The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-09-27
PeraonnI RenresentntIon,

IL Is not gratifying result OF the workings
of our republican institutions in this country,
that almost every change which has been
made in their constitutional arrangements has
been for the worse. We mean in the States;
for the changes in the National Constitution
have been such as restored it to the condition
in which its trainers supposed they had left
it, or to which they hoped it would soon be
brought by the necessary course of events.
But in the States the alterations in the funda-
mental laws have been, in almost every in
stance, mischievous. The healthy operation
of republican institutions should place at the
head of affairs, and in the Legislative and Judi
cial posts the men the most eminent for their
talents, experience, and peculiar training for
such responsibilities. And in the earlier days
Of our history, and up to comparatively
recent date, this was measurably the case.
There were violent party divisions, and
elections were carried on with great acrimony;
but he men elected were, as a general thing
the best that the parties afforded. All that is
necessary to prove this fact is to glance at the
list of the governors, judges, senators, and
assemblymen of this State fifty years ago, and
those holding those places within the last
twenty. Without meaning any reflection on
many very respectable men who have held
those offices of later years, it will not be gene
the same category with the two Clintons, John
Jay, Morgan Lewis, and Daniel D. Tompllins;
with Kent, Ambrose Spencer Brockholst Liv-
ippston, and Egbert Benson; or with the emf
nent men who used to make the Senate and
Assembly of New York dignifed and distin-
guished deliberative bodies.
1t certainly seems anomalous that, as the
country grows great the men who manage its
affairs grow smaller. But it is not so strange az
it seems; for it grows out of the conventions of
later times, which have put the nomination of
candidates into the hands of small men Cor
worse than smalD, who naturally so manage
matters as to answer the purposes of them
selves and their class. The smallness of the
electoral districts has had a marked effect in
forcing the growth of small men. When the
districts were larger, it was essential that the
candidates should be men of some mark, of
whom everybody in an extensive district
should have heard at least; and the great mass
Of voters never dreamed of reaching those
heights themselves. By the subdivision of
theconstituency, little men look larger; and
by well-understOod arrangement as many
OF them are to enjoy the legislative Offices
in due rotation, as the limitations of human
life will allow. This constant succession
of insignificant men, invested with fearful
powers for good and evil, creates the materials
for the bribery and corruption which threaten
to eat out the vitals of the State. They were
never heard of before, they pocket what they
can get, they disappear to make way for a
fresh supply of hungry mediocrity and are
heard of no more. Their temptation is great
just in proportion to their obscurity. The
remedy is so to arrange matters that none but
men with characters to lose shall be sent to
make laws for the State. The corruption
which we all lament and deprecate is limited
mainly to the larger branch of the Legisla-
ture, and is never even suspected as to the
Executive. Why is this ? Because the Sena-
tors have larger constituencies, and the Gov
ernor the whole State for his; so that they
are necessarily men of established characters
and to whom the temptations of vulgar bribery
are of little account when weighed with what
they must lose by yielding to them.
1t is an encouraging circumstance that
thinking men are setting themselves seriously
to work to devise some way of escape from the
mischief of caucus nominations, and the ills
that flow from them. Prominent among them
are the gentlemen who now constitute the
Personal Representation Society, the object of
which is to reform the present system by
! making legislation the direct expression of the
actual opinion ofthe majority of the voters, by
| giving to every vote substantial weight in
| deciding what 1t shall be. A certain number
Of votes is to be necessary to an election.
! Every voter votes for whom he pleases within
the domain apportiOned to be represented. If
! the candidate have the necessary number of
votes to make up the qualification he is
chosen. If he fall short, then he, with the
other unsuccessful candidates, may meet and
transfer the votes given to him to any
one OF the elected members or COM
plete with them the qualification of one
! OF their own number. Thus every quota
! (say OF two thOusand) shall have a repre-
sentative, If the people choose to fill it up;
and every voter is represented either directly
by the election of the candidate he preferred,
or by some one whom that candidate, in whom
he is supposed to place entire confidence,
selects among the other defeated candidates to
| represent him. A vote is considered, as indeed
II Is, power OF attorney, authorizing the at
torney to act for the principal; and, by this
! plan, the attorney is authorized to substitute
IN his place another whom he believes will
properly represent the principal. Thus every
voter who pleases to exercise his right of ap-
pointing an attorney lis represented by some
one who, 1t is to be supposed, will, as gene
raj thing, act as he would were he in the legis-
lature in person. The plan of which this is
the outline is formed ON one which has re-
oelved the Weighty approval of John Stuart
MILL and is certainly deserving of serious
consideration. We must take more time for
consideration before committing ourselves to
1t; but it seems to increase the likelihood OF
higher order of men being placed in power
than the present average. And this is the
hope OF the State and the nation; for any
scheme that has not this effect will only drive
away one swarm of bloodsuckers to make way
fer another.
But as this change, if 1t should be accepted
the instant necessity might be met by en-
fla dsctrs I,o Late of