, 1870-06-20

Take another case Suppose one gazg p
district to have 6.060 votes, and the othaf
party 3, 100, ard tho former to have rupture
in their ranks and run two tickets II eacl fAc-
tion viii support but oneL Legislative candidate,
they arc sure Of efectmg tNo members ana
If each ahould run two candidates, they Woulo
ktill elect two, because one OF the factions
would cast more rotes than the minozitJ
party. But suppose the stronger party
numbered &, 600, and the weaker 5000 votes,
and the former quarTcled, and put In the
field TWO tickets, they would still manage to
elect one OF tho threo members and perhaps
two, whereas under the present system they
It Is needless to multiply further examples
Of the admirable manner In which the cuuo11-
latiye vote system protects the rights Of both
nlajorities and minortica.
TIE INCREASED POWER or THE yoTR.
The Increased power Of the voter, uuder TO
liberty conferred by tho proposed amendment,
may be chus contrasted with the existing re-
st1ictions. i citizen may now cast one vote
for A. B and C.. II he erases 4 from his tick
ct, he loses one-thnd Of his voting power. II
he aleo erases ., only one-third Of it remains.
But under the free ballot. he may Distribute
his voting power in any OF the following WAYS:
Fox 4, one vote 3, one vote; c, ono vote
OF, for A, two votes and B one vote, or uace
reTsa or, for c, OF B, or A, three votes; OF
for aud A, or A and {, or B aud C, ono-and.
t-Ealf votes cach- In other words, the citizen
approaching the polls With right to vote for
three candidates for the same Lind Of Office, il
at liberty to distribute or camulate his vot ing
power as he secs fit, without losing any Of it,
Thus, by this system, the citizen remains in
possession Of his complete franchise, and at
tho same time tho theory Of democratic repro
sentative government is redncsd to practice.
and the minority, through the agents Of thoir
personal choice, speaks, argues, protests, and
votes IN the law-mnking body.
coNcLUDISH HEMAREg.
The adoption Of this great refosm would do
much towards abating the baneful api1it Of
partisan aninoaity, and ramoving the temp
tations and opportunities which now
exist for the corrupt use ei Of
the deliberate frauds on The purity Of the BAL
lot-hox, becoming so alarming and frequent.
It will tend powerfully to relieve the voter
from the despotiHm OF party caucusee, and Ut
the same timo coustran party leaders TO e1er-
cise more care in selecting candidates Tor law
makers. There is nothing which will more
cffcctual1y put m end to the practice OF pack
with this t1sree-Bhooter OF triple ballot power,
whereby he may fro "plumpers" for the can
dilates OF lis choice and against those OF his
ayeraion. II will increase the usefulness OF
the Legislature by improving its membership.
1t will enable yi1tuous citizeus To elect the
ablest and purest men in their midst, and se-
cure to tho legiaiasiTe councils larger NETS
uss Of popular confidence and respect. Bo'
long ait immense MASSES OF citizens feel that
they are unrepresented by agents Of their
choice. or miE1epresented By the agents OF
their opponents, the acts Of the la1-makiug
body will DO regarded with diafaEor, md their
purity with suspicion.
The subject OF proportional representation
is attracting tho earnest and anxious thought
Of the ableAt statesmen and wIiters in Europe,
as well az ii America. The London Itnes,
the great ulunaerer Of the British press, in its
issue Of the 18th OF January, in reply to so1ae
remarks Of John Bright, says: "It may oe
Observed that the principles Mr: Bright Dc;
cries are making extraordinary progress in I'll
countries Of free thought In France the pro-
priety Of providing for the propostionate rep
Fascination of all forms OF opinion haa fsee1
approved by an the foremost Liberal politi-
clans, and the schemes of electoral reform,
which cannot 10 delayed longer than next
year, will undoubtedly be moulded 80 as to se-
vanced. The Constituent Assembly Of Men,
chate1, now in aeHsion, has approved the prin-
cipleg Of pfppoftionate representation of all
the citizens Of the Canton NJ the bsse OF
new electoral lawi and an active and
Gated opinion there to stage but little in
asrcar OF Neuchatei. II We Cross the Atlantic
we meet the eame movement. Tho Personal
Representation Society of New York is sup
puftcd By tho best Of Republicans as veil IS
Of the Democrats Of the States; and in ILL.,
nois-onl tcAat Illinois M1nks to-day Tie
Union till Ai,.E ko-u,orrow-tllo discussion is
passing from theory to practical approval.
VIC can await the future, then, with calmneBs,
more especially when nc read Mr. Bdghts
remarks en- tho representation Of working
men in Parliament, ard fiud him 1iere in direct
collision with his colleague, Mr. Dixou."
It is in thu power Of this convention to give
the people Of Illinois the opportunity to &C.
euro the honor aud glory OF being tho first
among the great sistethood OF States to adopt
this benefcent and truly democratic REFORM
reform that will conform representative gov
eminent to its theory thAt will surely be
copied by oil the rest Of the Union; that will
ipvlgorate and purify our political system and
widen and strengthen the bnBc on which it
rests, md render it better able to resist the
rAvaEan Of tinno and change. and the mora
dangerous assaults OF corruption aud nsuIpa-
ton.
JOSEPH MEpnL Nep.), Cook County,
o. H. BROWNING (Dem.), Adams,
MrIroS HAT QleF.) Sangamon,
4. P OooDsLL Rep.). tFo1uoiB,
H. p. HANNA {Dcn.), Wayne.
CuAa. F. Sp1xSuEH fRep.), Madison,
GEe- T. WEEDL1Na {Dem.) Shelby,
A. H. cnA1d Ind.) }, Knox,
Committee on Electoral and Representative