M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1856-01-24

against other portions, which must
prove hurful. Itfails. also, TO secure.
in the plural districts, satisfactory
IepIesenta'ion Of the various interests
and sometimes OF the People IN the
county Of Hamilton for example, the
political minority. however considPra.
bls and respectable, can have no Sde
quate representation. 20 wnships and
Wards, with populations which, with
a system Of single districts, would en-.
title them to seperaie Representatives,
are liable to have lhsir political inter.
ests and views overlooked and disregard.
ed under the pressure Of policsl ex!gens
cies. Constituents canno, we'll know
theirsepIs pIsseniaiiyes,shd representative
es are sbsolved. in great measure, frum
their individual responsibilities 10 their
constituents. The demands OF the peo-
pie. under such circumstances. will
necessarily be subordinated to the de-
mands Of political organization. the
public good mast often yield TO party
necessities.
That system Of single districts will
prove an absolute remedy for all those
political evils,no one, perhaps will ven
ture to expect. am fully persuaded.
however. that il would secure a much
more purfect popular o. pTesetatio than
we have at 'presenl and IherelouL 10.
commend that an amendment TO the Con
stitution providing such system, be
submitted to the people for their sdop.
ton or rejection. . ......
While the true principles OF popular
government thus require the most COM
plets and perfect representation Of the
people which is attainabIe, they re"
luire also, no less mpeiatively, frcqu.
enl meetings Of their representatives.
for the thrOngh supervision Of ad.
miaistratiye action. for the prompt
remedy ofevils. and for the due provp .
ion Of Necessary means and measures
for guarding the public iAtersis and
prompting the public welfare.
The existing Constitution authorizes
only biennia sessions except in cases,
when the Governor upon expordinsry
occasions, may deem himself wdranted
in specially convening the Legislature
Under this provision the whole ad.
ministrative power Of the State is left
for two years in the hands of the Ex.
eeutiye aud Sudical departments with
out Legislative check or imitation. -
Shere can be no impeachment orremoy
al during that period of any State office
for an? csuse, however urgent. The
Constitutional responsibility Of State
officials TO the immediate representa-.
tive OF the people, is thus, in grest
part, practically unlliied A profonnu
writer has we'll observed that evsry
departure from annual legislative sess.
ion is an appsoach towards irresponsi-
BILE government and despolism,
Numerous occasion must neccessaikly $
arise in a State 50 large as ours, from
past legislative acts or omissions as
well as from various contingencies Of
other descriptions. which, ia the sg'
grsgatc, will imperatively require the
attention Of the Legislature. although
nc one Of them may constitute such al
extraordinary occasion as will warrant
the Governor, ESp-disncy, Therefore
no less than principal, seems to recon
mend anua! rather lhd n biennial sess.
ions. ....
There are some collateral considera'
tions, terding to the same conclusion
which should not be overlooked.
The present Constitution allows 10
amendment Of its provisions, except
such as may be agreed to by three. ilhs
of the members Of each House, aud hy
a majority of the electors voting ct ,hr
next election for Senators and Represeu
taIives. follows that no amendment
Of the Constitution eau be made how
ever unanimously sanctioned BY the
Legislature or demanded by the ps0ple
until Two years after it shall have been
proposed, The substitution OF annual
Ior biennial sessions will necessarily
require annual elections for Seuu Tors
6nd representatives.. and will remove
this needles and iispsraging restriction
upon the exercise Of he pOpullr sUser.
eighty.
1t so happens. also, that the terms
OF Senators irnm this State. in thr
Congress of the uuited States. expire
during the second years OF the baiuis
periods Every election OF Senator
therefore while our State Constitution
shsll remain unamendsd, must, Under
OrdipaTy ciieums snces, take place
more ihaa year before the expiraiiou
oil the cu5rept term. and nearly two
years before the Senator elect will take
his seat. llmay sometimes occur thai
senator thus chosen,so ioug in advan
ce OF the commencement OF his term
VIII by no means represent the sen;l
menis or llol the people hen he ac
tually enters upon the performance OF
his cficial duties.
Those " hOs ere accustomed to look 10
| ihe State Governments for The mainteu
dnce OF State rigris, will find smother
reason Tor frelerente o: annual Ia
biennial sessions, in the obvious cun
sldefation tha; while the sessions OF
congress are annual, and those of the
State Legislature are only biennial, TIE
regard OF the eop!e will be more aad
more sbsorec BY .be iormer, aud less
ana less atitstted by Tn. latter. NJ
weil Wlsher To the permane nee of Amer
'can IN sti'utious, viii desiIe To aug
meh' the ;en0ency' slrta,ly to aprsyeni.
'o"aIds the absorpliAn pi the States Ii,
La cent % llZe d and -ccnsnliAAta.l T.