The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1870-08-10
REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICTS.

REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICTS.
Governor Palmer has settled this ques-
ton which was left in so uncer ain a situs-
ton BY the adoption of the new constitution
81 this particular time, in about this way.
We use the governors own words:
The apportionment for the members Of
the house of representatives of the new
general assembly will be made by the gov
ernor and secretary, according to the direc
Eion of sections and of the legislatiN G
articles OF the new constitution. The state
to be divided into districts, and the county
OF Alexander will be district No |.
This settles the matter until the general
assembly takes the matter in hand at its
next session. The sections to which the
governor refers are. found on page 8 of the
official copy of the constitution, and are as
follows
SENATORIAL.
8. The general assembly shall spporton
the state every ten years, beginning with
the year one Thousand eight hundred and
seventy one, by dividing the population of
the state, rs ascertained by the federal
census, By the number fifty one, and the
quotient shall be the ratio of representation
IN the senate. The state shall be divided
into fifty one senatorial districts, each of
which shall elect one senator, whose term
of office shall be four years The senators
elected in the year of our Lord one thous>
and eight hundred and seventy two in dis
tricts bearing odd numbers, shall vacate
their offices at the end of two years, and
those elected in districts bearing even mum
bers at the end OF four years: and vacancies
occurring by the expiration of term shall be
filled by the election of senators for the full
term. Senatorial districts shall be formed
ofcontiguous and compact territory, bound
ed by county lines, and contain as nearly as
practicable an equal number of inhabitants;
but no district shall contain less than four
ftths of the senatorial ratio. Counties con
tanning not less than the ratio and three
fourths msy be divided into separate dis
tricts. and shall be entitled to two senators,
and to one additional senator for each mum
bar of inhabitants equal to the ration, con
tanned by such counties in excess of twice
the number of said ratio.
REPRESENTATIVE.
7. The population of the state, as sscer
tanned by the federal census. shall be divided
by the number one hundred and fifty three,
aud the quotient shall be the ratio OF repre-
sentation in the house of representatives.
Every county or district shall be entitled to
one representative, when its population is
three tifshs of the ratio: if any county has
less than three ffths of the ratio, it shall be
attached to the ad joining county having the
least population, to which no other county
has for the same reason been attached and
the two shall constitute a separate district.
Every county or district having popula.
L. al Al II al
shall be entitled to two representatives, and
for each additional number of inhabitants
equal to the ratio one representative. Coun-
ties having over two hundred thousand
inhabitants may be divided into districts,
each entitled to not less than three nor
more than Eve representatives. After the
year one thousand eight hundred and eighty
the whole population shall be divided by the
number one hundred and fifty nine, and the
quotient shall be the ratio of representation
in the house of representatives for the
ensuing ten years, and six additional repre-
aentatives shall be added for every five
hundred thousand increase of population at
each decennisl census thereafter, and be
apportoned In the same manner as above
provided.
The clause under which the governor
assumes 10 district the state ana dictate
representation, is found on page AZ of the
ottlcial copy of the eonstition:
10. Immediately after the adoption of
this constitution, the governor and secretary |
OF state shall proceed to ascertain and Fl |
the apportionment of the state for members |
of the first house of representatives under /
this constitution. The superintendent shall |
be based upon the federal census of the year
of our Lord 1870, of the state of Illinois, |
and shall be made strictly in accordance |
with the rules and principles announced in
the article on the legislative department of
this constitution Provided, that in case the
federal census aforesaid can not be ascer.
tanned prior to Friday, the 23d day of Sep |
TENDER A. D. 1870, then the said apportion-
ment shall be based on the state census of
the year Of our Lord 1861 in accordance |
with the rules and principles aforesaid. The
governor shall, on or before Wednesday, the |
-sth DAY OF September, A. d. 1870 make
oniciai announcement of the said apportion.
ment, under the great seal of the state and
one hundred copies thereof, dulv cert;6ad
shall be forthwith transmitted bv the .eo.
Rotary OF state to county clerk for distrihn.
ton.
AT the annual meetipp &c A..