Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1870-12-21
Speech OF
HON. WILLIAM A. WALLACE,
Delivered in Philadelphia, Dee. ~. 1870.
A fair Apportionmcnt Bill and fair
Elections.

! wallace, Lewis 1. cassidy and others.
Mr.. Wallace's speech was on the sub.
jcct of the next Gpportionment, as
affected by the approaching special
election We give condensed report
as follows:
SENATOR WALLACE said: Fli0W.
citizens Of ne First Senatorial District
In opening, permit me to say that,
during a somewhat extended term in
the State Senate, il has been my for.
tune again and again to be called
upon by gentlemen, prominent in your
city, with the inquiry why this meas
ure and that measure have received
our sanction, and why we, Of tho rural
districts, have not stayed the wheels
OF legislation until the press and the
people Of your city are heard from
A brief glance at our position there
will answer these queries. You elect
four enuemen to represent you in
the Senate; they come clothed with
official garb, and when they unite in
the endorsement ofany measure purely
local, and ask its passage as the desire
of their constituents, what right have
TO assume that it is not your wish
Ny people elect me to take care OF
their interests, and in matters affecting
my district alone | should feel
deeply aggrieved if my right to judge
of their wishes and wants were ques
toned by Philadelphia Senator
Thus, quitting myself in their place,
acquiescc in their right to represent
you. They are your agents; the guar
dams of yourintcrcsts, and their voice;
arc potent on all questions in whicl
you alone arc concerned How vita
then is it that, in matters affecting th,
interests Of this great city, you should
be faithfully and honestly represented
and how important to all Of you-is it
that the best man named should b,
elected.
Send TO US such men rs your candi
date, and we will hear fewer CON
plants Of the wrongs pcrpetrated a
Harrisburg upon your people an,
your rights. The evil, if such ther,
be, is at your home, and here at thl
ballot box You must apply the remedy
By the fat Of Providence, the Senate
is today equally divided. This con
test TO decide its political complexion
is, in every sense, a State one. Thr
division of the commonwealth int
congressional, senatorial and reprcson
tatiyo districts; the possible call for
convention TO revise the State consti
tuition, and the mode of selecting thl
representatives thereto are the grea
questions to bo disposed Of in tn
coming session In the adjustmen
Of matters of so grave moment, NJ
narrow partisanship should prevail
but so far as it is consistent with thl
character Of our institutions, ever
, shade of sentiment should be repre-
/ senlcd, and every individual vote
made the equal of bis fellow. In thi
way alone can we approximate thr
true standard of representative gov
ernmont
BY the election of Col. Deckert I,
tho Senate, the Democrats will contro
that body The Republicans already
have the House aud the Governor
and a fair apportionment Of the State
, and an impartial distribution of dele
gates to the State Convention Of on
should be called will be made. Tb,
conflicting interests of the two parties
in view of the mandatory provision
Of the constitution, viii be harmonizod
and the councils Of reasonable anl
reasoning men in the legislature vii
prevail. Give both branches of In
1 legislature again TO the Republicai
g party, and the force Of party drill, th
necessity for party success, and th
desires of ambitious men within it
ranks will outweigh tho calmor iudg
/. ment Of fair minded men.
4 We seek but a fair bill aud an hon
est apportionmcnt. This is the issu
; in this canvass, fora partisan majoril.
will again dislrauchise and outrage lb
people as they were disiianchised AM
e outraged by the iniquitous measures q
1862 and 1864.
I. See the figures and the facts to SUI
u port this assertion;
In 1864, the total vote for Congrcs
, y was 497 ,Ss2 l6 Republicans electo
- had 25i sos votes, or 1925 vote
each; s Democrats elected had 243
GA votes, or 30,3S4 votes each I,
r quired to elect a Democrat more tha
Republican, l4,l59 votes; who
Republican majority, l.734j for whic
they obtained Congressman.
In 1866, the total vote was $685.
rs Republicans elected had 3O2, ,l6
I! votes, or l6,S03 votes each 6 Dcm
Gratis elected had POI ,OS0 votes, or As
5l3 votes each required TO elect
Democrat moro than n Rcpublica
OF 31,7lO votes; whole Republican M
ie jority, II ,3S2 votes for which the
obtained II Congrcssmen.
To 1868, tho total vote was 65l ,9l'
IN 3 Democrats elected, who were turn,
ct out, viz Mofiat, Reading aud Fostc
leaving IS Republicans, who had 32g
642 votes, or 1880 votes each
Democrats, who had 800 ,876 votes,
53,7l2 votes each required TO elect
Democrat more than "a Republican 81
400 votes. Whole Republican maioi
iy was 1906 for which they obiainl
by the gerrymander and the comm
70 tee on the elections y Congrcssmo
In 1870, leaving ont of Wow Il
y second district, and ! 1872 indeponde
votes in the Allegheny district, Il
whole congressional vote was 5l2. 90
ie Eleven Democrats elected had 256 81
votes. Twelve Republicans elect
bad 256,l72, leaving n Democrat