Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1870-11-30
New Senatorial Apportioumcut


Among the last bills enacted hy the Legislature
was the one for q rc-app0rt0ument OF senators,
the change which it makes being 10 reduce the
Washington county delegation 10 two and I'M
crease the Rutland county delegation TO four
which is the largest in the State. Senators Car
pcnter md Heath Of Washington county fought
the bill with all their tact their objection being
that the census returns, upon which the change Us
made, were not in fact completed, because thc
Marshal had not returned to the office OF the Sec
rotary OF State " a certified copy OF the siats-
tics ms required by the law Of Congress though
he had sent in nm official statement which cm-
bodied the same facts AMI lacked only the tc'hui
cnl designation Such plea might answer iur
court, but before the Legislature 30 stood little
chance 10 defeat probably just and ultimately
inevitable measure. The end, however, may not
be yet, for We understand that the leaders in
W ashington county express the determination 90
the next election 20 return three senators nud then
and there try the question IN all IT. length aud
breadth. u don't strike Us as being very broad
but perhaps they can make il long,
The editor Of the messenger doe, not by
any means give tbo grounds on which Scua.
tors Heath and Carpenter opposed O. reap
portionmcut of State Senators, at the late
session Of the Legislature. The Constitution
provides that the the Legislature shall mako
a new apporiioumeut of the senators TO Che
several counties qitT NE i7hWy Of each
census Of HE URded Sfaies, or after census
taken for the purpose Of such apportiou-
meni under the authority OF this state
As the alternative Of State census has
never been resorled TO, the clear intent ot
tbts t,ra,.i.i5r Of fho Stat, T.u-ftfuti,n ia
first to require new apportlonmoni of Scn-
ators as often as the United states census s
to be taken and that is liked by Che Consii-
tuition of the United States at once 10 ZEN
gears. Such bias always been the interpreto-
ton at every rc-apportionmcni in Vermont
and such the fact also-each apportionmcut
having lasted for ten year, and ten elections,
whereas, by the apporiionment just made,
Washington county was limited TO nine years
and nine elections instead OF ten. II was
therefore claimed by our Senators, and justly
claimed that Washington county ha. not had
melted to her the same measure that has all
way. been given to other counties in like
cases. Secondly, the true intent and mean
ing of the State Constitution is that the pew
aprortonment shall be based upon the popu-
laton oil Vermont as aseerialned by the
United states census--oi course meaning
the population completely truly and oti-
ealIy ascer'ained according to act OF
Congress On inns point the friends
oil the new apporiionment argued that the
census OF 1870 had been taken and commit
ncated to the State by the United states
Marshal; while our Senators argued not mere
y that there was no certified copy OF the cen'
sus returned but there could not possibly be
any oiherally and legally certified return un-
til the next session Of Congress- because suci
u the law OF the United states by that
law, the first Official report Is to be made &c
Congress after the enumeration; that report d
to be the representative population and tine
number ofmembers OF Congress each State u
entitled TO- and the first Official and legal nou
heation to the states will he OF thisapportiou
ment by the Secretary Of the Interior, ate
1t has been made to Congress. Nothing OF al
this can be done until the next session
Congress, and when this shall be done, tn
census OF the population oil 1871 Will not b
fa6e"' within the meaning OF the Cons'tu
ton OF ermont' orc the United states o
o' '"e statutes o' '"o ou'''' o''''' "O". ~
Al ''''' WEI p' 'Vfu','u 10 'o''e'' ana v '' -
inc returns ana 10 '"ou'"'o '"o"' a''u''''''
AS '"ree inherent IeS"''S nave "'''"'y o''
arrived AT ny 'ne "arSn'' o, ' ',"'o"' 'iol
inc 'o'u'"' u '"e "SS'S''"' -''l'''''' III '''
ouh.o' ~ a. ""u? " '"0'0 ''"0'','' ''''''
VII. DC 'ouu' AZ " a'"'"s'o" O''o'' '''' e''''
oil Nernon' Ior l''o VIII DC reporter COT"