made on The basis Of the last cen
sus; but am willing 10 give her the adyan.
tage, and also % give her the additional al.
vantage Of liberal apportionment Of repre-
scD'atycs, in admitting her into the Union.
] will, therefore, move that the second sec
ton be amended by striking ont tue word
one" IN the second line aud inserting
two" and by striking out the rest Of the
section, after the words House Of Repre-
seuta,ves Of the United States, which pro.
vides for such additional representatives IA
the population Of the State may cntitlc her
TO- We then settle the matter; and by
liberal application Of facts, as We understand
them, 10 give her two representative in the
lIousr of Representative, move this
amendment 10 the section, before the ques
ton IL taken on the motion Of the Senator
from Illinois TO strike i, out.
Mr. Collamer When examined this sub
ject in the committee, il appeared TO me
that If Minnesota were admitted under con.
s,itution, without saying anything In regard
10 the uumDcr Of her Representatives, il
would be a mere question Tor the House Of
Representative to settle the number, and TO
decide which Of the pc~ons already elected
should be Representatives 10 that House. by
virtue Of the enabling act, which declared
tha, she should be entitled 10 the number
which the presen, apportionmcut would give
bcr on the taking Of the ccnsua. On more
foil reflection, however, ! came 10 the con,
clI,ion, and believe the committee agree
they have pat into their constitution a pro-
vision for three Representative. 70 Congress
for the time being, thy will bc entitled to
have those three Representative il We AL.
mi, them under that constitution without
any qualification. ], was 10 exclude any
such conclusion that the second section wa.
in.r,el in the bill. /, was iugnifted into
il with the view oi carrying out the progisi0n
or the enabling act, and give the number Of
Representatives 20 which their eeusa. may
enti,le them, and % m0re, and 10 reba, the
presumption which might ari7" ihi, we
agreed % let them hsye three member, which
presumption probably vould aFl- IL il yas
D., rebg'ted by some nch provision ~ this.
The ccnsus returns have folly come in, ea
cep, for seven Or eight eoun',c. sod 10 rg.rd
~ ibo-s thc committee mad an estimate, by
taking the number 0i v0iaa IN tliose ccuniiea
and estimating the same proportion of people
Ia each vo,er a. in the res, 81 tbe Territory;
and on this ba-ia W. came 10 the conc r-ion
that Minnes,sa has bssween one hpbdrsi and
s5rty.sye tholsaud and one hundred and fifty
,h hod.ard peo,ic. The PRESENT ratio u r..
presentation y niuety-'hre thousand four
hupdrei anil twenty Misne.o.a. therefore.
has sufic,eut popuIation for ooe rrpre4u,a.
tive. and she has fraction larger thar half
The v,raIa,icn required for another. Nov,
!, /. Suggested as the ground of tbe mstjon
Of tn -ets,1r from North Carciina- that
tha, c.nsu. va, r,rhap~ short n tie ,'uth
think the fair presumption from The art,