New-York daily tribune., 1866-02-22
THE FREEDMES's BUREAU.

THE FREEDMES's BUREAU.
Mr.. LANE (KaDsas) gave notice that on frlday ne
would introduce bill TO continue IN force he exstig
Freedmens Bureau which, by the terms OF the law es
tabshng expires one year after the termination VI
the Rebellion.
REPRESENTATION.
The regular order which was the proposed amend
ment to the Constitution the subject of
being called for Mr. BUcKALEw addressed the Senate
ON the general subject OF representation in Congress,
under the following heads First: The Senatorial repre-
sentaton of the Eastern States. Second: The admis'
sion Of Senators and Representatives from the South
Third The proposed amendment TO the Constitution
limiting representation in the House for the future The
six States Of the East, commonly called the
New.Engand States have IL Senators for a
total population Of 8 1885, a3 showing ratio or number
OF 2l6 73 to each Senator. The Ia Central and west
ern States represented in Congress during the war be-
ginning with New-York and ending with oregon nave
population Of 10 255, l29 Dividing this total Dy 50,
the number Of their Senators will show ratio OF 5J4-
96 The population Of the eleven Southern states now
uDrepresented 634 showing senatorial rato OF
3g7 s9 and adding the population OF all the States To-
getner except Nevada and dividing the total by the
whole number Of their Senator's Will show Iatio ior
the whole country Of H4,912. The hew-England
States fall short OF this ls3ty9 consequently her ue
iciency of population for her II Senator's amounts
to the enormous extent of 2,20i3- The case VIII
stand thus with all the States represented but at pres
ent the deficiency is greater Making Tue Saieu'In a
for the States actually represented In the Senate the
deficiency Of the Eastern populaton at ths uine ID
1863 324 that s the East has representation IN the
Senate for nearly 100000 persons who are actuaiy
located in the Central and Western States. Sueh IS tue
inequality or departure from equal apportlonment as
shown BY the figures derived from the centns OF leOo
The power and influence Of the East arising from over
representation is shown in the selection OF preslding
officers in the Senate in caucuses OF the maIorty ana III
the construction Of committees. while the Last contains
but one seventh OF the population OF States represented
in the Senate she has the chllrmansblp OF con-
mittees out of 26 or one.third of the whole number
In the last Congress she had IA chairmen out OF % or
one.haf OF the whole including most Of the leading
ones By resolution Of the senate quorum for
ransacting business is declared 20 be majority Of
members admitted to seats. The quorum therefore is
now only 20, and majority OF the quorum competent
to entail law is barely fourteen, so that II is possible
that two votes added to the New-England vote may
enact statute for the whole people Of the United
States. The fishing bounties have been kept in exist
ence by the Eastern yote and several measures OF ayor
10 that section daring the war were secured oy TIE
interest. Tie details Of the tarif and the tax
laws and the general political and financial policy OF
the Government have been shaped by the East.
The remedies for this misrepresentation and undue
influence Of the East two - first the
admission of the Senators from the Southern States for
by increasing the number of members in the Senate the
existing inequality will sink in relative importance In
the second remedy Will be amendment Of the C0nsti.
tuition readjusting Senatorial representation upon
just basis Let it be provided that States con.
tanning less than 100000 inhabitants shall have one
Senator States with more than coo 000 and less than
100000 of inhabitants. two Senators, and
States with more than 100000 OF Inhabitants,
make representation in the Senate equal and salts
factory while the State basis which is Of the best
features Of constitutional system, will be retained
Mr. Buckaew then proceeded to speak the subject Of
admitting the Senators from the South. de thought
that the Lincoln State Governments which were SET up
during the legitimate and proper but only for
local purposes and in aid OF our military power They
were IN fact mtary and provisional and utterly rntt
10 WELD the former political power OF these States in the
Goyernment-hence Messrs Fishback and Baxter,
claiming 10 be Senators from Arkansas properly
roia, hv bp nrOuerly
by Joint resolution, refused 10 count the electoral votes
of Louisiana Arkansas, Tennessee and Virginia for
President and Vice President And now the claim of
these State Governments 10 recognition must rest upon
the ground that they are Gciuesced IN by the people OF
the States military control being withdrawn. Bat most
II the Southern States have had their State Govern
ments reorganized at the instance Of the President
asd their new Constitutions are valid ard enectual.
They have in fact been made by the people and not
affected by any question OF irreguarty IN the initiation
of the proceedings for their formation They as
regular in this respect the Pennsy Constitution
Of l776 and the Senators and Representatives chosen
under their authority should be admitted into Congress
Mr. Buckaew then spoke at length Oh the subject Of
amending the Constitution and particularly upon the
Blaine amendment pending before the Senate. which
provides that whenever in any State there shall be
exclusion from the elective franchise on account Of race
or color all persons of such color shall be
cuded from enumeration for the purpose OF representa-
ton in the lower House OF Congress. This Is penal
amendment. decision by Congress that TO withhold
negro suffrage. for any cause, is crimin8llty
for which punishment shall be inflicted by
threefourths of the States upon the remainder
After an elaborate tn the arguments which have
been ady yanced in favor Of this amendment Mr. Bucka
lew proceeded state the general objections TO sub
hitting Constitutional amendments adopted by Con.
gress o the States at this. ime which are as follows
First That IL States nnrepresented in Congress
Second; That amendments now adopted will be
partisan ones Third, That this is q war Con.
eress the members Of which were not chosen
with any reference to the subject OF Constitutional
amendments. Fourth: That the amendments are sub
mtted the Legislatures in session, and not TO
the people or popular conventions. Neither IN sub
mtiing them nor in adopting them are the people TO
act directly. They not even to choose the members
OF their Legislature with reference 10 the question Of
ratification OF the amendments. Fifth; That In sub
Lifting amendments now invite a dispute upon the
amount of legislative necessary 10 their adoption
and If ratified by less than three.fourths of all
tie States their validity VIII be denied;
but IL amendments are TO be proposed the whole sub
icct must be opened Senatorial representation must
b, corrected and it would be exceedingly desirable
that personal representation should be introduced in
electug members OF the House. The plan expounded
BY Mr. Hare Of England, and warmly indorsed by John
Stuart Mill deserves the study Of every American
statesman. II applies thoroughly to our preipIes Of
one OF the greatest possible Improvements In our repre-
NEw-ENGLAND INFLUENCE.
At the conclusion Of Mr. Buckalew's remarks Mr.
ANTuoNY rose TO say in relation 10 what he Mr Buca
lew had said about New England influence in the Sen
ate that Senators mad been promoted always commit
tees In regular order Of seniority very much as is done
In the army. Promotion was not made on the ground
OF Senator coming from any particular section. but
the sole ground OF seniority. The Oldest member of
committee belonging to the majority party was always
made the chairman. When he (Mr. Anthony came TO
the Senate there was not New England chairman in
the body.
Mr.. WILSON also replied briefly to Mr. Blckalew's
structures upon New England prominence in the Senate
after which Mr.. NyE took the floor on the pending
question but gave way TO Mr. SuMNaR, who moved an
executive session. after which the Senate adjourned
till Friday next.
u0IrSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,