Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1851-07-31
From the State journal.


Whlgs oil the various counties OF this
State will make their nominations for
Senators and members CT the House
Of Representatives OF the State Legis-
lature, as we'll as for Judges and the
various county offices. There IS one
matter to which we wish to call the
attention of our friends. Il is well
known that one of .he strong otjec-
tions to the new Constitution, on the
part Of the Wings, and many Of the
Democrats, was the want OF the
single representative district system.
To every man Of reflection, who
looks at this question in the abstract,
and with a mind unclouded by any
political bias, it must appear evident
that the single district system is the
system demanded by equal and exact
Justice and due regard TO the equal
political rights of every man, and OF
every community. There is some
thing very repugnant in the idea
that twenty thousand voters in one
community shall be sileneed, and
their views, feelings, and wishes be
stifed, and overruled by an equal
number in an adjoining community.
For instance, here is a county, or
tract, containing a population sufi-
cient TO eniitle them TO two -epresen-
tatives. of one portion, the Wing
majority is eight hundred. II per-
mitted to send their own representa-
tive, they would elect a Wing by
that majority. But the other por-
lion, also having population enough
to entitle them TO representative,
contains a majority oI one thousand
Democrats. OF course, If by them
selves, they would send Democrat
by one thousand majority. But
these two communities, each by num-
bers entitled to a representative, are
put together and made one district.
They vote in common for two repre-
sentaiives. The result is, that the
eight hundred Wing majority in the
one district is balanced, and over
come by the one thousand demo-
cratic majority in the other district:
and thus tioo democrats represent the
whole territory. Evidently, one Of
them misrepresenis one part Of his
constituents. He has been forced
upon them by preponderance oI
democratic votes in another portion
OF the territory. The principle of il
is all wrong. The design Of having
representatives is that all parts Of the
territory, and every sectional interest
where there is enough voters 10 enti-
tie il to a representative, should be
heard in the general court. IL two
districts NAV be thrown together,
thus destroying this free expression,
then FIVE NAV be, or ten, or gene
raj ticket NAV, al once, be formed,
embracing the entire State; and then
the party which could get the great.
est number of votes would have eUery
member of the Legislature of both
branches, and would be saved all the
trouble and debate, and expense
that minorities sometimes make by
opposing the plans Of the majority.
Now, do our opponents propose
ultimately to carry this double, ireb'
ell, &c, district system TO this extenti
Why not, il allowed at alll What
difference is there in the principal o.
the thing, between making a general
ticket system for the entire State
and making it for lesser portion
than the entire State, and more than
one representative Clearly, there
is no difference in principle.
A lew years ago, several OF the
States adopted the general ticket sys-
TEN, for members Of Congress. A
Stale Convention assembled, and
nominated members of Congress for
every district Of the State. At the
election, every elector voted for the
whole ticket, and the party having
the majority Of votes elected the en-
tire delegation in Congress from that
State. Minorilies were thus silen
ced, and put down. No matter how
strong they might be, in any particu-
lar district, the general ticket system
swept over them and left them voice.
tIess and unrepresented in the halls
Of legislation. But so manilestly inn
proper, unjust, and in every view
wrong was this whole system, that
public opinien soon began 10 set it
right. State after State abandoned
it, and adopted the single district
system. And Congress, TO prevent
such paipable injustice, and in obedi-
eDce to the requirements Of public
opinion, passed law making it the
duty Of every State to divide ifs ter
ritory into single districts for Con-
gressional representation. This has
been done in every instance.
New York lately adopted a new
Constitution. The Democrats had
a majority in the Convention that
framed that Constitution, Yet so
IL l.