North Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1867-current, 1867-07-24

al, is contradicted. Congress adjourned
on the Goth until the 4th of Dec. 1t is
said all the bills passed, became laws eth
er by the approval of the Prest. or pas
sage over his signature, except the one
striking out the word white in the statutes
of the District of Columbia. 90. The Presi-
dents veto of the supplement to the re-
construction bill-the bill taking away
all the civil rights Of $4,000, 900 of people
and placing them under military or arbi-
trary rule-was set aside almost immedi-
ately after being read this bill is there
fore law.
The President has appointed Horace
Greeley minister to Austria. of the six
thousand voters registered in Nashville,
over two thirds are negroes. The chole-
ra is prevailing in some parts of the South.
There were seven deaths at Memphis on
the 10Th
New Plan OF Representation.
The important subject of representation
is attracting good deal of attention in
the New York constitutional convention.
There seems to be a growing impression in
the public mind that the system by which
popular representatives are at present cho-
sen IN this country is very defective one.
The division of electors into districts, al
loving each district to choose represent
ativc in the legislature, or congress, is one
| which, practically, leaves the minority of
electors in such district without any rep
resentativc. For under the rigid party
discipline that has grown up in this coun-
try, the successful party candidate regards
himself and is regarded as a representa-
tive only of the men whose votes elected
him. He may have been returned by a
majority of a single vote in his official
| duties he will be expected to represent the
views of that majority, and to disregard
and do all he can in opposition to the OPP
posite views of the minority, who consti-
tute, with the exception of half of vote,
an equal one-half Of the people.
The proposition in New York, looking
! to the cure of this evil in our present rep
resentative system, is to permit voters in
any part of the state to vote for any per-
son they may prefer for member Of the
legislature, whether they reside in the
same district or not. Then, instead of the
person only who receives the majority Of
votes in particular district, every person
who receives not less than certain fixed
number of votes, no matter from what
town or county, to be elected a member.
In this way, minorities will be represent
ed in the same proportion as majorities.
Thus, $4,000 inhabitants are entitled
to have one representative inAcongress. =
Among this number of inhabitants there
are probably 10000 voters. Instead OF
clecting one congressman in Chicago, and
another in the adjacent counties compris-
ing the second district, and SO on, let ev-
cry voter vote only for one candidate, and
let every candidate who shall receive
10000 votes be declared elected. Thus no
man, though his party be in ever so small
a minority in the place of his residence,
would be represented.
The plan proposed would of course OPP
crate as advantageously for one party as
for another, and would be far more equit-
able in it results than the present system
of majority representation. Prominent
members of both political parties in the
New York convention favor It, and are not
without hope of securing its adoption
Chicago Times.