The Litchfield County post. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1826-1829, 1828-10-23
COUNT lDOsT.
LITCHFIELD, OCTOBER ., l828.
FOR TIRE COUNTY Posi-.
THE DISTRICT BlLI..-NO. III.

Of the prOpriey and importance making an addition
to the number Of Senators, but urge various
against the mode Of election provided for in the Bill
Some are opposed to Disrictng the State in any
shape. Others opposed to giving the Legislature
any power form alter the Districts Others think
that the Constitution should assign but single Sena-
tor to each district; and others again would prefer
that each county should be district 1t was under
the embarrassments arising from these different views
of the subject, that the bill framed; and it seems
to me to be remarkably adapted the views OF
all the real friends of disrictng, and to obvate all diff
fculties inrelation to the mode.
1t can hardly be necessary to advance any argu-
mens to prove, that district the state in some way
or other, is a measure of very urgent expedency.-
The manner of selecting the candidates for the Sem
ate which has been practised for several years past
has rendered it certain, that the best men will never
be brought into Office, until the mode Of election is
changed, and that subseryency to the views of GER
tain individuals is the only qualification required ofthe
candidate. Further it is evident that different parts
OF the state may have separate and distinct interests
which ought to have fair and equal representation
in each branch ofthe Legislature. Now the only way
fered, and to obtain the privileges which have been
so long denied to u.s. is give the people the priv-
lege of selecting their candidates for Office with
out the intervention of a Legislative Caucus, and
to allow to each portion Of the state the priv-
lege of securing to its local interests fair pro-
portion Of Legislative influence In fact the principle
well established that believe there is not state
in the Union in which it has not been adopted, and it
is found by experiment to obvate the very difficulties
under which now labor.
have heard that some objectto disricng the state
because it deprives them Of the privilege of selecting
from the whole body of the electors in the state the
whom they may judge best qualified for seats in
the Senate This is rather singular objection, and
it may be urged with equal propre against that pro-
vision Of the Constitution which obges us conine
votes for Representatives to persons residing in
the same towns where the votes are given. 1t would
undoubtedly be deem ed great privilege by any town
if could go abroad and elect some Of the most re-
spectacle in the state, for its Representatives in
the Assembly; but every one will see, in moment,
the manifest Improperly of such proceeding. And
it would be opposed to the fundamental principle of
republican government, that there should be free
communication of opinions between the representative
and his constituents, and strict accountability of the
former to the latter. There is more abridgement
OF privilege in requiring that the Of the electors
for Senators, should be confined to men living within
certain limits, than there is in requiring that thew
should be given for "ree, white, males" or for per-
sons who are twenty one years of age; that MEN,
bers of Congress shall be thirty years of age, any
other restriction which policy evidently dictates.-
There can be no district small but that it will en-
brace within it's limits men who are highly respeca-
Bile, and who are every way worthy of seat in the
Senate; and surely it will he groundess complaint,
that giving their suffragrshe electors shall be COM
PEELED to prefer respectable men whom they may
know, to men at distance whom they cannot
know.
II being granted, then, that to district the state would
effect an important Improvement, the next question
which presents itself, is in what way shall it be done
Tnere are SO many objects to be comprised, and so
many different interests reconcile, that il is to be
expected that there may be difference of sentiment
on some minor points, among the friends of the
sure But there are certain leading principles about
which, it would seem, all real friends TO dstricting will
be agreed; and fthese can be secured it is of very
little consequence how the smaller details of the Bill
are arranged. One Of these is, that in the formation
ofthe Districts respect should be had to the present
civil divisions the state, far possible 1t would
be very unjust TO off small portions of one county,
and annex them to another. 1t could be compared to
nothing else than to treaty of cesson, by which one
nation conveys away portion OF its territory, which
had always enjoyed the protection of its government
and which had become attached to its manners and
its laws, and placing it under the control of foreign
jurisdiction. provision for such unnatural sepa-
ration of all former civil associations contained in the
bill, would of itself be enough to deteatit. Besides it
would probably have the effect to weaken the infu-
ence Of the smaller counties in the legislature such
adegree, that their rights might be endangered Whetb
er each county shall compose single districtor shall
be further subdvided is the question now in agt
ation That, il the bill is adopted, will be settled by
the next legislature, and to it is matter of very
small importance.
Another important consideration, about which it
would seem that there can be but little difference of
opinion s, that there should be conferred upon the
Legislature, the power to vary the apportionmen Of
Senators, according varying circumstances, without
the necessity oiresorting to amendment ofthe Con-
stitution There various causes which tend to
celerae the increase opOpuaton in some parts ofthe
state, much more rapidly than in others. Manufactu-
1