Meigs County telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy [Ohio]) 1848-1859, 1856-01-22

one y noe ysppsss Oh; hiry couDde.
are ntds Jingle fof some, aid dual districts
for other fepredAn,allye terms: four counties
pre- constituted permanent duel districts; two
eoubties are. made sometimes dual, and
sometimes plural dialr.cis; and one county.
Hamilton, Is constituted Q permanent plural
district with eigh, representatives. for, each
Of The 'fifst four Representative terms. and
seven for the fifth. ~ - - ~
While thus -delse.lEe ia.- -psinciple, The
system fails 10 commend itself by i,s prac-
,ical operation. "lbihsE a9G ~
Lei the largest plural district, Hamilton
county. be compared, for, example. with
Morrow county. single district. Hamilton
county has eight Representatives, while
Morrow county has but one. Each eiector
In Hamilton. therefore, votes for and isrep.
resented by eight delegates. Zach electot
in Morrow votes for and ls represented by
but one. Each elector in Hamilton county
may appeal, as a conidiuehs 10 eighbdiffer-
ent members Of the House Of Represenia
lives, while each elecior In Morrow county
can appeal to one only. The elscior in
Hamilton is thus preferred in political con.
sidera.ion, 10 iHe eeciot 10 Morrow. The
inequality is aggravated by the ref sc,ion
that, the majori,y by which the ,eigh. Repre-
sen,anves from Hamilton are elected may
be less than ,ha. which elects the single
Representative from Morrow. 3a,laE /
Lei the same plural district be compared
also. with a number Of single districts; hav.
ingahe same aggregate representation In the
more numerous branch Of the General As.
sembly Hamilton county occupies the
Southwestern part Of the State. Fifteen
counties, in the northwestern part Of the
State, constitute eight single districts. The
Representatives oil, these districts. separately
elected and separately responsible, are oi,el'
divided; while The Represen,p lives from
Hamilton, elected together, and compare,
lively irresponsible. oct togeihei and ins con:
cert. While, therefore, in the choice OF Q
Senator OF the United States, and upor
many other questions, Hamilton county
with her undivided representation. will have
practically, eigh. voies, The fifteen nonh
western counties, ,1heir representatives. being
equally divided, may have, practically
none. d, Z, -eeb 4,,. .t,.-ts 500 An
For the, cake Of perspicui,y, | gIimi, ihil
comparison 10 he arrangement Of the Rep
resen.a,ive District. Your own rejection
will extend ii TO the arrangement OF Ds'rict
for .he choice OF Senators. ann ar,
I, hardly needs to be remarked that ih'
existing system. while thus unjns, 10 III.
counties arranged In single districts, is pref
judicial TO the Interests Of the more populou
counties themselves. its necessary ienden
cy is to excite ealousies 10 portions Of hi
State against other portions, which mus
prove hur.ful. Il fails, also, to secure, II
the plural disric,s, q satisfactory represen
,alicn of The various interests and sentiment
Of the people, 10 the county Of Hamilton
for example, the political minority, howeve
considerable and respectable, can have NJ
adequate representation Townships ant
Wards, with populations which, with sys
tenn Of single Districts, would en'ille then
to separate Representatives, are liable .
have their, particular interests and view
u overlooked and disregarded under the pres
sure Of political exigencies. Constituent
canno, we'll krow their representatives, an
representatives are absolyed, in great meas
ure, from their individual responsibilities I
their constituents Ths demands OF IN
people, under such 'circumsmnces. will nee
essariIy be suboYdinated 10 the demands
, political organizations, and the public goD
must ofiep yield TO party necessities.
, That d system Of single districts wi
, prove an absolute remedy for all lihese poll
icuf evils, no one. perhaps, will venture
expect. / am fully persuaded, however
that II would secure much moro Derfec
popular y representation Than we have Q
present. and therefore recommend thai o.
amendment TO the Constitution providin
such system, be submitted to The Peopl
for their adoption orTejeclion. 0ln5a
n While the. true principles Of popular gov
}, ernmeEi thus require the most complete an
perfect representation q The people. whic
| is uDal,ainable.. they require also and n
less imperalively. frequent meetings ol %
representative Legislature, for The .horoug
superv isiop OF sdminis.ralive action. for lh
prompt remedy OF, evils, and for the du
promotion OF necessary means and measure
for guarding the public interest and pron,ol
ing the public welfare. 13'u. p, at
The existing Constitution authorizes onl
biennial sessions, excep,in cases, when th
Governor, upon extraordinary occasions
may deem himself warranted In sPsciall
convening The Legislature.
Under this provision the whole admins
malive power of the State Is left Tor w
years 10 the hands Of the Executive and Ju
dical Departments without Legislative chec
| or limitation There can be no impeach
ment or removal, during that period, Of an
State officer for anv cause, however prgen
i The Constitutional responsibility of Stat
officials, 10 ,he Immediate representatives 9
the people, Is ,hus, ih great part, praciicall
nullifed. A profound w,i,er hos well OBJ
served Iha, every departure from annua
Legislative sessions Is an approach toward
irresponsible government and desposisnn,
Numerous occasions must necessaril.
arise, In a State 20 large us ours, from pas
| legislative acts or omissions as weh az iron
yntious contingencies Of other descriptions
which, in'the aggrcgates will imperaIlvel,
Yenlire the Intention OF The Legislature. al