The Carson daily appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1865-1870, 1870-06-22
THE APP0RTIONMENr BILL.

The debates upon the Congresslona
Apportionment Bill in the Senate dis
play, in general, q wise AID broad com
prehension of the subject of popular re
presentation The stereotyped growl a
New England was INDUCED in By som,
Western Senators, and some of the oil
fogies were for restricting the tota
number of representatives to a smaller
figure than that agreed upon-300
Sumner and Garrett Davis, strange as i;
may seem, were agreed upon the propo-
sition to make the number smaller than
that agreed to. Sumner though. that
sn increase Of numbers would make the
House uuwieldly; and poor, old, pri-
neval Davis "prefeTred a reduction 10
the (good) old number of two hundred
and thirtr-three." For wonder he
omitted any allusion to the Resolutions
Of '96 and the Constitution as it was.
Trumbull looked at the matter like a
osotSsuaus dS Le -, nuU UcAAcNSu
,hat the smaller the number of repre-
sentatives, the further was the govern
aient from the people" Generous,
large-hearted, liberal minded Dick
Yates "argued that smaller districts
would make representatives more dir
ec:ly responsible to their constituents.
He looked forward 10 the day then there
would be a hundred States, with two
hundred members of the Senate and
four hundred members of the House.
This large number would be in harmony
with the design of the trainers of the
Constitution, by creating a legislature
sufficiently large TO represent all inter-
ests. Then, too, there was less danger
of corruption in large body; it would
take more money TO influence it,"
Finally, after some Swelling By Thur
man about &" State Rights" the SEN
ate's amendment to the House bill (sub-
shutting 500 for 215 membe,s) passed
by vote of 81 to 81. As the bill as
amended will probably pass the House
we give it in full as follows:
Be it enacted. etc, That from and after the
81 day of March, 1871, the House of Repre-
sentatives shall be composed of three hun
tred members, to be appOrtioned among the
several States in accordance with the provis-
Df ~ al ,f,a \ l.
apportionment shall have been made. any
rev State shall be admitted into the Union,
the Representative or Representatives of such
new State shall be additional to the number ;
OF three hundred herein limited; and if the
OF any State shall be increased
or diminished by suca appor.ionment, any ,
additional Representative or Representatives
Of such State so increased, and all the Repre-
sentatlves of any State SO diminished, in the ,
Forty-second Congress shall be chosen BY the
State at large, unless otherwise provided by |
such State.
Section .. That Immediately after the next
of the inhabitants of the United J
States shall have been completed according :,
% law, and before the both day of September,
1919, the Superintendent of the Census shall e
prepare and submit to the Secretary of the (,
Iaterior preliminary report of the results of
such enumeration, embracing such statistics |
Is shall be necessary TO enable the Secretary {
If the Interior to perform the duties in this
ct prescribed. e
Section 3. That after the preliminary repor 5
provided for in the foregoing section shalt
AVE been submitted to the Secretary of the t
Interior, he shall ascertain from such pre- ii
urinary report the basis of representation of
ach State. and the aggregate basis of repre- c
entation of the United States, and he shall u
scertain the basis of representation of the
everal Congressional districts by dividing the y
gsregate basis of representation of the S
lnited States by the number three hundred.
ejecting any fraction OF unit which may 2
emain; and he shall ascertain the number :;
{ Representatives to be apportioned to each O.
tate bv dividing the basis of representation
{ such State BY the basis Of representation
{ the several Congressional districts, reject
ig any fraction of Unit which may remain; n
nd he shall apportion so many additional
representatives TO the States having the u
rgest rejected fractions one to each, as shall TT
lake the whole number of Representatives ..
,ree hundred. ~
Section 4. That the Secretary of the In
,rior shall. on the receipt of such pIelimi- u
airy report. immediately prepare and trans 70
ut. under the seal o. his office, to the Speak ii
: of the House of Representatives, and to q
ie Governor of each of the States, a certi-
ID statement Of his proceedings under the
Of this act.
Section ). That all acts and parts of acts 1.
conflict with the provisions of this act are of
,reby repealed. S,
in
AN attempt was made on last Friday
-euing to set FIRE 10 Piner's Oneral