The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1867-11-29
REPRESENTATIVE REFORM.
Speech Of Hon. c. R. BaCkalCW,
The Defects of our Electoral System
The Cumulative Vote.
It's Necessity and Advantages.
&C. &C. &C.
Leiiow. Citizens Of the city Of Phlddei-
DHiu.
Delivered in the issenbiey Bui'dings
IHiiddeiphid, Tuesday Erening,
.Norember l9H, 1867.

of representative reform. Without
any Introductory remarks, without
pausing to tarry over preliminary top
les, shall proceed to the subject mat
ter of my discourse.
Ours is said to be government of
the people, meaning by that term the
whole electoral body with whom the
stitution. The people considered in
this sense are said to rule themselves,
and our system is therefore described
as one of self government. Those who
are bound by the laws are TO oenaCt them.
Power is in the first instance eXerted
by them, aud obedience yielded after
ward. All rests upon their voluntary
assent, and upon their free action, and
as ii is impossible that the whole mass
Of tho political community should as
scmble together for the purpose of en-
acting or agreeing upon those rules of
conduct which are to bind the citizens,
and as it would be impossible for such
an enormous body, oven if it were con-
vened, to act with convenience. or TO
act at all, we, like the people of other
| countries, in former times, hive resort
ed to what is known as the representa-
tive system.
From the impossibility of convening
ourselves together to determine those
great questions which pertain to the po-
litical and social body, and about which
government Is employed, we have
determined to select from amongst our
selves II certain number of persons with
whom shall he lodged all our powers
connected with legislation and with
government, and whatsoever they shall
determine shall be to us and to all men
within our borders the law of individu-
al conduct.
Well, now, gentlemen, in executing
the system ofrepresentativego
the manner in which the agents of the
people shall be selected becomes in the
highest degree important. Although
by our theory, although by our funda-
mental principle of self-government
by the people, all the people are to be
represented in the making of laws, in
the administration of government, in
point of facl we have not attaiued to
This result. We have fallen short Of it
in our arrangements, and hence it is
that men of intelligence and of sagaci-
ty. driven to their conclusions by thor
ough examinations and by full inquiry,
have been compelled to declare that
our system is imperfect, and imperfect
to such an extent that the quality of our
government is affected, and many per-
nicious things have palce in its admin
istration.
Instead of there being under the rep
resentative system as it is known
among us, n representation of the en-
tire clectora! body, of all the indivdu-
ais who compose it, there is in fact a
representation of only part, i'll other
words, representation, instead of being
complete and co-eXtensive with all those
who are to be represented, and who are
/ to be bound by the action of govern-
ment, is partial and restricted to a part
alone of the political body.
Well, gentlemen, in the infancy or the
early stagesof hegovernment,a IAN imper-
G fection of this kind may be permitted or
overlooked. The affairs of society,
- when they are not complicated before
the community has become rich, be-
fore its affairs social and political, be-
come involved and intricate, may adj
nit of very rude and imperfect arrange
- ments, and yet the people may be we'll
governed, the laws may be just and
Wholesome, and administered in the
proper spirit and with complete snccess
90 But, rs wealth accumulates, as popula'
ton becomes dense, and great cities
grow up, as vices are spread through
the social body, and as widely extend
ed and complicated political action be-
comes necessary, those earlier and sim
pier arrangements-impericct always
. become positively pernicious and hurt
ful, and the necessity arises for their
correction, and that the system of gov
ernment shall be purified and inVigo.
rated by amendment.
In vour nonular elections which are
i h.iI nv toI.nn under the maiority. ol
,,tber unJ"r tbn nlurolitv rIile, Which
nr,Iina,;i,, on,o,,nts to thn same thinp--
NJ ,n''r 4onuIor elections tbn smnlle,
,,,;y,hnr dr xnicos which are spolpn in
IL thn nloctinn of rrprc.pntatiyes who
Is aro tn on.rt yo,r laws are stricken
I, from the count. When the OIL
a GERS charged with the duty of col
Letting the voices of the people come
to make up the account and declare the
result, they strike from the toll or tho
return, all those who when numbered
are the smaller quantity or the smaller
!. political force. Then after your repre-
~ sentatives selected in this manner by {
maiori V merely, by n part of the cCm
munity, are convened together, whel
10. they come to act in the business of gov
eminent to enact laws, they again ac
by n similar rule. The majority in tn,
representative body pronOuncCs tn,
opiniun and decree of that body, an(
what they pronounce becomes law
binding upon all the people. Now
what Is observable in this statement O
facts: why, tnat Ill tnc llTst pace, III
selecting Representatives you strike OF
pnrt of the political body; then again
in representative action, YOU strike OF
thn minority of the herepresentativc body
who rpnra.ent another norton or mas
nf thn popuIar electors. The result
thnt yuur laws may be made by me-
, Who ronrrsent a minority of the peopl
I who are to hn bound by the laws 5
m,nGa 4 rcnrosentatiye majority ma
NOT he. in nnint of iact-and often
M, ot-n rrurespntatiye of n majority {
The nnopld.