Pointe Coupee Democrat. [volume] (False River [i.e. New Roads], Parish of Pointe Coupee [La.]) 1858-1862, 1859-02-12
Senatorial kpportionment.

- ths tSAlll tAN ~ klC ~
dcd by tie number tpenty-scsea, and the result
produced by this division shall be the Senatorial
ratio emitting a Senatorial District to d Senator.
Single or contiguous parishes shall be formed
into Districts having q population the nearest
possible to the number emitting a District to a
Senator and if, in the superintendent to be
made, a parish or District fall short OF, or exceed.
the ratio o~ne-fitth, then a District may be formed
| having not moro than two Senator's, 6t not other
| aciSe.
| Under the late census, the Senato'sal
ratio, or number emitting q parish or
district to 4 Senator, has been liked
at $4,000 or thcrcabout, not ovcr 1880,
and we will, therefore, take the last as
| the correct number for the purposes OF
this article.
The population Of Pointe Conpcc is
shown by the census to be l5,404, and
| does not, therefore, fall short of the ra-
ito one ffth. How then, we would ask,
can this parish be put into a district
having two Senator'S, without %r'o1at'nsg
the above provision of the Constitution?
1t is only when q parish falls short OF,
or exceeds the ratio one fifth, that the
Constitution permits the formation of a
a district having ho Senator's. The
Constitution says: "lf parish or dis
trict fall short of, or exceed the ratio
one fifth, then q district mag be formed
having not more than two Senators, but
not otheruise." This provision seems to
be plain and unambiguous; and as we
do not fall short of the Senatorial ratio
onc-ffth, we think it would be an uncon-
stutional act to put us in a district hay.
ing two Senator's.
Pointe Coupec, by its natural bounda-
rics, is almost isolated from every other
parish; her wants and interests arc en-
tircly separate and unconnccted with
those of any other parish, and we can
sec no reason, to say nothing Of the ex-
press constitutional prohibition, why W.
should be tackled on to two Or three
other parishes, with whose interests we
have nothing in common.
The Constitution lever contemplated
forming districts with two Senator'S, ex
cept where it was found impossible to
form a district cut of II parish or more
for one Senator, without dcviating more
than one,lifth from the ratio; and even
then it is not o5ligatory-tliey nag, III
such case, if they choose, form q dis
trietshaying not moro than two Senators.
according to the census, as published
in the Baton Rouge Advocate, and ia
king 1880 as t~hcIScnatorial ratio, there
are eight parishes which neither fall
short of, nor exceed the ratio one-fifth,
and which must consequently each form
a Senatorial district. They are: Jeffer-
son, st. Mary, st. Martin, Pointe Coupee,
East Baton Rouge, Iberville, Rapides,
and Claiborne; all the other parishes
fall short, except St. Landry which is
more than one-ffth ou, the ratio.
We trust our attentive Senator and
Representatives will see that the proyi-
sions of the Constitution in relation to
this matter, are not violated, and that
this parish be formed into a separate
Senatorial district, as required by that
strumcnt.
Since writing the above, we have seen
the bill reported by the majority Of the
Committee on Apportionment, by which
this parish and West Baton Rouge are
put together in a district having but on
Senator, although the population o.
the two parishes is 22,356, exceeding
by more than one-fifth the ratio. This
although not prohibited, is, we think
contrary to the spirit Of the Constitu
ton: Single or contiguous parishes
{ shall be formed into districts having ;
, population tho nearest possible to the mum
Der emitting a district to a Senator.
Now Pointe Coupce, by itself, comes
nearer the number than Pointc Coupes
! and West baton Rouge together. Pie
= Coupee falls short 2 III and pointe Con
7 pee and West Baton Rouge together CT
! eeed the ratio 1888. This is going far
ther to fare worse, and we think is con
: trary to the spirit if not the letter of til,
Constitution.