Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1856-01-24

y, eight votes. the fifteen north western coun.
ties. their representatives being equally diTid-
ed. may have. practically. none.
For The sake Of perspicuily limit this COM
parisoB to the arrangement Of the Representa-.
tive districts. Your own reflections will extend
Il to the arrangement Of districts for the choice
Of Senators. Ithardly needs 10 be remarked
that the existing system. while thus unjust to
the counties arranged in single districts, is
J prejudicial TO the interests OF the more popu.
lous counties themselves. Its necessary ten.
dency is to excite jealousieS 10 portions of the
State against other portions, which must prove
hurtful. 1t fails, also to secure, in The plural
districts, satisfactory representation OF the
various interests and sentiments OF the people.
In the county Of Hamilton, for example, the
political minority. however considerable and
; respectable, can have no adequate representa-
dOn. Townships and Wards, with populations
3 which, with system Of single districts, would
enttle them to separate Representatives. are
] liable to have their political interests and
+ views overlooked and dsregarded under the
pressure of ofpolitical exigencies. Constituents
cannot well know their representatives and
representatives are absolved, in great measure,
from their individual responsibilities to their
constituents. The demands of the people, un.
der such circumstances, will necessarily be
subOrdinated to the demands of political organ
izations, and the public good mus! often yield
to party necessities.
], That system of single districts will prove
, an absolute remedy for these political evils,
no one perhaps. will venture to expect. am
fully persuaded, however, that it would secure
much more perfect popular representation
/ than we have at present, and therefore re-
commend that an amendment to the Constitu.
ton providing such a system be submitted to
the people for their adoption or rejection.
While the true principles Of popular
government thus require the most complete
and perfect repres entatiOn of the people which
is attainable, they require, also, and no less
imperalively, frequent meetings Of the repre-
sentative Legislature, for the thorough super
vision of administrative action, for the prompt
remedy of evils, and for the due provision OF
necessary means and measures for guarding
the public interest and promoting the public
welfare.
f The existing Constitution authorizes only BIZ
ennial sessions, except in cases when The Gov
, ornOr, upon extraordinary occasions, may
deem himself warranted in specially conven-
ing the Legislature.
Under this provision the whole administra-
tive power Of the State is left for two years in
the hands of the Executive and Judicial de.
partments without legislative check or !imta-
ton. There can be noimpeachment or reno.
val during that period. of any State officer for
any cause however urgent. The Constitution
r al responsibility of State officials, to the i'm.
: mediate representatives of the people, is thus,
, in great part, practically nulli6ed, A profound
writer has well observed that every departure
: from annual legislative sessions is an approach
e towards irresponsible government and despot-
' ism.
Numerous occasions must necessarily arise,
E in State SO large as ours, from past legisla-
tive acts or omissions, as well as from various
contingencies of other descriptions. which, in
the aggregate, will impera:vely require the at
tenLion of the Legislature, although no one of
them may constitute such an extraordinary oc-
casion as will warrant the exercise of the spe-
cial power vested in the Governor. Expedi-
ency therefore, no less than principle, seems
to recommend annual. rather than biennial
sessions.
There are some collateral considerations,
tending to the same conclusion, which should
! not be overlooked.
The present Constitution allows no amend.
ment of its provisions, except such as may be
agreed TO Dy three-fhhs of the members of
each house, and by majority Of the electors
voting at the next election for Senators and Rep
resentatives. It follows that no amendment of
{ the Constitution can be made, however unan,
imously sanctioned by the Legislature or de-
manded ny the people, until two years after it
shall have been proposed, The substitution
of annual for bennial sessions will necessarily
require annual elections for Senators and Rep.
J Iresentatives, and will thus remove the needless
and -disparaging restriction upon the exercise
Of popular sovereignty,
| Itso happens also, that the terms of Sens-
tors from this State in the Congress of the u
nited States. expire during the second years OF
the biennial periods. Every election of Sena-
tor, therefore, while our State Constitution
: shall remain unamended, must. under ordinary
a circumstances, take place more than year BE-
: fore the expiration of the current term, and
nearly two years before the Senator elect will
take bis seat. 1t may sometimes occur that q
. ICAnatrv fhus chosen so lou0 in advance of tha