leading of this report. I think it was inti-
mated by the gentleman from Baltimore city
that the proposition offered by my colleague
and myself to have representation according
to population throughout the State was right;
but it was voted down, and the gentleman
could not vote for it on the ground that it
could not be adopted. The result is that,
acknowledging the principle to be right, they
will not vote tor it, and it cannot be adopted,
and they cannot agree upon any proposition.
Now is the appointed time for the house to
consider—
Mr. CHAMBERS. Will the gentleman allow
me to suggest to him that if he will give way
I think we may take the vote.
Mr. CLARKE. Very well; I will give way.
Mr. ABBOTT. The gentleman speaks of this
as an arbitrary rule. The committee on rep-
resentation spent a great deal of time over this
subject and came here, so far as the majority
are concerned, making a unanimous report.
This report has been adopted by the house by
a large vote, being based upon a principle.—
The only way we can have a republican form of
government is lo have a representation based
upon some firm and fixed principle. There is
a provision that a census may be taken by the
legislature at any time. Our next legislature
can order a census to be taken in the State,
and the basis changed or altered in proportion
to the number of white inhabitants that they
have. I hope that the report will not be open-
ed at all. But if it is to be opened, let the
proposition be made at once by every county
asking for what it wants, and then let us take
one vote upon the whole. If we are going to
break the rule at all, we may as well break it
all to pieces as to break out .one piece at a
time,
The same rule holds good now that was good
when we acted upon this subject before. I
find that Kent county lacks 2,653 of the num-
ber for two representatives, which is 10,000.
The rule we adapted, allows a representative
for a fraction equal to one-half the number for
a, representative, which we fixed upon as a suf-
ficient deviation from the strict rule. Kent
county has a white population of 2,347 by
the last census over the number required for
one member.
Mr. HEBB. That is 153 less than one-half
of 5,000.
The PRESIDENT. If she had 154 more, she
would be entitled to another representative.
Mr. ABBOTT. The next legislature if they
deem it necessary may take a new census of
the State; then if the people of Kant have
the requisite number they can have a represen-
tation according to their population, observ-
ing the rule, and have two members. I hope
the house will. not break the rule unless they
intend to give every county, Baltimore coun-
ty Frederick county, Howard county, and ev-
ery county in the State, including Baltimore
city, an additional representative. |
Mr. MAYHUGH, I trust the report will not
be disturbed by increasing the number of mem-
bers for any county. I was a good deal op-
posed to the representation allowed to Balti-
more city, and the counties generally were op-
posed to it. But the report being made on
principle, I fully concurred in that report,—
The gentleman from Prince George's (Mr.
Clarke ) has said that there are calls from all
the counties, from every portion of the State
in regard to this matter; that it is a violation
of justice, and an arbitrary principle, and yon
might as well go indiscriminately and give go
many to each county without any basis at all.
If that be the case, then every county will be
seeking for amendments, and the city of Bal-
timore will claim that she has a right to be
represented according to population. I ap-
peal to the judgment of any gentleman in this
house, whether any report could have been
framed upon a more just and equitable prin-
ciple. The State being a small one, it was
necessary to curb the representation of Balti-
more city. Otherwise she would have the
whole power of the State in her own hands.
And in doing so, it has been done upon
principles of justice, cutting down the larger
counties on the same principle.
Now a gentleman has made a motion to in-
crease the number of members for Kent county.
Although I was opposed to the present repre-
sentation for Baltimore city, yet having agreed
to the report and concurred in the principle,
1 say to vary from it would be sheer injustice.
Upon any principle that I could conceive to be
right, I was ready to give another represen-
tative to Kent; but it would be .sheer injus-
tice to Baltimore county and every other coun-
ty in the State to give it now, because it vio-
lates every principle upon which this report
is founded; and I conceive we could make no
apportionment upon a principle more just to
every portion of the State than that of this
report. Surely if you award another repre-
sentative to one county, you must award it to
every county, and you must award it to Bal-
timore city; and if this motion prevails I shall
strive with every power I possess to increase
our representation,
Mr. STIRLING. The reason I advocate this
amendment, is because, as the gentleman from
Cecil (Mr. Pugh) said, it is no deviation from
the principle. It is only a variation of a few
hundred, and so near the principle that it
amounts actually to the same thing. I do not
see why giving this representative to Kent is
any reason for giving further representation to
the large counties, unless we are to adopt the
principle advocated by the gentleman from
Prince George's (Mr. dark) to give to the
people of the whole State an absolute repre-
sentation of one delegate for 5,000 people;
and I do not care who gets the power under
that basis, if the majority are entitled to the
power, nobody pretends to say why a party of
people living inside of Baltimore city are not |
