Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-07-23

The effect that the census of 1870 will have
upon the representation OF the States in Con-
gress is one Of the most important subjects to
be considered at the next session. inasmuch A.
~ VIII determine the relative political powsr
OF the several sections OF the country upon its
iegislation for the next decade. The abolition
OF slavery, and the adoption before the next
superintendent of the Fifteenth Amendment
VIII considerably increase the represent nj We
basis Of the South, all of the colorad people be-
ing counted. The West will also show a great
Increase Of population. and consequently, n.
the apportonment Is continued upon the same
basis as NJ present, the New England ami some
OF the Middle States Will lose a numS.r of
Representatives. Surprising that our y opula-
non should come fully up TO MI Kennedy's
estimate OF forty millioas, the basis of repra-
sentation would be about one member of Con-
gress for one hundred and sixty-f I've thousand
OF population. Such a basis would tell heavily
aSainst The States in which the population has
increased but little. Maryland, for in
stance, though having her basis increased
hy the abolition sf slavery. would barely,
II at all, escape losing one Representative
Newspapers IN the States which Will thus lose
portion Of their influence in Congress are
suggesting various plans TO counteract the re-
duetion. Some favor ar increase Of the num-
Der of Representatives, while others talk of a
system OF representation based, not on popuia-
non alone, but population and wealth."
which would require still smother amendment
10 the Constitution The question ofths proper
apporuonment of members of the House of
Representatives has, from the very origin of
our Government, been one of considerable diff.
nculty, there being two req uirements TO meet
first, TO keep the body from becoming uu.
wieldyi and second, to make the representa-.
ton as nearly equal as possible. The first ap.
poItio Rmeni made after the taking Of the first
census proposed 10 have one hundred and
twenty members. This WIS, ia proportion to
population, much more numerous oody than
wehsve now. President Washington returned
the bill TO the House OF Representatives,
where II originated, with his obIections-:hat
II produced an inequality in representation.
and that as the Constitution provided tn NJ the
number of Representa- ses shall not exceed
one for every thirty thousand, they had vi.
Olated that proviso by giving TO eight of the
states more than one for that num,er. The
poruCnment was finally made upon riIo
OF one TO every thirty three thousand inhab.
itan's, which gave a House of IU6 members
In IL there was sixteen States and 10 men,
bers: in I-O0 seventeen States and Ii2 members:
in 1-l0 nineteen States ana ls3 members; In
1870 twenty -four States and 2I3 members; in
1>30 twenty-six States and 223 members; in
ESQ thirty-Cre States and 23l members; and
IN ESQ thirty -four States aud 2lI members
West Virginia was CT, ated an indepsndent
state in lc63, and Nevada and Nebraska were
admitttd to the Union subsequent to the an.
porlonment, making a total at present of
thiriy-seven States and 2i3 Representatives,
distributed as follows: Alabama, 6; Arkansas,
3; California, 3: Connecticut, q; Delaware, L.
Florida, 1; Georgia, .; Illinois, II; Indiana, IL
Iowa, g. Kansas, 1; kentucky Q; Louisians, s
Name, S; MaryIan 5; Massachusetts,, TO-
Michigan, 6; Minnesota, ?; Mississippi 5; Mis-.
sourl, q Nebraska, 1; Nevada, 1; New Hamp.
shire, 3; New Jersey. 5; New York, 81; North
Carolina, :; Ohio, 10; Oregon, 1; PennsyIva-
MIA, 81; Rhode Island, :; South Caroline,
Tennessee, :; Texas, .; Virginia, ;; Yer
mont, ); West Virgins, 3; Wisconsin, 8
In 1-5O the number of Representatives under
each census was fixed at two hundred and
thir:y.three, the apportionment to be ascer-
tanned by dividing the number of the free pop.
ulation Of the States-addIng three -fifths of the
slaves in the slaveholdipg States-by two hun.
dred and thirty-three, the product Of such
division determining the ratio Of representation
for the several States. To the States having
the largest fractions an additional member was
assigned to make up the requisite number OF
Repre- sentatives. This apportIonmeut was
still unsatisfactory. and in ie5s the number of
Representatives was increased to two hundred
and forty one