Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1853-10-06

7
venton.
By the Springfield plan, therefore, the plurality
system must wait until 1856, and in all Psobab-
ily would have TO wait ten years longer. by
approving the new constitution, it may, if the
people desire it, be obtained in two years from
this time.
Can any honest friend of the plurality rale,
hesitate between these two methods Of obtaining
what he desires? Is not the Wing resolution
rightly styled Cheat?
H. SINGLE SENATORIAL DIsTRICTs.
Article LIST, Chapter I'd. is as follows
ART. l. There shall be annually elected by the
inhabitants OF this Commonwealth, quaiiedas nthis
Constitution is provided forty persons be senators,
for the year ensuing thIr election; and the Senate
shall be the first branch Of the General Codrt. For
this purpose the General Court, holden next after
the adoption OF this Constitution, and next alter
each decennial hereafter, shall divide the
Commonwealth into forty districts, composed Of con-
tguous territory, rnd nearly equal in population as
may be: provided that town, or ward of city be
divided therefor. Each district shall be entitled to
elect senator, who shall have been inhabtant
Of this Commonwealth for five years Immediately
preceding his election, and the time Of his cleo
tion shall be inhabitant of the district for which
he is chosen.
By adopting the new Constitution, the above
become the law of The State; by voting it down,
the Senate remains as at present, and cannot be
changed without one of the slow processes de-
tailed previously Yet the Wings declare that
they are in favor of the ''eleetion of the Senate
from single districts, and they call upon the peo-
pie to vote down the new Constitution which gives
it TO them. Are they honest, or are they arrant
knaves and unmitigated cheats?
Ill. REDUCTION OF THE House, AND
ADOPTION OF THE DISTRICT SYSTEM.
This is laid down in, the Springfield cheat, as
one of tie desirable Reforms. The HeiO ConSti-
tuition contains this article, being article 4th Of
Chapter 18th
ART. 4. The Legislature which shall be chosen
the general election on the Tuesday next after the
first Monday in November, in the year thousand
eight hundred and fifty FIVE, shall divide the State
into forty sing lie districts for the choice Of senators,
such districts to be of contiguous territory, and
nearly equal as may be in The number OF qualified
voters resident in each: and shall also divide the
State INTO single double districts, be Of contg.
uous territory, and nearly equal may be in the
number OF qualified voters resident 10 each, for
choice of not less than hundred ard forty, nor
than tn ee hundred and twenty representatives.
with proper provisions Tor dIstricting the Common
wealth aforesaid, in the year one thousand eight
hundred and siXty-slX, and every tenth year there.
after; and with all other provisions necessary Tor
carrying such system of districts into operation; and
shall submit the to the people at the general
election to be held in the year one thousand eight
hundred and hy-slX, for their ratification; and ii
the same shall be ratified and adopted by the people,
it shall become part of this Constitution in place
OF the provisions contained in this Constitution for
the apportionment of senators and representatives.
If the people want the district system and IA
smaller House, they can have it in 1856, under
this article. In three years from this fall, the
question will be before them; if they say they
want Districts, they will have them. If the new
Constitution is voted down, the present unequal
System of Town Representation remains until
changed by two successive Legislatures by two
thirds vote in the House. followed by an approval
Of their action by the people. The process pro-
posed by the Cheat cannot be begun until 1864 :
if it succeeds then, It must go through the Legis-
lature of 1855, and then be submitted to the peO-
pie. There is no probabiity-we might almost
say no possibility that wo-thirds of the House of
Representatives elected by the present Town sys
ten, will, for twenty years to come, agree to the
District system. On the other hand, the Legisa.
ture of 1926, if the new instrument is adopted
is compelled to district, and submit the system to
the people.
". ELECTION OF OFFICERS BY THE Pro
PIE.
Like single senatorial districts, this reform is
already provided for in the new COnstilu tion.-
The Council, (see article 2, chapter 6,) the sec
rotary, treasurer, auditor and attorney .enerll
(see article LIST, chapter 7lh,) now chosen by the
Legislature, are hereafter to be chosen by the
people, annually and the judges of probate
registers of probate, sherifs, clerks of courts ,anq
commissioners of insolvency, now appointed by
the Governor, or the Court, are hereafter to be
chosen, once in three years; (see article 4, chap
teri Trial justices and justices and clerks Of
police courts, now appointed by the Governor
are also TO be chosen every three years (artlcea
aud s, chapter 81 We take it for granted thai
this list includes all that the Wings desire TO haps
chosen by the people, and probably many more
if we may judge from the opposition which The,
made in convention to elecling even these, Ye
with the words in their mouth, "nore elections
by the people," they vote against the Consina-
ton which grants these Reforms, and in favor Of
the old one which grants none of them.
" "OTHER CHANGES AND REFORMS.
These are in the new Constitution, and car
be obtained only by its adoption.
Mas there ever more audacous fraud than
this Resolution of the Wing Convention, which
we have styled the Springfield cheat? The Wings
knoU it TO be a fraud, and they acknowledged il
TO be so, when, directly after they adopted it,
they gave ''three cheers for the old Constitution, y
the old Constitution, which denies eUery one Of
these things