Page:Arkansas Constitution 1874.pdf/198

186 32. An enumeration of the inhabitants of the State shall be taken under the direction of the general assembly, on the first day of January, one thousand eight hundred and thirty-eight, and at the end of every four years thereafter; and the general assembly shall, at the first session after the return of every enumeration, so alter and arrange the senatorial districts that each district shall contain as nearly as practicable an equal number of free white male inhabitants. Provided, That Washington county, as long as its population shall justify the same, may, according to its numbers, elect more than one senator: and such districts shall then remain unaltered, until the return of another enumeration, and shall at all times consist of contiguous territory; and no county shall be divided in the formation of a senatorial district.

33. The ratio of representation in the senate shall be fifteen hundred free white male inhabitants to each senator until the senators amount to twenty-five in number; and then they shall be equally apportioned, upon the same basis, throughout the state, n such ratio as the increased numbers of free white male inhabitants may require, without increasing the senators to a greater number than twenty-five, until the population of the state amounts to five hundred thousand souls; and when an increase of senators takes place, they shall from time to time be divided by lot and classed as prescribed above.

34. The house of representatives shall consist of not less than fifty-four, nor more than one hundred representatives, to be apportioned among the several counties in this state, according to the number of free white male inhabitants therein, taking five hundred as the ratio, until the number of representatives amounts to seventy-five; and when they amount to seventy-five they shall not be further increased until the population of the state amounts to five hundred thousand souls. Provided, That each county now organized shall, although its population may not give the existing ratio, always be entitled to one representative. And until the first enumeration shall be taken, the representatives shall be apportioned among the several counties, as follows: