Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1856-01-19
BIZ delegations Of Olher rarLs Of elual pOpula.

AlNlA hG AEuANA AllAA q ANiANtAA nv
of single districts will best secure II proper chuice
OF representatives, aud their due responsibility
u the people, and q fair distribution of political
luWVr.
In The Convention which framed our present
State Constitution, the subject Of representation
was much discussed. By many Of the most en-.
~liGhtened and most respected members of that
body, Of all political parties, the division Of the
State into single districts for the choice Of Senators
and Representatives was earnestly defended and
strcnuousiy urged. A majority Of the Convention,
however, preferred and adopted the existing sys-
ten.
II will hardly I've insisted, that this system has
proved satisfactory 20 the people.
Ii is founded upon no consistent principle. In
much the largest part of the State II establishes
single districts while it creates dual and plural
districts in the remaining parts. For the choice OF
Senators, the whole State is divided into single dis
tricts, except Hamilton county. That county is
made a plural district, W til three Senators. For
the choice of Representatives, fifty counties are
arranged as single districts Of one or more counties
each; thirty counties are made single districts for
some, and dual districts for other representative
terms; four counties are constituted permanent
dual districts; two counties are made sometimes
dual, and sometimes plural districts; and one
county, Hamilton, is constituted n permanent plu.
raj district, with eight Representatives for each Of
the first four Representative terms. and seven for
the fifth.
While thus defective in principle, the system
fails to commend itself by its practical operations.
Let the largest plural district, Hamilton county,
be com pared, for example with Morrow county. a
single district. Hamilton county has eight Repre-.
sentatiycs, While Morrow county has but ono
Each elector in Hamilton, therefore, votes Tor and
is represented by eight delegates. Each clectOr in
Morrow, votes for and is represented by but one.
Each elector in Hamilton county may appeal, as a
constituent, to eight different members of the
House Of Representatives, while each clectOr in
/ AlOTrOW cOuutv can nuppnl To only uup. The cleo
tor in Hamilton is thus preferred in political CON
sideration, to the elector in Morrow. The ~inequali-
.ty is aggravated by the reflection tia! the majority
by which the eight Representatives from Hamilton
are elected may be less than that which elects the
single Representative from Morrow.
Let the same plural district be compared also
with a number of single districts. having the same
aggregate representation in the more numerous
branch of the General Assembly. Hamilton cuun-
ty occupies tie Southwestern part of this State.
Fifteen counties, in the Northwestern part Of the
State, constitute eight single districts. The Rep
resentatives Of these districts, separately elected
and separately responsible, are often divided; while
the Representatives from Hamilton, elected togcth.
err, and comparatively irresponsible, act together
and in concert. While, therefore, in the choice OF
Il Senator of the United States, ana upon many
other questions, Hamilton county, with her undl-
vided representation, will have, practically, eight
votes; the fifteen Northwestern counties, their rep
resentatives being equally divided, may have, prac.
tcally, none.
That a system Of single districts will prove an
absolute remedy for all these political evils. no one
perhaps, will venture to expect. | am fully per-
suaded, however, that it weuld secure u much more
perfect popular representation than we have at
present, and | therefore recommend that an amend
ment to the Constitution providing such a system,
be submitted to the people for their adoption or
rejection.
While the truc principles of popular government
TINS require the most complete and perfect repre-
sentation of the people which is attainablc, they
require also, and no less imperatively, frequent
meetings of the representative Legislature, for the
thorough supervision of administrative action, Tor
the prompt remedy Of evils, and for the due pro-
vision Of necessary means and measures fer guard
ing the public interest and promoting the public
welfare.
The existing Constitution authorizes only bicn.
NAL sessions. except in cases, when the Governor,
upon extraordinary occasions, may deem himself
warranted in specially converting the Legislature.
Under this provision the whole administrative
power Of the State is eft for two years in the
hands of the Executive and Judicial departments
without legislative check or limitation. There can
be no impeachment or removal, during that period,
of any State officer tor any cause, however urgent
The Constitutional responsibility Of State officials,
to the Immediate representatives of the people, is
thus, in great part, practically nuliied. A pro-
found writer has well observed that every depar-
ture from annual legislative sessions is an approach
towards irresponsible government and despo-
Itism.
Numerous occasions must necessarily arise, in
n State so large as ours, from past legislative acts
or omissions rs well as from various contingencies
of other descriptions, which, in tie aggregate will,
imperadvely require the attention Of the Legisla-
ture, although no one Of them may conatitute such
an extraordinary occasion as will warrant the eX-
ercise of the special power vested in the Governor.
Expedioncy therefore, no less than principle, seems
to recommend annual rather than biennial ses-
sions.
Those who are accustomed to look to the State
Governments for the maintenance Of State Rights
and the security Of personal rights, will find an
other reason for n preference of annual to biennial
sessions, in the obvious consideration that while
the sessions of Congress are annual, and those Of
the State Legislature are only biennial, the regards
of the people will nc more and more absorbed by
the former, and less attracted by the latter. No
we'll wisher 10 the pcrmanence OF American insti-
tutions, will desire to augment the tendency, al
ready too apparent, towards the absorption Of the
States in a centralized and consolidated Federal
Government.
My own Judgment is so thoroughly satisfied up
on the whole matter, that ! cannot hesitate to rec
ommend an amendment Of the Constitution, pro-
viding for limited annual sessions.
Your first and most earnest attention, gentle
men, will doubtless be directed to tho important
matters within the immediate sphere Of your leg
islatiye powers; but you cannot forget that you
represent a sovereign State of the American Union
third of the thirty-one, in wealth, and power, and
population, and second to none in patriotic deyo-
ton to the welfare Of the whole Country. The
appointment of a Senator to represent the State IN
ono branch of the American Congress devolves
upon you, and in making this appointment you
will necessarily be required to consider the inter
ests of Ohio as a member of the Union.
Foremost among these interests is the preserva~
ton of the Union itself. Established by the wis
dom or our fathers for the suNlimcst and noblest
political ends. it descends to US as n sacred trust.
Under its benign influence our country has stcadi-
ly advanced from strength to strength, and from
greatness to greatness extending her Dor,
dersi charging her resources, and augmenting
her power, until the name of American citizen
of Roman citizen in the ~proudest days of the
m~iGhtiest republic of antiquity. To maintain tho