Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1824-04-06

people WtfC not cqudiiy ICpiSoob'So AZ
The Convention which formed our con-
whose fault was il ? The
law of Congress expressly permitted
that convention TO provide Tor the cleo
ton of another convention to form con-
"A census of the inhabitants
had been taken only few weeks pre-
vious; and nothing could have been easier
than for the convention OF 1918 to have
made new and equal portionment,
and to have called a new convention &C
cording to such apporlionment, Tor the
purpose forming constitution. You
will recollect, Mr.. Printer, that among
the members of the convention OF 1878,
were Elias Kent Kane, Jesse B. Thoma-,
Joseph Borough, Abraham Prickep,
Michael Jones, Leonard White, Adolf
plus Frederick Hubbard, Willis Hat
grave, Caldwell earns, Conrad Will,
Joseph knchell, and others, all at this
time thoroogh-golng conventions s. And
ct, after carefully examining the Joui-
nal of the convention, cannot find that
any Of these gentlemen ever made mo-
ton to equalize the representation in the
conventions. The Journal does moi shew
thai any OF these gentlemen entertained
the least doubt that they could right
fully impose upon this state a constilu-
ton which Cannot be altered without the
consent of the representatives OF two-
thirds - On, no. The appor,onment
Just suited them aud they went on 10
make a constitution which was SO per-
lect that not a man OF them ever thought
of submitting II to the people for their
ratification or reJection--untilU suaS fue
years Old Nov, TO be sure, lawyer
Kane and Col. Greenup tell US that the
constr utiun ought moi 10 be obligatory
upon US, be, anse they, Che convention
and the conventions secretary,) neglect
ed to submit it to us
1t is true enough, Mr.. Printer, that
the people were very unequally repre-
senied in the COW enion Of l8fS. II is
also true that said convention might have
called another convention whose men,
bers might have been equally appotlion-
ed among the several counties, accor-
ding to the census which had Just been
taken, but they qpouid not. They loved
power too vel TO reliuquIsh it for such
trillibg considerations.
Bot il IS MT less true that, should a
conv en,ion be now called, lis members
would be more nnequaHy ahtorfioned
10 the fohntation u tie several counties,
than they zvere in 1918. The county Of
Madison In 1920 contalned population
oil | 3 $50, according 10 the census taken
by the deputy marshal. Yet the census
OF the same county, taken iD the same
year, by The authority Of the stale. gave
the cuuotJ oeout ~ .Av.~~A'1 nhabi-
tants less than the United States census.
Now, whoever examines the several law S
on this subject, will perceive, that 1t was
hardly possible for the deputy marshal
10 return the number OF inhabitants lar
ger than it really was, while it was very
easy for the person who took the census
under the staie to omit the euum ration
of whole settlements and townships. He
may have done so inadvertently, but in
nocenlly. AT any rate we know that
mistake of nearly 5000 hos been made
in the census of Madison county, as it
stood in 1920; and the superintendent
was made according to the erroneous
census. This county now constitutes
the counties OF Madison, Greene, Sanga-
mo, Pike, Fulton, and Morgan, which
comprise about half of the territory of
the state; and being the most desirable
part OF the country, it has increased and
still continues to increase in population
Faster than any other portion of this state.
1t must therefore be evident that should
convention now be called, these coun-
ties would not have one-fourth OF the
number of representatives in that body
to which their population Justly entities
them. Even SO long ago as 1899, the
inequality Of the representation was ma
infested by the votes given for represent
tativc to Congress. will give you a
sample, Mr.. Printer, and add the num-
Der OF members of convention to which
each county would be entitled at this
time.
St. Clair, in 1922, gave 2and would have
votes 678 members 4
Madison, III a
Sangamo, 5l2
Green & Morgan, 5002 COZ
Pike and Fulton, 1877 oo'
1858 Is
Thus these seven counties gave two
thousand fire hundred and eighty-eighe
votes in 1922, and would have only thir-
Il ~ he 49,.