, 1870-07-13

WHEN MINORlTY REPRESENTATION
GOES INTO EFFECT.

WHEN MINORITY REPRESENTATION
GOES INTO EFFECT.
The Nimes continues to worry its reade,s
with the idea that the House Of Represent
atiSes cannot be elected this fall under
Sections and 8 Of the new constitution,
because, as it claims, those sections have
been superseded by the adoption of the
Minority Representation section
We presume it will be conceded that the
Did oon(stiitution will cease to exist On the
sth Of ne1t August and that the new oon-
stitutipn will then come into force and
thereafter be the supreme Law Of the State.
The House of Representatives has been
chosen, since April !, l84S, under the pro
visions Of the Legislative article of the old
constitution; but that can nolongerbe done.
The old constitution, twenty six days hence,
will be numbered among the things Of the
mast No House of Representatives can be
elected from the districts which chose the
last House. Let the Times pnt any cot
struction it pleases on the new constltu-
tion, it cannot torture OF twist it to show
that it is possible to elect the next House
from the old Legislative Districts.
Then how shall it be chosen, and Of how
n1suy members shall it consist? The
minority representation proviso says that it
shall consist of three times the num-
ber Of the members Of the Senate; but
TINT clearly refers to the House elected in
1872, md thereafter
Section Is Of the Schedule, specifically
provides that the Senate, at its first ses-
aion under this constitution, shall consist
Of fifty membe1a, and they shall be chosen
from the existing Senate Districts-two
from each district, where the term Of Sen
atots expire with this year, and one from
each district where q Senator holds over
two wears longer. The next section
provides that the General Assembly, at It's
first session held after the adoption Of this
constitution, shall proceed to appo1tion the
State fer members of the Senate and
House, IN accordance with the provisions
Of the article On the Legislative Depart
ment. Examine Section Of that article
and it will be seen that the Legislature is
directedto appoution the State for ten
year, into .Uzy-one Senatorial. Dis
t1icts, under the census Of 1870.
And the minority clause says that three
Representatives shall be elected in each
Senatorial District -manifestly referring to
those 6fty-one Senatorial Districts which
are to be created this winter by the Iegis-
latrue.
This disposes Ct the Senate. There is
no doubt or ambiguity as to how it shall be
elected this fnll, or its number, or term Of
Office.
II we accept The Times construction
of the new constitution, that the House
must be elected this fall, under the minori-
ty clause, there are only twenty-five sena-
torial Districts but there Will be fifty Sen.
ators; and that clause specifically declares
that the House shall consist Of thre6 times
the number of the members Of the Senate.
But three times twenty-five are only
seyenty-fiye Senatora But to elect the
requisite number of Representatives,
it will be necessary to CHOOSE six members
from each district, and there is no authori-
ty for so doing IN the minority section OF
in any other provision Of the new constitu.
ton.
Rn+ har shall +ba Hn,7ea ba a1ectad tbi.
fsn !, That ,7;e+r;cta and NJ what nnznbe,
Of members sha,l it be composed? We
hava a,,own fhat il cannot be elected from
tbs old Hense Districts as they cease to e1
81 aftsr ~, stb Of Ane,st 1870
m -.l--- -. s--.-..4
for tna5s temporary continuance
rs II tea sase Of the Senate Dis
tEacts' Ne1t II posslnle to elect them un
de1 tue 1n1no11ty Pfosaslons But let tht
reader tu1n to the thirteenth sechor
OF the Schedule, and there he vii
find written the following mandate
lmmeola'elS atter the Adoption
OF TINS constitution tAngast y the Gov.
efhof ana secretary OF esate shall pfoceeo
10 ascertain ano M Inc ePpo1uohment ol
the etate Tor members OF the J1st douss
OF Representatives, under this constitution
1he apport1on.nent shall be based On tht
Federal censns OF 1870 OF the state OF II,
nois, and shall be made stz'osiy IN accord
ance with the rules and provisions an
nounoed IN the article on the Legislative
Department -......
sechoo Il says: Inc distl1ctS shan Ok
regularly nu1oe1eo W Luz s'se1e'aty u
ota'e' commencing VIII ALEXANDER oonn1!
no. l., anu Ptoteeaus nuencs nottnWx'u
etc. ana on 1nesday af1er tne nfst hon
day IN November, a - ioto' tne mem
oers OF the Rfse house Oh nepfesen'anves
naoet .n's cons''in''on, s'ot4 W. e,ec't's
aeco1utne ~ '0e 1PPois4'.1lnus u4eo Al'
announced lis 41oIeseAus AAu ht5aA NU1t