Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-06-25

pe!!o 'uaHCS u SUCH functions as are reEGcre
necessary BY the cxigcT cicS OF The time. A
acs ot seccssio" snd the subsequent adoptio
OF The Constitution G( the Confederate State
dc:oircs upon Iii the necessity or districtiH
tie State for the election Of members Of Cor
::ceas and ~ VIC have already exercised lccisl:
u"e functions in 0'aer respects ne may as NC
d' ~ IN The present instance
M". S:orT, Of Fauqa:c- ri brought alter
ton u Cay or TIVE since 10 this sIhjoct. | hav
been seeking soinc information which hay
been unable Ia procure, aa TO whether it wou
DC practicable for sa, Convention to enter q
this time upon the duty proposed by tho resc
lu.ior.
Il secms 10 ru" ti,.; there is 2 necessity I
enter 50 far upcn this duty rs the arrangement
0t The electoral districts is concerned. IN
t}crs,and that the Presidential election for I'll
Confederate States takes place srlne time i!
November next, md unless we make arrange
nlent this State viii not Ie represented in IN
Electoral College, unless an extra session 9
the Legislature shall he called
Now, 50 fer as the question is concerned
about The Congressional DISTRICTS as ,ha. is
question which addresses Itself 10 hat lel
spirit CT ra'ty from which i, sccus i.npnssib
- Us ~ r.~:enc, icr one am content to le
:hi. matter ;.:s", &na refer this duly tn III
G-uera! Assembly, ~ which il ..o7c appru
pr;sicly belongs. Bat cannot see how plrt,
con.id=ra::":s c"n p.sSi5ly enter into III,
question ~ ~. ,:":angsmcu. uf tie E:rc;,ra
Districts.
M-. STAPLES -! ncrid ask the gentleman
hy whist Prnc.>s lie intends TO secure II repre-
sen.9tioh II !he tn2srcss af 1ae Confederate
States:
Air. Sc.Tf The Congress- d.es rot nee
,in;il February rext.
NJ ST,pLEs--ire election tskrD ,.iacc i;
Sovelnh.:
Mr.. SirAE7.-l stated wren ! WAS up be!vre
and upon liie authority o! Il gentleman familiar
with the ac;i''n OF the Last Congress. that q
law has been passed by Congress, providing
tor lha elrcl"n Of ncuoers uf Congress as
wtI as Of electors.
NJ. Scarr-i 90 not see how we eau dis
charge this Iuty CT reafp9lioning sni making
arrangements f:- Congressional districts.
haGo rstsrrcd 70 the provisions Of the Corst!
1u!;ou OF tie Confederate States ard !:n,i lha,
it IS there declared tost--
Representatives and direct taxes si,aI! be
aPDrr:on:d n::song The several S,a,es. which
lnHy BE- iiciif''i "IlEir this Ucnf.deracv, ac-
cnrtiHg - n-:r respective nun bsrs. which
siisil lie determined hr aiiin. 10 tie whole
nnnjer Ct ircc persons, including those bound
IL service ln- term VI years, ard excluding
lndians not taxed, three ti!,tiS OF all slaves -
the actual enumeration sha!! hs made within
three years al;oT the ti!St meeting OF the Con
SrrsS OF the Confederate States, md within
ever sraS"GIcu. t.rm u ten years, i'm sucii
Eaenner Is thc,y shall, hy lag, dre:t. TIE
NUMBER @! representatives siiaI! no, exceed nac
=" every I:!iy thousand, bur each Sta,o shall
have at iraS; one representative; and until such
e''a::isra.s2n sha b: ildr, the State Of South
C:ru.:nia stat, f- enritcc 20 choose fix the
Stl.e " Cirorgl lcp-the Stare If A'abama
Safe o( Flor:,!. tw,--;he S:u:e @!
Mississippi srv=n-:!,e State Of Louisiana six
md ti.a SAFE >: fcXsS SIX
80 ia: Ea'il ;;ie csnsu3 s'l2! be taken IN.
le: i:!e II!Da:::r &c The Confederate States,
% rrrNGa'Eja:t ai' representation car
hc ia-l:; and - D-32,ie Icr rcpre.
sr;:tas'ua 10 the Confederate States in tile
meactims. -; Constitution txos the ar,;trar,
nualJcT WHICH this State shall elect have
no: hsen able to iaforIu myself whc;her these
arbitrary numbers wiuca Eavo read to the
Ccnrtn,ior, tE:ccis in the CASES cf the States
nsncG, tie representation which they had in
the Old Congress Of tSe United States. il
these nuh'1eis we're the sa:la We should nave
no cAcd!iy Ia OF: proceedings whatever, be
cinse we could ad9pi the present Congress;ou.
al Districts. Dl. /! xc Ire 10 increase the
ndubcr, ,aen & necessity would arise Tor re.
arSangrmer: OF Tie 1 s,r.c!>; and really am
r"; ;;l:,'mcd, 80 lii. has my a;ttIi;tu" OF late
b:en g."pn - political Tu5s:ians, whether
S2G42 CoTy!i"s: w',s e'.:i!:cI to SIX or more
IL t;.s )ss. Congress. Perhaps the
..i.t.tGi:3 'T1io L:;4E would Inform lDe upon
IL. slajcct.
IL. GA.TgT--Saa hai six.
81. SCJTc -I:ien II SOUL! Carvi.na shal DO
entitled to six and Georgia ten
y DGLreaTE. -Georsia had eight
iT. ScJTT.-Weli, wc might work uat the
question from those lights. Ii we can ascer-
lala ID. popuia!ran Of these States and Compare
that with the representation which lhcY held
in the late Congress Of the United States We
viii thus be atie TO arrive II tito increase to
walch Virginia is entitled.
MIR STcAEr-l viii s:eto, npo1 information
""nlra deem r,!tah!s, tburga coming to me
in second hSa:ici form, that At the last scssior
u Tie Confederate Congress q aw vas passed
txi"g sixteen 'usinbers rs tbs proportion as
si5;cd - Virginia, 10 Tcprcseni E2r IL the
s;Ua'r'i=ra;c Congress.
NJ. ScJ7r-t'hs: IS lie ?e-T information
h&fe a"cn j.! search oi Lu! which Was unable
- procure.
Then understand .hat by an ass Of the late
CcugeSs i! has been determined that Tirgi.
Ia, ~,
t'uIcdsrsiiun. Then the apYortunmenl
ot Tho 20! g!es.ionaI districts as we'll Us o.
the Electoral districts. is Il matter of necessity
before tins S.a,e can be represented. either in
the Congress .! the Confederate States or in
!ur E!ectnta! c1iiege; and lhc question 10 be
pr0prunied Il, ;lie Convention IS, whether, to
d'schuys that dnty-whvthcr 30 3iabe this re-.
upo:T;ioGnieEt Of tic Congressional and f &c
;oral Gislric;s-se shall sammDn an extra
Session o.: s:;e Legislature - discharge that
day ourselves.
Now, Sir, IL - TOO late 10 sny that in the ex-
aTcise af Legislative p"wc7 this body is exceed
ing lie cOtn;nsslai. j. is Lo0 late to say il, if
ih.re vas any i,nadai0n upon which the Oh
ec;iou cr':;i F,-t In ny juG smcnt we hhvea
riyh. TO exercise ri! p"atrS. Wcreprcso1t the
speaking here in: VOICE OF the sovereign peo.
ple ard have r. right TO ordan what measures
ard what acts iii Unr jndgmsnt the sxigeucy of
the ,imo sinai reQa!rr.
Wins, sir, in vita, position would lhia State
have been placed if ". ;gncred nil Legislative
powers. In what ca;,dllion would her de!ences
oef We have Row finance Committee charg
I'd with tho important duty Of deyisiDg the
ways and means t.y which the heavy expenses
isYolvrl upon the Treasury Of ta:s State
arc nuw To he 'nrt. Our army has beer.
TO the Confederate Statcs. 10
that purc7 cur soldiers owe allegiance:
but the duty Of supporting the. artny, the duty
Of pa, ing these soldiers, Is duty that has rot
been assumed by The Confederate authorities.
rAs. is duty whic:; IS Yet resting with It's en-
tire weight upon the finances ol this Slate ;
and arc We now, according to the proposition
& the eenlienan from Essex, (Mr. GAENETr)
TO abandon tiiS great and pressing day under