The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-03-16
of Representation In
the General Assembly.
MINORITY REPORT on SENATOR R q. GREENE

leave to submit the following report:
The bill heretofore introduced by majority Of the
Committee being House bill No. 234 entitled "a bill
to distribute ant apportion representation in the
General Assembly OF Virginia" lie, in my judgment,
in plain violation of the 18th Section Of the 9Th
Article of the Constitution of this Commonwealth,
which, among other things, requires that the state
shall be divided into representative districts OF con-
tiguous counties cities and.t being compact IT,
form, and including s'ns nearly as may be
an equal number of population"
The districts as provided Tor by the bill referred
to, are not compact nor have they, may
be, an equal number of inhabitants. A common
ratio OF population TO representation is not preserved
But the contrary in some of the Districts as pro-
vided for, tho inhabitants thereof, are given three
times as largo representation the Same number
of inhabitants in another district are entitled to.
Nor is this gross inequality unavoidable or neces
sary. le.f
Bnt such appointments arbitrary, unjust, aud
plainly made with reference to the party politics of
such inhabitantl. And in proof OF the foregoing
statement attention is invited to the following Illus
trations.
spottsylyania county, having a population OF II,
729 has two delegates, being one for each 1864 in
habitants; while Norfolk county, having population
of 1889, has but delegate, being to l6,8s9
inhabitants, about one.third of the ratio Of the
representation granted in Spottsylvania county.
The Democratic candidate for State Senate Hon.
Charles Herndon received at The last election 1885
votes in Spottsylvania county, while his opponent,
the Republican candidate, received only SSy votes.
Hon. George Teamoh the Republican candidate for
State Senator at the election received in Nor
folk county, VI, 5T votes, while the Democratic
candidate received only LASS votes
Thecounty of Bland, having population OF 4 002
Inhabitants is giyon one delegate while Charlotte
county, having population of l4,5l3. is given only
one delegate. The Hon. James M. French, the Demo-
cratic candidate for state Senator received in the
election in Bland county, SAG votes while the Repub-
lican candidate received only 20 votes. The Hon J.
w. D. Bland, the Republican candidate Tor the State
Senate, received in Charlotte county, 1904 votes,
while the Democratic candidate received 1l3 votes.
The county of Greene, having population of
46s4, is gvon one delegate while the county Of
Prince Edward, having apopulation Of l2o07 is given
only one delegate. The Hon. r. s. Beasley, the
Democratic candidate for State senator, received in
Greene county at the last election S17 votes, while
only 40 votes. The Hon. ). w. D. Bland. tho Re
publican candidate for State SENATOR the last cleo
ton received in Prince Edward county l43i votes,
while his Democratic opponent received but 9l5
voes
The county of Giles, having a population of 5Gs4.
is allowed one delegate, while the county of 0ooch-
land having population of 10 3l4 is given only one
delegate. At the last election Hon. Edmund PenGle-
ton, Democratic State senator, received in Giles
county 567 votes, while his Republican opponent re-
ceived only ia votes At the last election Hon. W.
p. Moseley, Republican State senator, received 1856
votes in Goochland county, while his Democratic
competitor received only 500 votes.
The county OF Warren, having population of 5.2l,
is given delegate, whilo the city of Portsmouth,
having population of 10592, Is given but one dele
gate. The lion. John u. Roller, Democratic State
senator, received at the last election in Warren
county 40l votes, while his Republican competitor
received 40 votes The Hon George Tealnoh. at the
same election, received in Portsmouth city $1,000
votes, while his Democratic opponent received 800
votes. -
Clarke county, having population of $50, is
given one delegate, while the county of Henry, hay
ing population of i ga has but one delegate
The Hon. W. ID. Smith, Democratic senator, received
in Clarke county at the last election 677 votes while
his Republican competitor received only 455 votes
The Republican candidate for State senator received
at the last election in the county of Henry 9i3 votes
while the Hon. James Patterson his Democratic COM
petitor, resolved sos votes.
Middlesex county, having population of 1881, is
given one delegate, while Dinwiddle, having n popu
lation of l1,767, is given but one delegate. Hon
VIM. X. Perrin, Democratic State senator received
at the last election in Middlesex county 476 votes
while his Republican competitor received s51 votes
Hon. David 9. Carr, Republican senator received at
the last election 1888 votes in the county of Dinwid
die, while his Democratic competitor received S26
votes.
Northumberland county, having q population of
$500, is given one delegate, while Brunswick county,
having population of ID AL has only delegate.
Hon. Merriwether Lewis Democratic senator at the
last election received in Northumberland county
7o2 votes, his Republican opponent received 521
votes. Hon. VIM. p. Austin, Republican State sena.
tor received at the last election in Brunswick coun-
ty 1.66s votes, while his Democratic opponent re-
ceived 925 votes.
Is given ono delegate, while York and James City
counties together, having population of IL 622 is
given only one delegate. Hon. Merriwether Lewis,
Democratic SENATOR received at the last election from
King George county $40 votes, while his Republican
opponent received SIG votes. The Republican candi-
dates for State senators received at the cleo
ton from the counties of York and James City 1l96
votes, while their Democratic opponents received ISL
votes.
Mathews county, having a population of 6,2o5, is
given one delegate, while Buckingham, having a
population of 1891, has but one delegate Hon W.
X. Perrin, Democratic State senator rec.ived at the
last election in Mathews county 600 votes while his
Republican opponent received 358 votes Hon. Frank
Moss, Republican State senator, received in Bucking
ham county at the last election Ala votes whiIe
his Democratic opponent received 1,1s6 votes.
We find, then, that the twenty districts referred
to above, give the following results when aggrega-
ted: q
The ten Republican districts containing popuIa- |
ton of 126S26 souls given ten delegates while
the ten Democratic districts having population Of |
only 62, 214 souls given eleven delegates 1t is
believed that the annals of partzan legislation no
where exhibit of unjust and partzan iiscrmi.
nation so monstrous this 1t defes parallel and |
is subversye of the Constitution as of the liberties
Of the people If this unjust discrimination was not
designed culpsble and criminal it is SO careless in
and otherwise monstrous that it ought
not to receive the support OF any body of patriotic
men.
Ill is true that critical examination of the bill
referred to, will show that in very few instances
like unjust discrimination has been made against the
of Democratic counties.
For example: Montgomery county, with popula- |
Hon of 1854, is given but delegate; while Stat
lord county, with population OF 1921, is given one
delegate. Such cases, however, only show that the
purpose to deny the people of just representation,
although it became necessary occasionally to outrage
Tho rights of political friends M
IL is also true that in cases like unjust dis
IS made in favor OF Republican county
but the instances are rare For example: Lancaster
county, having population of 1856 is given one /
delegate, while the Democratic county of Lee having
population Of IL, 269, is given only one delegate
which can only be accounted for by supposing that
he authors OF the apportionment were blinded as |
o overlook in their mad zeal such powerful consti.
uencies as that of Lee Their zeal otran their dis
retion.
Again. this apportionment divides the delegates as
olows Democrats, "a Republicans 49, That
8, although the Democratic party had majority at
he last State election OF 18,00O tai vote of go
100 they are given moro than two-thirds and nearly
hreefourths of the whole representation
Again: In Republican counties taking the whole
tate at large, 1t requires onetenth re population
o secure delegate, than it does ia Democratic
ouniies.
But perhaps the most startling exhibit of this |
emarkable bill is found by comparing fifty counties
when are entitled 10 one delegate EACH and arrang
ng them according to population without regard 10
olitics, we have this result Twenty-Five Of these
ountes have population of 3o7 1854 while the other
Wenty 1ye counties have aggregate population of
II ,l4l, and yet they have tho same number Of dele
ates.
The Senatorial apportonment of the bill reported
the majority of the COMMITTEES has the same niYst
iscriminations For instance: The Democratic dis
'icis, composed OF the counties of Lee Wise and |
uchanan, with population of 2lSi3, is given one
enator, while the Republican district composed Of
10 counties OF Chesterfield, Amelia and Cumberland
entitled to only one Senator for SO 558 Inhabitants
Richmond city and the county of Henrico form n ,
emocratc district of 66,276 Inhabitants and IA :
three Senator's or ono FIR aacI, 00 O,o ;,h,L;