The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1883-08-08
APP0RTIONMEUT.
SPEECH OF HON. A. j. COLBORN
OF SOMERSET
Delivered in the House of Representa-
tives, on the Subject of Appor-
uoBment-Able Presenta.
tion of the Merits Of ..-.
the Controversy re
u vrara &c, &c .a. lr rf...

Mr.. Colborn said: Mr.. Speaker, l
am persuaded that the majority OF
this House will pass this bill, and
nothing that | can say will, in the
least, influence a single vote, and
were it not for the purpose of correct.
ing some false positions assumed by
our friends on the other side of the
House, should not say word upon
this bill.
Early in the regular session it was
assumed by our Democratic friends
that they were here for the purpose
of making an honest and fair appor-
tionment of the State of Pennsylva-
MIA into Congre ressional, Senatorial.
Representative and Judicial districts,
and that we were here-the remnant
of the Republican party-as obstruc-
tionists that we were here for the
purpose OF preventing a fair and
honest apportionment of the State
propose, Mr.. Speaker, for few
moments to review the action of this
House in reference to the apportion-
ment of the Commonwealth OF Penn
sylvania. Early in the regular ses-
sion committee of Republicans
prepared-very carefully prepared
a Congressional apportionment one
which they thought did justice to
all parties and all classes OF people
in the Commonwealth OF Pennsylva-
MIA. The Democratic side of the
House prepared their bill which was
known as the Nicholson Bill" and
they passed their bill through the
House, although we offered them our
bill as substitute. The Senate
passed a bill known as the "Mc-
Cracken Bill" Just whether the
Senate passed that before the House
passed the Nicholson Bill, am not
able TO say; but at all events. the
two bills differed very materially.
That difference was referred to a
committee of conference, who, after
a careful examination and consider
alton of the points Of difference be-
tween the two Houses, reported that
they were unable 10 agree. The re-
port of the committee was adopted
by both Houses, and the Legislature
adjourned without making an APP
portionment. The Governor, as was
his right-whether he was justified
in doing so, is a question ! am not
now going to discuss-but in the ex
ercise of the right vested in him un-
der the Constitution, he called the
Legislature together in extraordinary
session for the purpose of districting
the State of Pennsylvania.
From the -frstt time We first met in
this extraordinary session until now,
it has. been assumed that the Demo
Gratis were anxious TO make an APP
portionment-that they were here in
the spirit of fairness, of concession
and of compromise; and that We, in
disregard of our oaths and OF the
Constitution, were here as obstruc
tionists, laboring to prevent the
making Of a fair apportionment.
The first bill offered by our Dem
ocratic friends was far more objec-
tiouable than thatoffered during the
regular session. Most unnatural
districts were made, and natural dis
tricts were broken up. sam5lF -
The bill was most Objectionable, not
in the proportion in which il gave
representation TO the two great po-
iitical parties, but in the structure
and formation of the bill-the Re
publicans, believing that they had
done all that they were required to
do-and thev had studied the ques-
ton carefully, honestly and consci-
entiously for months. The McCrack
en- Bill, and the bill which was sub
mitted here as substitute for the
Democratic bill, were compared.
The bill that was prepared by the
Republicans Of the House was slight
Ily amended, and that was taken as
1.-THE result of our deliberations.