The Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1846-1852, 1851-05-22

Thus, it requires, under their equal
apportionmcnt, 2.O44 greater population
TO o'ect sir Senators in certain districts
than it dues seven in others. IF the peo
! pie will look at the complexion Of these
districts perhaps the reason will be ap
parent why the Convention has thus ga |
grantly disfranchised a population Of |
nearly 10000; but this is only speci.
men.
il the universal vuice Of the State, in ia.
vor of single districts had been regard,
ed, this unequal apPortionmen might
have been remedied. But the design
seems to have been to fix it uAdherabiy
by perpetuating the power Of one party
in the Senate.s so as to prevent any amend
meRt by q three.fiths vote. 1t therefore |
becomes the duty of the people to take
this matter in hand, aud teach the poll
licians that they have method of obtain.
ing their own rights; for it will not he
denied that. at all times, they can give
such an expression To their wishes that
their representatives will have TO heed it.
! Hencefurth among all impartial men,
who do not wish To see all the power of
the State mORoPOliSed by few central
cliques in large counties, let there be
continued AGITATION, unIl justice on
this point is granted Do not be dis
couraged by failure Oh the first trial, but
keep it up at every Stale election until
the victory is won.
The inequality from allowing citi-
Zen of a large county To WELD SEVEN or
EIGHT times as mu,h political influence
by his iadlUidaal vote as a resident Of a
small one, can never stand the test before
the people Of Ohio Every population
entitled to separate representative in
the Legislature, should have the privilege
of elecling him, uncontrolled by the
, voice ofuthers. This is prevented when
their votes are swamped by piling on
other constituencies for the purpose of
choosing not only their own representa-
tives, but representatives. tor their igh-
burs. The new constitution fixes repre-
sentatiou IN the basis of population, aud
vet Immediately abaudons the rule laid
down by its own provisions for sort of
corporate representation. as if counties,
as such, had any right of representation
distinct from the people in them. This
+, is an idea derived from the old English
. "Rntten Borough" system, and if car
rird out To its full extent would require
! all the members of the State Legislature
i to be elected by general ticket. and, o
a course, deprive the minority Of all voice
!, in the public affairs The great city o
Cincinnati alone, of all the cities in tht
i Union, is denied the right to choose he
=, own representatives. but must be tiet
h down by Hamilton county. The New
- York improved system all,ws man I
"a vote only for one senator and one repre-
10 sentative, which checks the tendency I
y. ceatralize all power in large communtie
= There is no reason that this great Stat
=, should be practically governed by Han
i litun county, and yet under the apportiu
-, ment proposed there is a solid body
. Eeleven representatives created for Il
a cypress purpose of acting together, so
of to defeat any reform which may have
co tonuanCy tO UTedh lil6lI o"l po"C'I -
if AnlsTocRAcY uf large counties must
ho pm down, and each indtoidaal voter
II. placed on footing Of equality, so Ii
10 his vote may couut only one wherever
lar locality may be- The citizen of MAJ
~. son or Monroe should WELD 'ndtV'd@at
,c, as much power in the Legislature, as
~ neighbor in Franklin or Belmont
the Single districts were rejected oy
a, vote of AZ to so in the Convention 81
ou, then and there the people were re'uS'
unt the poor privilege ofvolins o" II even as
em senara,e clause. It's time to teacn the
elJ ldictators, that the people have right
e. rake an expression at the ballot box
re. what questions they please, aud tn
,cb thew are in favor of the representation
des the Giving bodies of men, women a
cks children" aud not imaginary terr'tor
ing lines, enclosing, in the languages