The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1858-04-15

eminent, Us well as in Congress. Sir, 1t is
an old maxim that il is better ninety. nine
guilty men should 20 UNPUBLISHED than one
innocent man should suffer. ! think it is
better to do great deal too much for u
new State Just coming into the Union, that
has great many difficulties to encounter,
than TO do too little. do not believe my
constituents will blame me for doing so; but
if they do, they will have to help themselves;
they cannot get over it. hope the great
est amount Of representation proposed will
be given to Minnesota.
Mr.. HARLAN, of Iowa, was in favor of
giving the State but one representative.
lie said:
In the State Of Missouri, according to an
estimate made by the Governor Of that
State In his recent message, there are nearly
a million Of people with representation in
the other House Of seven members, giving
each Representative constituency oil one
hundred and forty-two thousand eight hun
dred and fifty seven In the State Of Iowa,
We doubtless have o population Of seven
hundred thousand with two Representatives,
giving to each member from that State u
constituency Of three hundred and fifty thou.
sand In the State Of Wisconsin. | have
been told by one of her Senators, the popu-
laton is estimated at seven hundred thou
sand. She has II representation OF three
members, giving TO each Representative a
constituency Of two hundred and thirty three
thousand three hundred and tbiriy-thrce.--
In the State of Arkansas, have been in.
formed by Senator from that State, they
believe themselves TO have population Of
five hundred thousand, and they have two
Representatives, giving to each n constitu
ency OF two hundred aud fifty thousand. In
the State OF Michigan, the Senators estimate
a population of eight hundred thousand !;
and they have four members of Congress :;
giving two hundred thousand people to each
Representative The State of Texas is sup.
posed TO have population Of seven hgflrcd
thousand, and she has two Representatives;
being three hundred and fifty thousand to
each member from that State. California
has probablya population OF seven hundred
thousand, with two members; being three
hundred and fifty thousand, to each member
In the State of Indiana, the senior Senator
informs me they had, in 1855, population
fone million three hundred thousand, and
he thinks il may be very safely stated now
ut one million four hundred thousand and,
having eleven Representatives, this basis
gives TO each a constituency Of one hundred
aud twenty seven thousand two hundred and
seventy two. In the State Of Illinois the
population Ia one million five hundred thou
sand, with nine members being popula
ton Of one hundred and sixty six thousand
six hundred ard sixty-six 10 each member.
This gives an average constituency TO
each Representative from that part OF the
Union Of one hundred aud sixty.fve thou
sand and seventy nine for each Of the sixty
three Representatives in Congress from those
Statcs. suppose from this estimate, that
Minnesota would not be entitled to more
than one member nor do believe that
her people will increase In a more rapid ra
ito than Missouri or Iowa or Illinois or
Wisconsin. lf there can be some general
understanding that the representation in
Congress shall Ls increased from all these
new States, according TO the ratio Of 1850,
then am willing TO commence the correc-
ton now, by giving Minnesota something
more than sbc would otherwise be entitled
TO according TO this estimate.
close by stating, M | said in
the outset, that il there can be some general
understanding by which there can be some
increase Of representation TO the new States
according TO their present population, upon
the ratio Of representation fixed by Congress
in 1850, am willing TO be liberal in award
ing q representation TO Minnesota. But It
is clear, think, that one Representative
would be her full proportion, according to
the present basis Of representation in Con
gress from the western and northwestern
States. Hence, ii restricted to the strict
letter Of the apportionmeDt law, she will 70.
cure more than would b. awarded by strict
justice.
Mr. Polk replied to the objections Of Mr
HARLAN, by stating that when
Iowa was admitted, she was admitted on
a representation that was fully proportional
to the amount Of population that she then
had. Iowa now has not full Representa-
ton because she has been growing but
when Minnesota comes to ask admission into
tho Union. shall she not have the sime jls
tice mcted 10 her that was mcted 10 Iowa
and 20 Missouri, and 20 Arkansas, and u
Texas, when they came into the Union p
That Is the way, it secus 10 me, in which
the senate ought 10 look at ii. not 10 th,
way the Senator from Iowa lMr. Harlan
seems disposed to look at it, When Iowa
was admitted, she had one STANDARD u jus
tice applied TO her. When Minnesota come
TO be admitted, lct IA 10 justice and fairness
apply the same standard ~ her. The mis-
fortune ia, that Missouri, and Iowa, and
Texas, and other States, stand in position
in which you canno, do justice 70 them ; bal
because you canno, do Justice 10 them now
! think that ought to he no reasob why 10
justice should b. dom 10 Minnesota. On
the contrary, il @ern, to me that We ought
TO DIAL by Minnesota Just exac'ly IA al
these States were dealt by at the time wheI
they were admitted into the Union.