The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1867-11-29
BLOOMSBURY, PA. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30 1867

be 81 delegates selected at large. In sc-
| Letting these 80 delegates, each elector
in the State to vote for but l6. Ills
| recommendation was adopted by the
! Legislature, so that the existing COnsti-
| tutiOnal Convention Of New York 1T
has not concluded theperiormance of its
duties l. constituted Of representatives
elected from the representative districts
and of 81 delegates from the State at
large. OF the latter, l6 belong to each
| political party, for such was the inevi-
table effect of the plan adopted. Many
men went into the convention, and are
now sitting in il, who could not have
been elected IN their several local dis
tricts, because the party with which
they were associated was in the minori-
ty in their several localities. In select
ing delegates from the State at large
this was possible, and able men were
selected on both sides--men Of great
weight and great wisdom. These cases
OF limited voting in our own State
! which | have mentioned, and this case
in New York, will suffice SO far rs our
own cO8itry is concerned.
Now, let me carry you TO England for
q moment TO see what has been done
there in this same direction. In 1854,
under the administration of Lord Aber-
deem, Lord John Russell introduced
reform bill, which underwent protract-
cd discussion in the House of Commons.
Ono feature of this bill was that in all
constituencies selecting three members
of Parliament no clcctor should vote
for more than two, the result Of which
would have been to give to the minOri-
ty class Of electors, ordinarily, the third
member. That bill. however, did not
become Il law it fell, and other reform
bills introduced since into Parliament
have failed. But during the resent
year bill was passed through Parlia-
mont to amend and reform the repre-
sentation of the people of England in
the House OF Commons. The Reform
Bill having passed the House of Com
mons, and being under consideration in
the House of Lords on the Both of July
last, Lord Cairnes moved to amend
clause 8 of the bill by adding, "at a
contested election for any county or
borough represented by three members,
no person shall vote for more than two
candidates. This was substantially,
if not in exact terms, the same as the
clause in the Russell Reform Bill of
1871, After undergoing debate. this
amendment was adopted in the House
of Lords by the following vote: Con-
tents, li2 nOn-cOntentS, 81, or by the
large majority of 81 in its favor. The
; bill being returned with this and other
amendments to the House of Commons,
was again considered in that House.
Finally, upon the Sth of August, after
/ prolonged and exhaustive debate, in
which men whose names are known
throughout the earth participated, up
on motion to strike ont this amend
ment made by the House of Lords, the
vote stood, ayes POI, noes 2j3, being Il
majority of 40 in favor of retaining the
provision, and it was retained by that
vote and the bill subsequently passing
; and receiving the approval ofthc Crown,
, it became, and is now the law of Great
Britain from which country we de-
, rive our political descent and many OF
our principles of free government, in
, Guiding that of representation Hence
forth, in the election of members of the
= popular house of Parliament, where Il
: constituency select three me,abers, two
T. shall be given to the majority and one
/ to the minority of the electors, assum
. ing that the latter constitute rs large ;
. mass as one-third of the whole number
i This is the most notable instance of thu
II application of the limited vote to sccur,
the representation of the whole politi
If cal mass of the community, or of Il par
n tiCular constituency charged with tn
a duty and power of selecting representa-
10 tives for the enactment of laws.
=, BY these instances selected in our Ow
If country and abroad, it is manifest tha
# attention has been largely drawn
II this question of amendment in repro
n sentalion, and Of mitigating the evi
:. and inCunvcniences which must alway
"a arise under an unchecked, unmitigate(
, unamCnded majority rule.
/, But, gentlemen, pass from the col
! ISiI of "a
resentation to the second form whic
> propositions for that purpose have as
II umCd, in other words, | pass to the di
r cussi1n of the topic which is most int
estng ut this time for our consideration
4 | mean the plan OF cHH1Hidtire eating, ;
le il has been named. This was in the fir
II instance proposed, explained, and adv'
r Gated by James Garth Marshall, II SUI
~ ject oft Crown of Great Britain; ant
,, by his proposition and his advocacy
u it, he has given his name to the pOlil
y cal history OF his country and to the p,
Il litical history of representative institl
IL tions everywhere in future times, f
J. no one previously had mastered tn
II subject with such grasp, no one ha
= looked into ii with such intuitive pc
7. ccption Of all its characteristics, and W,
;, able To strike precisely the point whel
u reform could be most safely and ciirc
% lively introduced. II is preferable, ini
u nitcly preferable, ,toall propositions tors
Is curing the representation OF all iItcre,
VI insoaietyh hyany limitationupnntheelc
II tors vote in the manner of the yarior
's propositions which | have already de
~ clibCd.
/" This system or plan cumulative y
-, ting has been endorsed by John Stua
N, Mill, in his work on Parliamentary Il
- form, and in his work on Representa-
tive Government, and since suplOrtC
N by him ably in the House of Common
re- 1t has been recommends |, also, by En
20 Grey, in his work on Parliamentary II
10 form, edition Of 1864, 1t was propos,
- during the recent consideration of Il
ut Reform Bill, in the House ofC, mmOn
80 by MIR. Lowe, ON the 9th of July las
au and after debate received the very l.
e. spectacle support Of l73 votes. 1t is b
~ ginning to attract, in this country, til
y degree of attention which ii merits, N
ne which il naturally provoked by the /
g. quiry which has taken place abroad.
~ shall describe it In moment. For 4
present, ! will simply say that, {
he third proposition of reform, known
of ycrSOau representation, which looks
en other objects and To other cons
o. qucnccs, | shall not attempt to disct
lis Tonight. 1t invites us over too wide
ON field OF inquiry for the time at our d
nd posal; and, may add, that ii inNoly
nix SO many additional considerations a.
hit so much of prolonged debate that, wit
nd in the ordinary compass Of a meeting
ON would be impossible 10 exhaust lhesu
ly jcct or to come to an intelligent conc
Is sion upon it. | presume also, speak,
I'D generally concerning it, that il will b
in considerable time before We shall be
| possession of that amount of eXporieI
he and OF discussion which are requisite
nd it, adoption in this country,
ay Now, what is cuHUidtire rOtbigs p
m pose that what il known by this te
vc' Shall he applied to the election of rel
ng scntatiVcs in Congress, and to the che
md of electors OF President and Nice-Pr
by dent OF the United States. 1t adm
m also, Of application to the selection