The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1856-01-26
290

liUI we'll UG ueUl6u lldJ d UNIFORM system Of
single districts will best secure a proper
choice of representatives., and their due re-
sponsibllity to the people, and a fair dstri-
button of political power.
Where one representative is chosen to rep
resent one district, there will necessarily be
the most careful scrutiny of qualification
the least liability to misinformation and
mistake; the closest sympathy in opinion
and purpose the most vigilant observation
of represen tatiye action; and the liveliest
sense of representative responsibility. Where
more representatives than one are chosen
from the same district, all these securities
are sensibly impaired. Opportunity is af-
forded for unwarrantable combination among
aspirants and their partizans; the people are
disabled from informing themselves thor
oughly as to the character and qualifications
of candidates; and the decisions of the ma
jority of delega ton, conformed to the in
terests of party, are apt to be substituted, as
guides Of representative action, for the will
of the constituency, determined by true re-
gard for the interests of the people,
In the convention which framed onr pres
ent state constitution, the subject of repre-
sentation was much discussed By many Of
the most enlightened and most respected
members of that body, of all political par
ties, the division Of the state into single dis
tricts for the choice of senators and repre-
sentatives was earnestly defended and siren
uously urged. A majority of the convention,
however, preferred and adopted the existing
system. II will hardly be insisted that this
system has proved satisfactory to the people.
1t is founded upon no consistent principle.
In much the largest part of the state it es-
tablishes single districts, while it creates dual
md r,1,, n 1-tr riptc in ho rt-
For the choice of senators, the whole state
is divided into single districts except Ham
iIton county. That county is made plural
district, with three senators. For the choice
Of representatives, fifty counties are arrang-
ed as single districts of one or more counties
each; thirty counties are made single dis
trcts for some, and dual districts for other
representative terms; four counties are con-
stituted permanent dual districts two cOun-
ties are made sometimes dual, and sometimes
plural districts; and one county, Hamilton
is constituted a permanent plural district
with eight representatives for each of the
first four representative terms, and seven fol
the fifth
While thus defective in principle, the sys
tenn fails to commend itself by It's practical
operation. Let the largest plural district
Hamilton county. be compared for example
withMorrow county single district. Hanil-
ton county has eight representatives, while
Morrow county has but one. Each electo,
in H4miton therefore, votes for and is rep
resented by eight delegates. Each eleotor il
Morrow votes for and is represented by bu
one. Each eiector in H milton county may
appeal. as constituent, to eight different
members the house representatives, Will,
each electof in Morrow county can appea
to one only. The elector i'll I1amiltoa is thu
preferred in political consideration, to III.
clector in Morrow, The inequality is aggra
waited by the reflection that lhe majority b,
which eight representatives. from Hamilton
are elected may be less than that which elect
the single representative from Morrow.
Let the same plural district be compare
also, with numbar Of single districts, havin
the same aggregate r presentation in the NOR