New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-01-22

wa ae population of tho parish of Madison
maI; IN 1860, and in 1870 it was $500
suSarass decrease of 554l. That parish
ton of ~, more, perhaps, from the devasta
State re war than any other parish in thu
hosdia in 1860 was 1857 sue and i in q IsSo
decrs. population of o977. maxim.
case Wis of 1928. That was TIN
viIis pm. al the river parishes-Iber
crease in 10 Goupee, and Tensas. The de
teryaI het' u iatter named parish in tho in
Now tba Tween. 1860 and 1870 was 1862
increased i'll the same nran,rt;ans xant,u Ia. a.
l'opuiatlOhs in the river parishes has de-
Ca1Jou f9r instance, the population OF
~. uo y parish III 1860 was u liO, and in 1876
iar vas :l,Il9, making an increase of a579, a
Sta,e Increase he than any other parish of the
Shravsn because &c, Of the rapid growth OF
ka, ,n it; The parish OF Boss;er III 1860
had a p p"palation of ii ,3iiS. and in 1860 it
crease OF 1927. The incr ease in the ponula.
tha , ~ me hill DISTRICTS is 29,27D while
s1.592 ~ tdhe river parishes OF
Nov tha msuie Idlmost exactly. the same.
= - = statistical facts. do not
GSS.seflat the census returns are incorrect
in MANY instances. but l insist that the
ratio of increase in the hill parishes is ex-
actIy the same as the ratio of decrease III
the river parishes, and it is, therefore, rea
sOaable to presume that the census OF 1870
/, in the main correct and that it is a fair
basis of representation Of the whole State
This increase of the hill parishes and de-
crease OF the river parishes is attributed TO
natural causes rs well as to the war and
tie large amount OF emigration in the hill
country since. l repeat that if we proceed
10 make an apportiOnment upon the basis
Of the census Of 1860. that We do
one section of the State Of Louisiana IA
greater injury than we should do the other
sections OF the State bordering on the river.
BIZ making the apportionment according 70
the census Of 1870. We know that there is
a large decrease in the population Of some
OF these river parishes. AS a matter OF
course, if the hill parishes have increased
they are entitled to more representation.
Nov. under tho apportionment Of 1860,
which it is now proposed to adopt as a sub
stitute to the report Ut the committee, the
parish of Claiborne only gets two Repre-
sentatiyes and one Senator. During the
war we had three Representatives and one
Senator, and the bill originally reported by
the committee gives us the same thing
exactly. During the war, the apportiOnment
was made according to the census returns
OF 1860, and that appor.ionment increased
the representation IL several parishes OF the
State, while other parishes remained just as
they were before the census return of 1860
was made. repeat that if we adopt this
substitute We would do more injustice to one
section of the State than we would do to the
other sections Of the State by adopting the
orr. inal report of the committee. Another
grave reason why we should not adopt this
substitute is, that the constitution is abso
ttg ~ iynn
thar we shall receive the census of 1879 IA
the only basis Of the apportionment that we
6aall make. know Of no way of getting
around that article Of the constitution.
know OF no way OF making il political
question, when3the constitution of the State
says that we shall do it. l know o: no law
that is higher than the constitution o. the
State. l know of no reason why We should
tran.ple upon this instrument. The gentle
NAH from Ouachita saws that We have !
right to do this; that our judgment L. final.
and that our action on this matter VIII not
be subject to judicial investigation. Tha.
argument reminds me very much OF the
"dyice gwen by the mother to her children:
thar to steal was not wrong. but ~ he
caught at it was a crime. | say tina. We
should not make that a reason why We
should ignore the constitution entirely.
1t is a question that interests the wAOle
people of the State, Of all coiors and poll
tics 1t is d question of constitutional right.
and not a political question. 1t is a Iues-
ton whether the people shall have the
representation allowed them by the .On-:i
tuition. Or whether they shall not have i.
There is no other way under heaven tor IL,
to proceed legally, unless we act according
20 the dictum of the constitution. Ii II ia,
spoken let it be our duty to obey. know Of
no way to get around it. Ifiniustice has been
done by the census returns to one section |
OF the State, it is the misfortune OF that |
section. The constitution provides That we |
must abide by that census until "a new cen [,
81, is taken in 1875 by the State Itself. Xil. !
constitution not only directs bit absolutely |
compels us to pursue IA certain line OF az ,
ZION. When that instrument has spoken. l |
know of no ight that we have az Senator'S |
70 d;sobey it, 1t is true that this is not u
matter Of judicial investigation; bu: il is a
matter that will come up before u higher |
tribunal than the jutliciary-that .: "a"
people. 1t strikes me that the very mo-
vision. we are at sea. Every Scua-
tor would have the RICH: to .ie-
nald for his constituents represen alton
il accordance with his idea of what repre-
sentatiUn his constituents are entitled TO-
have the right, if it comes to the mere
dictllm OF Senators, 10 demand representa-
ton for forty-tiye thousand inha Ditan.s.
would have a right to claim tbs same
amount of population. l say that We have
no such right; that the very momen: We
leave the constitution we are az sea. with
no guide and no compass to steer by. Now.
want to ask, are we to be guided by the
cOns.t Ition! If so,wc must make the appOr-
tionment according to the census of 1870. II
we are to be guided by the constitution. we
must have the final returns of sat census
before us. | understand that those final
returns have been made and handed over
by the United Stagcs Marshal to IN" Con-
mittee on Apportionment. II we had thess
returns before u.s. care not what we adopt
because then we must take that census as
our basis. If we are not TO be governed by
the census returns, what are We to be gov
erned by. j, therefore unless some SEMI
tors wish to discuss this question: move 20
lay the subsb ute on the table. and to take
up the original bill reported by the com
mittee, and make any amendment. TIA: We
may deem necessary.
Mr.. Ray: The Senator from Claiborne
seems to think thai we are endeavortng ~
proceed i'll this matter i'll violation of the
constitution, fhut do not SO understand it.
The standing committee OF the Senate on
Ap2Ortionmcnt, have made a report, and
that report took into consideration the cen
3uS that has been lately taken BIZ the United