The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1859-02-28

The ADportionna ent Bill Vsf0ed-- The Dem,
ocrats Refuse to Receive the Veto Mes


SPRINGFIELD, Feb. %, 1859.
TO the Editor of the Missouri Democrat:
The Apportionment Bill was returned to
the House Of Representative this morning
by Governor Bissell, together with his oblec-
tions thereto; and it's return was made the
occasion OF the most disgracefn and revolu-
tionarv proceeding on part of the Democratic
members, vet witnessed ut the Capitol.
The House met at nine O'Clock, and was
opened by PRAYER as usual. Immediately af-
ter the PRAYER was finished, and before any
other proceedings, ga message from the Gov
ernor bv MIR. johnson, his Private Secre-
tary.. was announced. The Private Secre-
tarv thereupon proceeded to announce to the
House that be was "directed by the Cover
nor to return to the House Of Representatives
in which it originated, "A bill for an act to
create Senatorial and Representative Dis
tricts, and npporton the representation IN
the General Assembly OF this State,' together
with his objections in writing"
From the subsequent proceedings it is evil
dent that the Democrats had resolved to re-
sst and prevent tho reception of such a mes
sage from the Governor; but that its return
at that time was entirely unexpected to them
is shown by the fact that the announcement
was read at least half way through by the
Private Secretary before they began to smell
rat. Then began a scene. AT least TWEEN
ty Democrats sprang to their feet and called
s.order.n The Speaker commenced vigor
Gus rapping on his desk, and pandemonium
seemed breaking loose But the Private
Secretary read on unconcernedly and finished
his announcement, at the same time handing
the announcement, the veto message and the
bill to page, who started towards the Clerks
desk with them. But Democracy could not
WELD without an effort. As the page was
going up the aisle, he was caught by the
Democratic member from Hancock, Mr..
Roosevelt, who jerkcd him back andIsnatched
the PAPERS from his hand. Having success
| fully accomplished this feat, and not know
| ing what to do next, he handed them to the
yalorous gentlemen from Massac, Mr.. Green.
| Mr.. Green turned to the Private Secretary, ,
/ and. in stentorian tones, ordered him to take
back the papers, but which Mr.. johnson very
] properly refused to do. At this Democracy
/ became enraged. "Take him outn' yelled
| the Democratic chorus. ssknock him DOWN.
shouted the valorous Green. "Tonch him,
! if YOU dare" retorted the tall Republican
from McHenry. aThe House is not compe-
tent to receive message from the Governor;
there is no quorum present. Mr.. Doorkeep-
err, take that man out of the hail." cried the
| Speaker. The doorkeeper stepped up, put
his hand on the arm Of the Private Secretary,
and the two quietly walked outside the bar.
MIR. Green, lvid with rage, and still holding
the papers in his hand, dashed them to the
floor. Then arose Mr.. Church, the tall Re-
publican from McHenry, and gathering W
the papers, walked up through the Demo.
cratic hosts and deliberately laid them on
the Speakers table; the Speaker, also white
with anger, sweptthem from the table to tht
floor with his gavel, where they remained un
til quiet was somewhat restored, when MIR
Green vas seen to get them and put them II
his pocket.
Mr.. Mack, Republican, inquired Of tn
Speaker what official knowledge he had tina
! there was no quorum present, there having
been no call vote Of the House, to which the
Speaker replied that he guessed he knew hov
, to count fifty.
! The House adjourned until 2 p. m, almos
|, as soon as order was restored, and at tina
, hour met again aud adjourned until to NOR
/ row.
! The Republicans are highly elated, and tn
/ Democrats correspondingly chagrined5-t
!, the Governors veto message was returned i
! spite of them, before their adjournment. TIL
! Democrats maintain that it was not returned
and refuse to insert it in the journal Of tn
House.
The following is the veto message OF til
S Governor:
Geuntmca Of the House eff Representatives.:
: herewith return to your honorable bod
} in which the same originated, the bill emit
: tied "a bill for an act to create Senatorit
: and Representative districts, and apportio
: the representation in the General Assembl
Of this State.o
s object to said bill becoming law, b,
t. cause It's effect as q law, would be TO COZ
y tinue the control Of the General Assembly
10 the hands Of minority of the people. TIL
ID being substantially the very objection urge
lie against the Lecompton Constitution by Il
j. authors OF this bill, in common with other
4 it is bn. fair TO presume that it found its W,
lie into this bill by mere or oversight; and that j
g authors will be glad of the opportunity, no
I. afforded, to expel it and to give the bill SUI
l. shape as TO fairly repres ent the people.
10 also object to said bill becoming la,
le because by it, the new county Of Ford
~ placed wholly within the Ninth Senatori
,e District, and also wholly within the Zig
IS. teenth Senatorial District.
ut also object to said bill becoming la
st because by it, in the matter of giving exces
re es, the provision Of the tenth section of I
in third article OF the Constitution is disregar
er ed. insist that by this bill the spirit Of t
ut Constitution Is violated in the unnecessa
ot departures from the principle of single di
ur tricts. A glazing instance is the thirty Sc
ond Representative District, composed of
counties Of Champaign, Piatt, Dewitt, n
vo son, Moultrie, Shelby ard Edingham, and
20 which three Representatives are given. I
map and census tables show that these ses
ny counties divide neatly into three separ
It's districts, each entitled to a Representative
u The smallest in population being greater q
" the largest much smaller than several ot
EN- single districts established by the bill.
me For these reasons object to said bill
er- coming a law, and herewith return it to
use House in which it originated.
nus WM. III. BISSELL
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