Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1860-10-18
westward, the Star of Empire
Takes its WAY"

Takes its Way"
Among other curious facts which the
census Of 1860 brings TO light, we find ths.
the famous line OF Bishop Berkeley, quoted
above, possesses more oi truth hsn poetry.
When the Government or the United
States was organized the seat of empire was
on the Atlsntic sesbosrd. Then New
Hampshire, Massachusetts and Comm cticut
had a mojety ofpolitics! power. In the con-
vention which adopted the Constitution, the
delegate, from New Hampshire, Msssschs-
setts, Connecticut, New York. New Jersey
and Pennsylvania outnumbered those from
Maryland, Virginis,'the Caro- linss and Geor.
gis. Then Deavare sent FIVE delegates while
New York was represented by Alexander
Hamilton alone. The fist Senators who
took their seats we're Messrs. Lsngdon and
w ingste. from New Hsmpshre; Strong,
from Massachusetts; Johnson and worth,
from Connecticut; Msclsy and Morris from
Pennsylysnia; and Few, from Georgia -
These, with Paterson and Elmer from New
Jersey; Bassett from Deiewsrs, and Lee
from Virginia, made quorum OF the frs,
Senate, giving New England FIVE Senators,
the Middle States four, and the Southern
States three. II was in this condition that
the Senate organized. Or course the
Idisproport ion was afterwards corrected by
the fitting up Of the Senste; bat we find
that the Northern preponderance wac main
itained, as, subsequently to MIR. Adams
election to the Vice-Presdency, NJ. Lang
don Of New Hampshire was chosen for the
second time as President pro TEN Of the
Senate. OF the sixty-nine electoral votes
which we're cast for President Washington
the States OF New Hampshire, Mas-achu.
setts and Connecticut cast twenty-five, oI
nearly ope.third. When the frs. House
Of Representatives came toceth.r, there
were present four Numbers from Massachu-
setts, four from Cnnnecticut. five from
Pennsy ylvapia, one from Virginia and one
from South Carolina. On the next day
came one from New Hampshire, one more
from Massachusetts, two more from Penn.
sylvania. The quorum was aiterward.
made by seven additional members iron
Virgins, two from Maryland, two from
, New Jersey and one from Penney lvania -
Thus il will be seen that New England AM
the O'd Dominion had Congress in the ho!
low of their hands. New England. in time
was compelled to give up this supremacy Il
the Middle States and the South, To go il
turn TO the West. OF the :hree hundre,
: and three electoral votes now cast at III
, Presidential election, New England has les
l,La il =
be decreased before smother Prps'dentii
q election. A Portland journal states that III
"ceusus statistics OF New England, 50 ia
as received, do not present so lstge an ir
crease of population during the last dfc4d
as was anticipated"
Connecticut seems TO have been the on
one of tha New England States which ha
, sensibly increased in population. Unde
4 :hese and viii 4 bansis Of oD
, hundred tnd twelty five thousand popula
-, tion for each member Of the House, Main,
, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massacbuset'
|, and Rhode Island will lose a representative
The Middle and Southern States will nc
probably gain any. The members lost i
/. The East will be gained by .he West low
!, should its population come up, as is eS
\. pected, TO thrse-quarters OF million, wi
/, be entitled to six representatives in'tead G
two, and all the new States except Mime
sofa will gain more or less political impo
tance.
These facts ard figures are significant
e They show verv distinctly that the seat
u power in this Government will be ere ion
e in the valley OF the Mississippi. The futu
: Of the great West, with its millions o acr
of virgil soil, its twenty thousand miles
: rivers for stesm navigation, and ito vast n
sources Of all kinds, is almost TOO grand ft
g human contemplation. New York city vi
n of course, keep up its average increase
population, aud will be the great en'rep
y for the Great Western empire; but Ne
England, robbed o: its young blood, W
Ct degenerate into state OF hopeless a
.oryism. Truly the star Of empire shin
IN brightly in the Western horizon.-lN.
VI Herald.