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Vv Published Kveey Wednesday by 8LYKE JBDIfOB aND PUBLISHER. : Office In O d P. O. Block, OrraCSiTr Ri vr^stdr House.-- TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION ®ne Year, (in Advance,) tr i te If not Pai l within Three Months 2 00 lubsirlptwns reclvedfor threeo* six month »*m« proptrtion. w:~ K , / BUSINESS CARDS. H. T. BROWN, if. D. Office over & Martin's I C. H. FEGKRS, M, I>-fwrsiCiAN AND SURGEON. Johnslrarg I : I. Ills.--Office hours 8 to 10 a, m. O. J. HOWARD, M D. i!>HY8ICIAN AND SURGEON. Office at my residence, opposite M. E. Church, ScHenry. III. 15- V. AXDBRSON. M. ». PHYSICIAN and Surgeon. Office nt lies ley's Dmf Store, Opposite Parker •ouse, McHehry, Illinois. PRATT HOUSE. T v PRATT. Proprietor. First class ac- 49 eorntnodations. Good Barn in connection waacooda. III. F. J. BARBIAN. CIGAR Mannfiifttttrcr McHenry, 111. Or. ders solicited. Shop, North East Cor­ ner Public Square. RICHARD COMPTON. * TtTSTlCE of the Psaceand Conveyancer.-- |P Will attend promptly to the collection of jiabU. Volo, Lake County, III. 8. E. RICHARDS. fTjtS a '.omplete Abstract ot Titles to land O. in M Honrv County, Illinois. Office with Qsuaty ( lerk, Woodstock, 111. ROBT. WRIGHT, Manufacturer of Custom.Made Boots and Shoos. None but the best of mafreral •Md and all work warranted. Shop North- W**t «or» r Public Square, McHenry III. C.|S.:|GBEEN. rETERINABT SURGEON, Richmond Illinois. JESSE A. BALDWIN, ATTORNEY at Law and Solicitor In Chan-eery. Will practice in State and in Fed eral Courts. Office, 3d Floor, New Custom, House, Chicago. CHAS. H. DONNELLY. ATTORNEY AT LAW *nd Notary Public Woodstock, Illinois. Office over Stone's Drug Store. , C. H. TRUAX. CARPENTER and Builder, Tfttnfla, III.-- Will put up buildings by^theJobor day. and gaarahtee satisfaction. N' SIDNEY DISBROW, OTART PUBLICand Conveyancer, don. III. , ' A. M. CHURCH, Watehmakcr and Jeweled , Vro. W RANDOLPH STREET, (Briejrs iM House,) Chicago, III. Formerly with E II. P. Slinrly. Special iittontion (riven to Re­ pairing Fine watches and Chronometers. S5f.V Full Assortment of Goods in his line. ::s% E.M. OWEN. GENERAL Dealer and Manufacturers Agent in Leading Farm Price» l»w and Terms fa Machinery.-- "avoidable. McHenry. N. S.COLBY. cHENRT, McHenry Co.. IH. B.. eeder of Bl Spanish Merino Sheep, Berki hire and ^•iand China Swine. A choice lot -f young Buck stock for sale. Please call and examine frafore buying' elsewhere. GEO SCHREINER. SALOON and Restaurant, pearly opposite the Parker House, McHenry, 111 AVFirst class Billiard and Pool Tables. F. J. CROSS, DENTIST. McHenry, III. Full Plates made of -the best material and Hilly warranted, 38.00. Filling One-half usual rates. Special attention paid to regulating bad shnped teeth. Teeth extracted free of charge where serted bv him. • All Work fully warranted. Pure Nitrous Oxide Gas always on and for the piinle-isev: traction of teeth. M. ENCELN- CJ-TJ IV SMITH! Scale Repairing' Cirindingand Pol­ ishing Razors and Shears and Table Cutlery a speciali­ ty. Repairing of .all kinds done in 'Steel or Brass.-- All work warrant, el. Also dealer in Guns, Revolver®, Table and Pocket JOSEPH N. FRKUND. • ALOOS AND RESTAURANT Bonslett'e old stand, opposite Bishop's Mill, Mc­ Henry. 111. The c incest Wines, Liauors and Cigars to be found in the county. Fresh Oysters in their season served up in any •nape desired or for sale by the On. GOOD STABLING FOR HORSES. Established in 1855. john: sterba, Formerly of Woodstock and Chicago, has again returned to McHenry County, and has on hand the largest stock of READY MADE HARNESSES, COLLARS, WHIPS, Ac., to be fraud in the Onnnty, and has everything made of the BEST'MATERIAL. Call and see me. JOHN STERBA. " Near the Depot, 'McHeifry. E. WIGIITMAN, Proprietor. First class rigs, with or without drivers, fu.inished at reasonable rates. Teaming ot all kinds done on short notice. MM Over a Quarter ol a Ceatnry. F. C. MAYES, without pain ian<* Artiiicial T«feth are iu- ^, Cutlery,Gun and Fishing Material, Pipes, Cigars, Tobafco Violin $ tripes, &c. Shop ami store near the /Pjost Office, Mc. Henry, III. JOHN HENDRICKS. ; *»LIVIN'S MILLS, ILL. Is now prepared f» to sell and repair any kind of a Sewing Maehine as cheap as the cheapest. Will also insure your life and property at reasonable rates. Please give me a cal\ PETER LEICKEM. REPAIRS Watches, Clocks and Jewelry of all kinds. Also Repairs Violins in the best Mssible manner, on short notice and at rea- jonsble rates. Also Violins for Sale. Shop *tst door North of Riverside Block, McHenrj / J. A. SHERWOOD ' AUCTION li: ER AND A1MPKAISER, Algonquin, III. SALES of Stock, Farming Tools and Goods of a l l kinds promptly attended to. Farm •ties a specialty. Terms reasonable. Post JOIce address Algonquin 111. W. H. SANFORD, Mercliaut Tailor. In the Store of C. H. Dickinson, East side of Public Square, WOODSTOCK, ILL. A *ood Stock of Fine Cloths for Suitings al- #raysoahand. Suits made to order and a fit warranted- Give me a call. W. H. SANFORD. Woodstock 111.,Sept. 27th, 1876. Scott & Co., "Hatters to the Great Northwest." Nes. 135 aoi 137 UMison St.. NEAR CLARK ST. Have a larger stoek and greater variety of •tvles for you to choose from, than can bo found in any other establishment in Chicago or the West. It will nav you to call and see »hem. Price» the U>west;in the land forjjgood goods. BRANCH STORES S. E, Co. Clark & Lake sts & S. E. Cor. Halsted and Harrison sts., CHICAGO. HIRAM WIER, Boat sad Shoe ICaker, Wauconda, ill, I would inform the public that I am now prepared to make Boots and -shoes to order, of the best material, warrant a (It, and at LOWER PRICES then any other shop in the county. Call and be Convinced. Wauconda, Nov. 30th, 1830, M A R C U S ' GERMAN II Manufactured by F. MARCUS, --DEALER IN-- PURE WINES. LIQUORS AND CIGARS. Woodstock III. •Bie best Tonic in the world. .Pnt|Jip in Prat and Quart Bottles. F« MARCUS Patentee. For Strenfith, Flavor Purity -THE- MASSARieI WfStJB Has not its Epal in Awica It is sold in Pound and Half-Pound Pack, ages ONLY--NEVER IN lU'I.K. Sec that the seals are unbroken and bear the signa­ ture of C. J K V N E. FOR SAT E *BY Fitzsimmons & Evanson SOLE AGENTS FOR MrllENRY, 1I-L. --AND DEALER IN-- Ready-Made Clothing. Cloths, Oassimere and Worsteds to sell bj the vard. The latest stvles of Goodx dn hand atafl times. My stock of READY-MADE CLOTHING is now complete and I Will not be undersold Store in Old McHenry, ne:u the Bridge. F. C. MAYES. McHenry, III., Nov. 12th, 1871. C. Henry, t Nunda, - - - Illinois Agricultural Machinery, Of All Kinds. 'Agent for the towns of Algonquin, Nunda and McHenry for the celebrated Macormick Machines, All kind" of machinery s«»ld as cheap as anv other dealer iu the County. Give me a call Nnnda, June ISth. IA80. C HENRY- A. WENDELL, CARPEHTE2 AHD JOIMS McHenry, III. Will take rontmets fur putting up Buildings and ajuarantee mv work will compare with any man in the State. I can stud will do work from la to 2*> per cent cheaper than other carpenters, as 1 have two of my bo3 -s who work with me. which makes i t possible for me to do so. All Job* in the Carpenter l ine promptly attended to. Give me a call . A. WENDELL. McHcnrv. Dec. 29th. 188U. CLOTHING GENTLEMEN, You are invited to call at JOS. WIEDEMANN, Ae;ent Franz Falk's ULMKEE LAGER BEER, McHenry, III. Reer in Lar?e or Small Kejrs or Bottles al • ays on hand cheaper than any other, quali- V "considered. "This liner lias a world wide reputation, and good judges acknowledge it cannot oe snr. passed in the world. Orders by mail promptly attended to. JOS. WIEDEMANN. McHenry. 111. May 6th, 1880. b .V Shorthand TAUGHT BY MAIL IN 12 EESSONS FOB 81.50 The growing interest in Phonography has created a demand for a Periodical to teach tne art, in a series of Lessons, comprehensive, detailed and thorough. The American SHDBTSAHD WRITES, taking the initiative, is the only Magazine in the world that teaches Phonography. A Full Course (riven eveiv year, one comidete lesson each month, and the Exercises of all learners CORRECTED THROUGH TfiE MAIL Free of Charge. Thosp who prefer to learn in a briefer time than one year, may join our Correspondence Class and go through an en­ tire Course in either 10 or at weeks. Subscription to the Shorthand Writkr, ONE YEAR ----- 91.50 Siogl* Copv, containing Flrat Lesson, mailed to anv "address for 15 cents. Anvone wishing to learn this fascinating and valuable science are requested to write at once for Free Descriptive Circular. HO WELL <fc HICKOX „ Vikklaxd, S J. Please mention the paper ia which yon saw tfeia a<Jv«rtismenti Mai man's CLOTHmG HOUSE, AT WALCONDA, a n d be fitted for cold weather. I have the lavgest FALL anil WINTER stock ever shown in lYaucouda. OVERCOATS, ME™ OVE11COATS ; 83.75 O VERCOA TS. 84.75 O VE h CO A TS. 87.00 O VEltCOA TS. A 7 ALL PRICES Ready-made Clothing more numerous than ever and at prices suited for every purse.-- Foranythmg made to order, whether a single garment or a full 6uit. Maim ail's Is the place to3k buy. Also a full lir.o of GENTS' FURNlSlflSO GOODi, Hats and Caps. As. Ladies Cloaks, both Ready-made ana Made to order. SPEECH OF Hon.. John C. Sherwin, In the Jlowtf. of Representatively on the Apportionment in Congress. The apportionment of representa­ tion In Conjees under the recently taken census, is a matter of much im­ portance politically. Although to a casual ohperver i t may teem a matter of easy accomplishment, a close Inves­ tigation will revea) many intricacies not anticipate<1. In noiray, probably, can we giv« onr reader*, a more com­ plete and better Idea , than to quote from the speech upon the subject made i t th« Housfc of Heprwontatives, on the fourth of Febrnar^ by Hon. John C. Sherwin, of this Distr |pi, who spoke in behalf of the Republican portion of the Census'Committee, He spoke just after Mr. 'Oox. of New York, presented his amendment to the-majority report of the committee--Mr. ^Slierwin sup­ porting a report which Itf had lilnisei [Mr. tired made, for tl :e minority of t i ie conim tee. Mr. Sherwin said: t Mr. Speaker, i t is nee.l&ss for me to state the importance of the bill now be­ fore us. Whenever apportionment bills have been before Congress in pa«t years for di«cn«siosi thev have al- Having purchased a Full SU»ck#of Millinery Goods invites the ladies of Wauconda and vi­ cinity to call and see her stock of MILLINERY- Hats and Bonnets trimmed in the latest stvles and at reasonable prices. MISS GtESKLKK is ready to sec ladies who desire her serv'ces as Dress Maker. The best of work guaranteed, Boom with Mrs. Mairaan, W Micenda, nflect your tarifl laws o« legislation.-- Itwiliaflect your legislation on the monetary mutters of this country. It will aflect your legislation upon educa­ tion. I t will aiTect your legislation upon all great questions that divide the parties of this eoiuitry. These questions are only reached through parties; and as they are reached through parties, this apportionment is of necessity a party question and as­ sumes a political aspect from its ' «rery nature and object. Now. this is the way that T look at this matter, and I shall discuss i t from that, standpoint : not referring to parties in any invidious sense ; not re­ ferring to sections or States In any odiofis sense; I in t as a matter to be got at practicallv. I shall accept ' the ex­ isting situation, ami diseuss jjthe ques­ tion from that point of view. There have been throe bills intro­ duced before this House: The bill of the gentleman from New York. Cox] providing for three hum and one members: the bill of the . . .ma­ jority of the committee, providing for three hundred and eleven members; the bill that was presented by my>elf. ami is sustained by the minority with but one exception, providing for three hundred and nineteen members. In discussing these ratios, all the princi­ ples involved in this subject can be seen and understood. The same method of arriving at the conclusions can be tipplied to a.uy one of the numbers that is applied to these. Having the views on the subject which 1 have expressed. 1 propose briefly to examine the two bills before tikis l iouse. and the one of the gentle­ men ot New York [Mr. Cox] which he proposes to ofler as an amendment.-- These bills propose House of t l ;ree hundred and one me miters upon a ratio of J :1C4,018, a House of three hundred nnd eleven members upon a ratio ot 1: 158.743. and a House of three hun­ dred an-d nineteen members upon a ratio of 1 :154.7o4, respeciively. 1 will first examine the eflect of the diflerent ratios upon the representa­ tion of the Slates as compared with their present representation. Upon the basis of three hundred and one representatives each of the follow­ ing named Stales gain one member:-- Arkansas. South Carolina, Mississippi, West Virginia. California. Iowa and Michigan; Nebraska and Minnesota each gain two. Kansas three and Texas four--a gain of eighteen iu all , of which the Democratic States have eight and the Republican States ten. The losses upon * basi9 of three hun­ dred and one are one each for the States of Florida. Indiana. Main",New Hampbsliire.Oliio, Peio'svly vania, Ten­ nessee and Vermont, ami two in New York, of which losses the certainly Democratic Stales sustain two and the Republican States eight, making a net ga'nof the certainly Democratic States of six. and to the Republican States which are sometime Democratic of two. The eighteen states not named neither gain nor lose. Upon a basis of three hiytdred and eleven members tit ' teeh States gain al- consideration by the Interests of the constituency of meniberrnf tne diftfr ent Stales and of the difterent sections of the "country. For that reason It hn* been a difficult question, and the result dfjt has been that, with one exception, the appor­ tionment has wot been made until the second year after the census has been taken. I cannot see.lflr . any ijason why this apportlonnient-^hnll nt« be made at this session of Congre#*. The data upon whiehit is to be hsade are all iu our possession. The calculations on which the basis of apportionment shall rest have all been made are before us. They areYlear. and y*verv gentle­ man. bv tire expenditure of a tew hours' t ime, can ascertttoi what ratio will be most just to c^e il irterent States and sections of th* «ouutry. ami which should therefore be adopted by us in this bill . I was pleased to listen to the speech of the gentleman from New York [Mr. Cox] to his eulogium niton our repre­ sentative system ; to the fact that it . Is a crowning" glory of our Government and that i t is only exhibited in i ts per­ fection in this country. My pleasure in l istening to him was equaled by the fact of the unanimity with which his sentiments were applauded by the members upon this floor, nnd the general praise his elonysnee received rr6::i all sl ,1erf; ^ t*>g«fttar iweuiY-lf/u jtiejtib«v*. name- is another question, Mr. ly: Arkansas. ( ali l 'ornia. Georgia. But there Is another que Speaker, connected with this Impor­ tant matter ot representative govern­ ment which 1 should have been ghid If t h e gentleman had referred to. and I should have been pleased if he had brought the force of Ills generalization and :he gifts of his eloquence and pic­ tured i t before the House. That is, that not only is i t made the duty of Congress to adopt representative system adequate to the needs of the country, and distributed properly among"the people of the country, but that they shall al>-o see that.every man who by the law has a right to vote for the members so provided for, shall be free to vote and exercise all the privi­ leges which the law gives him without restraint or molestation; otherwise, our enactments here are futile ami our laws are vain. We should not be con­ tent, Mr. Speaker, until every »uan. be he rich or poor, white or black, wheth­ er he lives among the bayous of the Yazoo or the pine groves of North Carolina; whether lie l ives upon the prairies of Ill inois or the hills of New England, shall be free to cast his bal­ lot unawed and umihtrmed by fear of personal injury or social ostracism, and that the ollicer who receives his ballot on the day o! ejection shall be fearless to honestly receive and honestly count i t nnd make an honest return. When that shall obtain, there will be a grander theme for eloquence than the gentleman has yet touched upon, tor ne will have attained to thesummit of the representative system ; and when shall he added to that the purity hnd intelligence of the individualvoter.i t would seem that we had reached t |»c perfection of good government under the representative system. Some gentlemen have said that this apportionment is easy to be made, be­ cause i t is a mere question of arith­ metic. It is more than a questinn of arithmetic; is Is a redistribution of political power. To be sure, this dis­ tribution is made upon arithmetical principles. Hut i t is not a question of arithmetic only; it It were we could bring in our boys who have ciphered as far as long division and let tl iein make the ligurcs. We could give them a number ' t<> be divided. \£e could give tin' dividend and they could draw curved'lines to the right and left of i t ; but the important question would be, what shall be the divisor? To deter­ mine what the divisor shall be is a political act. That is a political ques­ tion. Hut having giving the divisor then the processes of arithmetic pro­ ceed. The hoy can find the quotient; but that question when it is found re­ presents the potent interests ot politi­ cal power. Now, then, the change of a divisor from three hundred and one to three hundred and eleven or three hundred and nineteen may change the political status of the Hou*e. I t may change the political organization ot the elec- torial college, an l therefore U does assume a political aspect. I can say. with the gentleman from New York, that I could wish as be wishes, that, there could be no partisan feeling in this matt"r;that we could get rid of this or e of partisanship. But hulking at the facts as they exist to-day. as sens i ble men. we know we cannot get rid ol i t . because i t is a political ques­ tion, a redistribution of power that ivill not afli-ct this Congress, but that will aftect five Congie«aet» hereafter to be elected, that will extend to five Con­ gresses to came, and that shall not on­ ly aflect them but shall aftei ' t the next two Presidential elections. Not only that, but i t will aflect the legislation iu those next live Congresses. I t will Iowa. Michigan, Mi ssissippi. Missouri, North Carolina. South Carolina, Vir­ ginia and West Virginia gaiii one .each; Minnesota and Nebraska two each ; Kansas three and Texas four; of which gain the certainly Democratic Mates have twelve and llio other States te.n. Four States. Maine. New Hampshire. Vermont and New York each lose one. leaving the net gain to the certainly Democratic States twelve and to the Republican States six. The other nineteen States neither gain nor lose. Upon a basis of three hundred and nineteen, the bill ot the minority, twenty-one States gain twe uty-uiue members, t iaimdy : Arkansas, Califor­ nia. Mississippi. North Carolina. South Carolina.Georgia. Il l inois, Iowa Mis­ souri. Ohio, Kentucky, Massachusetts. New York. Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia each one; Nebraska, Min e ota and Michigan each two; Kansas three and Texas four; of which number the certainly Democratic States gain thirteen and the other States sixteen. Upon the basis of threto hundred and nineteen, three Mates. Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont each lost one. making the net gain to the certainly Democratic States thirteen and to the other States thirteen, aud producing an eqiril i ty of gains between the States certainly Democratic and the other States. To recapitulate: Upon a basin of three hundred and one, the certainly Democratic -tates have a net pi in of * The other states have a net gnm of 2 Ulton a liasin of three hundred and eleven, the certainly Democratic Stated have a net train of 12 The other Status havea net Kain of 6 U pon a liasU of three hundred and nine­ teen, the certainly Democratic States have a net (fain of 13 The other States have a net pain of. 13 Fewer States (only three) lose upon the last basis than tipou either of the others. Fewer States (fourteen) stand stil l vithoiit gain or loss tl i ui upon the other 'ates. Aud four of these fourteen States, viz, Oregon, Navada. Colorado aud Delaware could not gain upon any practicable ratio, thus leaving only ten States rtationary. The gains tud losses under the difler­ ent ratios are owing to the ch.inge of divisor and coifequen' change of frac­ tious. Upon the basis of three hundred and one, the nupihi-rof Representatives upon a n even division would be but two hundred and eighty-two. and the nineteen higher fractions are tl iree- foreach givn Representative to make the number three hundred and one. Upon a basis of three hundred aud eleven, anil also three hundred and nineteen, members are given to six­ teen fact ions. The States which gain a member upon a fraction at three hundred and nineteen which do not have them at three hundred and eleven are Ill inois. Kentucky, Massachusetts. M i c h i g a n . New York, Ohio, aud Cali­ fornia. The basis of three hundred and twenty-two would give a net gain ol thirteen to the States certainly Demo­ cratic and sixteen to' the other Slate*. But in the interest of lairness the mi­ nority choose three hundred and nine­ teen instead of three hundred aud iwentv-two. 1 do not contend that the diflerent sections of l he country should necessari­ ly gain equally in their representation. Of cour-e that must depend upon the population, ot the States and sections. But a s will be seen by the examples I have given, there is quite a latitude within which cltai .geu may be made, and within those limits j# the field of dispute, over which is waged the war of debate, upon which also are sought to be gained advantages which coubl not be secured upon a division based upon whole numbers only ami not part­ ly upon fractions. This being so, wr must recognize the fact, aud select that number for a ratio which will be mo.'-i fair aud equitable in i ts operation.. In my opinion that number is the on-* that gives ns three hundred am­ id no teen members. I t is in accordant with the mathematical principles used in making apportionment?. I t leaves fewer States with their representation decreased. More .States gain in that number than either ol the others.-- Fewer States are stationery, f t dis­ tributes the gains more generally over the country than the other miin*b"rs.-- Aud happily i t gives no advantage to one section or party over any other- sect ion or party. The other nuutbers fail in all these particulars, and there­ fore should not be adopted. A great, injustice will be done If either of them »hali be selectsd. The number throe hundred and nine­ teen approaches nearest, mathematic­ al ly to ah accurate apport ionment a s between the groups of Sta tes under discussion. The population of the Sout hern State* is .3748 per cent, of the whole representative population of the United States. At three hundred and one those States have .3722 per cent, of the representation; at three hun­ dred and eleven they have .3794 per cent, of the representation; aC three hundred and nineteen ihey have .3730 percent of the representation the latter number being the nearest of any of the ratios in question The gentleman from New York, [Mr. Cox] and others have asserted that dividing the country into three sec­ tions, namely, the Northeast, includ­ ing Hie New England states, with New York. New Jersey aud Pennsyl­ vania : the South.comprising the six­ teen old slave States; and the Wot. embracing ail the other Slates, the number three hundred and one would be the most accurate of any of the other numbers, l ie is mistaken iu this a«. at the risk of being prolix, I will show by the following statement: The Northeastern States mentioned have .2938 per cent of the representa- j t iv« population. At three lmndi\.-d and one they w-oiild have .2i)oG percent, of the repieseutation; at three hun­ dred and eleven they would have per cent, of the representation; at three hundred and nineteen they would have .31M6 per cent. .of the representa­ tion. showing again that three hundivd and nineteen i*> the nearest to accu, racy. Tlte Western States in« nMonnd have .3313 per cent, of the representative population. At three hundred and one these States have .3322 per cent, of the representation; at three hundred and eleven these States have .3279 jter cent of the representation; at three hundred and nineteen these States have .3322 per cent, of the representa­ tion. showing that that number again is more nearly accurate. Il l , the Southern States It is shown, according to the table' glrotr tofawtv*. that three hundred atid nineteen is the nearest. My excuse for entering Into what might seem au over refinement of fig­ ures is to demonstrate that that num- ber; three hundred and nineteen, which upon its face is the most just as be­ tween the Southern and the Northern States, is also the most accurate, And further, that by grouping the Slates into three sections. Northeast, West and South, that accuracy is sti l l upon theside^ three hundred aud nine­ teen. Another point worth observing is that all the gains on present represen­ tation between the numbers three hundred and one aud three hundred and eleven fall to tho Southern States, the South, as 1 have pointed out. hav­ ing at the latter number, a net gain of six; while between the numbers three hundred and eleven anil thrc» hundred and nineteen, all the gains but one are iu the Northern States, anil having arrived at three hundred ami nineteen the gains between North and South are equal. Another thing to be ob­ served is that . the greatest loss which the New England and Central Slates sustain actually ami relatively is at three hundred ami one. The Central States do not hold their own until t l iey pass three hundred and eleven. Can any member in this House, in the face of these figures, vote for eith­ er of the dumber; three hundred ami one or three hundred and eleven? The only reasonable excuse for so doing is that three hundred and nineteen makes t h e House too large. I t is but eight larger than three hundred and eleven. Who can say that an addition of eight or eighteen would be at all percepti­ ble in this House ? Besides, I do not t ldiik that three hundred ami nineteen is too large a H o u s e o r t o o g r e a t a n I n c r e a s e . A t the last apportionment the House was increased by the addition ol l i l iy members, while the representative population had increased but 6.9Hi.484. I ' l i is amendment proposes an increase o t b u t twenty-six. while the rej»r« I al ive population bus increased 11.214.*- DUO. The question of the size of tl^e Hmise has been made discu»!»cd attach apportionment. Many of the wisest statesmen of our country have favored a larger House than this amendment proposes. Such statesmen as Kdward Everett , John Quiucy Adams and Thomas II. Benton have contended for a high number. 1 will not enter into an argument, on that point a< It i- after all largely a matter of opinion. But we know that the lower hou«e of the Massachusetts Legislature former­ ly contained si^ hundred aud foitv members, and experience shows thai i ts legislation at that t ime was con­ ducted carefully and well. The fault of whatever contusion there may l»e in this House may be more iu our rules aud iu ourselves than iu the size ol life body. The minority has incorporated in i ts amendment a provision that the Representative- apportioned to the diflerent States shall be elected !>v districts, and that those districts shall be composed of contiguous territory. This was a part of the law of 1872 and of 1842, and should be retained iu tl i i» ami iu all future upportiuuinent iaw.-. I t is claimed by some gentlemen upoii this floor that i t is a needless and unconstitutional interference with State rights. I t is said that the Stales are free under the Constitution to choose the method by which ' .heir Rep resentallves iu Congress shall be elect­ ed; that they are tree to construct districts as to them shall seem be»a, wliether «»f contiguous territory or oth­ erwise, or to abandon the district sj#» tem and elect their representative* upon one general t icket. Tlils claim is not new. It has been asserted here before. So long ago as in 1823 a select committee was appointed in the House of Representatives for the purpose of "inquiring Into the expediency of rec­ ommending to the several States the propriety of amending the Constitu­ tion of the United States in such man­ ner that the mode of electing the mem­ bers of the House of Representative* in Congress may be uniform through­ out the Uifited State?. ' ' and for no other purposes; and that committee, of which Mr. McDuffc, of South Caro­ lina, was chairman, made a very able report upon the subject. Many State*, ' at that t ime, elected their representa­ tives upon a general State ticket. I t was seen that by that system the voice of a minority could* be suppress­ ed. That New "York, for instance could send to Congress a delegation which would be solidly Democratic or solidly Republican, and thut too by A small majority of the popular vote. In­ stead of one which would represent v.irfbns interests aud constituencies M now under the district system. It vn also seen that a State might be gerry­ mandered in the intetests of the party iu power, by making one district of contiguous territory and another sep­ arated into parts; by constituting one district so that it should elect two or more members, and another one mem­ ber; that one district should have to# great a population and another too small. Thitt committee in its report sub­ mitted a plan which propbscd "that each State shall be divided Into u many districts as shall equal the num­ ber of Representatives to which the State may be entit led in Congress, and that each of the said districts shaU elect one Representative." The com­ mittee further says: 11 is susceptible of tleinonstration that the elections might be so arranged by a party in pbwei that a small minority of the peopte would elec t a majority of ttie national Ron- re'ieittatives. The mode of operation wouM he various according to varying circumstan­ ces. sometimes the object would ho accow- |dj*h«M by changing the district into tiM iceucral ticket system, sometimes l>y an am- licial arrangement of districts, and soae> times by a SKilltuI combination of both. With ii view to give strength and durabOI. ty to the essential bond.sof union, it is of the utnioit consequence that the tocal minorities in r e -several States and various geogrpahical divisions of our extensive country, should have a fair and full representation in Con­ gress. In periods of deep isditical excite­ ment nothing is. better calculated to allay sei-tioiial animosities and subdue the angry stiint, ot faction than the mediatorial iudiu enee of such Representative. The committee proposed tut amend­ ment to the Constitution which should make i*, imperative upon the State*, without any legislation by Congre«», to divide their State into districts, , ttnch o f which should elect one Repre­ sentative. Again, in 1843. the question was l ie- fore Congress, aud gave rise to a long and uhle debate. It arose upon en amendment to the bill for apportion­ ment then pending in the House, and waa ollerud by Mr. Halstead, of New Jersey, by direction of the Committee on Elections. The amendment was is ttW»W WOr%|«S ... And V-> if. farther mooted. That' each S slitli be divided by the Legislature thereof into as many districts coin posed of contiguous territory as shall he equal to the number of Kopre»e"^tjitives to which said State may b« entitled in the House of Representatives Off tiie United States, and that each of said dis> trictn e.iall elect one Representative. At that t ime there were seven of the - twenty-six States which elected their Representatives upon a general ticket. 'Tin* point wrs raised by Mr. Athertoh, of New Hampshire, as to whether the Mineudmetit was germane to the bill or not. The chairman decided that It was and overruled the poiut of order. After several day6' discussion the amendment was adopted in the House, aud it was afterward adopted in the Senate and became a part ot the appor> tioninent law of 1842. The point most l ully discussed was as to the power of Congress to direct that the States should elect by districts under that clause of Section 4 of the Constitution which declares that Congress may at any time make or alter regulations as 'io the times, places and manner of holding the electious for Senators uA Representatives, It was in 1842 also that the repr*> seutation of minorities greater thau a moiety was at first provided for. In the year 183*2 Daniel Webster had at- it/ i i ipted to provide for the represen­ tation of moieties, and made a report upon that subject distinguished for t lie strength and clearness which al­ ways chaiacterizetl bis efforts. He was defeated at that t ime, but hlft V-iiuciples were adopted in 1843 and have continued In operation ever ri nee. Mr. Carrett Douglass, of Kentucky, in discussing this district system, said that "it seemed evident to hi :u Congress had the power und£r this clause of the Constitution, to make regulations respecting the elee- tious, totally aud wholly, as, to alter the State regulations * * * he was astonished that any man who claimed to be a State-rights man could come lorwurd rfnd advocate the general tick­ et ?. v stem. Mr. Arnold, of Tennessee, said: Tliey had a right to interfere in this *nd i t was their duty to do it now.* Again he s.t id: a i l t was a questiou of expediency entirely. It luvolved BO constitutional question." Mr. Barnard, of New York, said: uIn his opinion the time had cotre when in consequence of the manner in whi&i some of the States of the Union had pi t formed this duty.lt was the duty ol ('ougress to interfere in this mat* h'l- ." / Mr. William Cost Johnson, of Mary* laud.said: "He believed Congress had i uil ami ample power to pass such a law." Mr. Peudleton, of Ohio, said that "|M wa* amazed that there should be asy ,iiHereuce of opinion as to the power of Congress to pass such au am aud­ io * i't." Mr. Butler, of South Carolina, said: "He bad always considered that If there was any question settled by th« express terms of the Constitution, i t was the power of Congress over this whole subject. '* In the Senate. Mr. Hires, of Virginia conceded that Congress had the power but he opposed its exercise ou grounds of expediency. Mr. Crittenden, of Keutucky, also asserted the power of Congress, and advocated i ts expediency aud uecse- sity. 1 do not understand the opposition to this sect ion of the amendment. Are we Still within the shadow of tM efc* [OwicAttieti on Last Page*} < •••ii'1- f