Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-01-12
The Ba.a. Of representation I'm Con-

Inc most Important measure now penu-
ing before Congress is q proposition to
amend the constitution 50 as to make the
number Of voters in the several states the
basis Of representation in Congress and in
the electoral college instead of the entire
population of these States. Resolutions
proposing such an amendment have been
introduced into both houses Of Congress
by several different members but the real
credit Of originating the proposition be-
longs to General Schenck more than
toany other man. ThatgentlemanpropOsed
It ~seventeen years ago, when member of
thelowerHo use of Congress. BE was the first
public mar to cal! attention to its neces-
sity as q condition Of reconstruction. This
measure is, we repeat the most important
that will attract the attention Of Congress
the present term It will undoubtedly, in
one form or another, receive the sanction
Of both branches Of the national legisla-
ture and will be made a prominent issue
before the people in the fall campaigns.
It Is time therefore, that its discussion
should be commenced by the press and
publi&
The peculiar necessity Of adopting the
measure at the present time msy be ex-
planned BY a brief reference to the con-
st~itutional provisions on this subject as
they now exist. The present regulation
(ArtI I. Sec. 2, Clause 81 isthat arepresen-
tatives and direct taxes shall be appertion-
ed among the several States according to
their respective numbers, which shall be
ascertained by adding to the whole num-
Der Of free persons, including those bound
70 service for a term of years, and X
aluding Indians not taxed, three ffhs of
all other persons" This provision is
M of the "oompromises Of the eonstitu-
ton" 1t was 8 concession to the South
Carolina chiYalry. The result of it was
that the slave population Of the South,
though neither voters or citizens, were
Rsed by their masters to give them rspres-
entation in Congress. The four millions
Of slaves, under this mode Of apportion-
ment, were counted equal to two millions
four hundred thousand Of freemen. The
injustice of the provision, and the power
It gave the South, is exhibited in the fact
that the South, under the present appor-
tionment is entitled to "a members of
Congress, while if only her white popula-
ton were counted in the superintendent
shs would be entitled to only sc.
But the emancipation Of the slaves has
only increased the injustice Of the appor-
dOnment and added to the power of the
South. 1t has removed the blacks from
under the three-hfths rule, and entitled
them to full representation as Stree per-
sons" They are not, however, admitted
70 suffrage. The result is that the white
Oligarchy at the South have their power in
the Federal Government absolutely an
creased instead Of diminished by the fail
IRE Of the rebellion which they raised
against that government. Without in
sreasing the voting population of the
South-leaving the ballot in the hands of
the Same Grule or ruin" traitors who have
always held 1.-THE representation of the
SouthiR Congress viii be increased in the
next spportiOnment If it Is made under
the old rule, from 81 to 100. Every black
non-voter is counted the same as a white
voter in the superintendent and a voter
in Alabama and Mississippi, which have a
larger black than white population, viii
have twice the representation in Congress
enjoyed by 9 voter in Ohio. .t1l 30
The following table exhibits the work |
ing Of this provision in detail. The first
column shows the number of seats each
member is entitled to, should voters only
be taken as the basis of ap~pertionment.
The second column shows what they will
be entitled to by counting the whole
number Of free persons" and the third
column what they ara entitled to under
the old, but now defunct, basis of "three-
ffths Of all other persons The present
ratio is ia6, 900 free persons to each mem
Der OF Congress and Presidential s~lector: