, 1870-07-19
Minority Representation nud Nlu.
naciPnI Subscriptions to Huu-
rrndM. etc.

1ONANs EtGs
To thx Editor Of The Chicago Tribune:
1t iB to be regretted tlst the Schedule to our
new constitution vas not go carefully Az
ranged, condensed, and scrutinized By the
convention and it's Committee Of Revision as
was the hody Of the constitution. II was last
considered amid great anxiety Of members to
adjourn and return to their homes. A ScheJ-
ule Is designed TO provide for temporary Ell
gencies before 3 constitution has full force
and effect, and for the transition.
Section Of Article OF the constitution re-
q,ircs the General Assembly in 1871 to appor-
ton the state into disty-one Senatoria! Dis
s1icts. IN each Of which 8 Senator shall there-
after DO elected. The section IN reiatioa to
minority representation, which will follo* in
the place Of sections and 8, provides for the
atorial District "a At the general election in the
year Of cur Lord la722, and every two yea-s
thcfeAfter:" nnd voters may cast az many
votes for one candidate as there are Repre-
sentatiyes to be elected, etc. Can this pIin-
cple be spilled to elections before thst time7
Section Is Of the Schedule, provides that the
Senate Of 1s71 shall consist Of only afty mem
bers, composed Of Senators holding over in
the twenty-five existing Senatorial Districts
And new SenAto1s elected to I'll vacancies IN
such dsstticts and one new Senate. for esch
district, to be elected for i term Of two yeafs.
Senators AID Representatives to be n2ie st
the session Of 1871.
Section 1s Of tho Schedule requires the Gov
ernor and Secretary Of State to fix '4the ap-
rostionuent OF State for mambezs Of the drst
House OF Representatives under this conslitu-
tion," to be bAsed On the latest census, and the
Governor to announce the SANG officially Oh or
before the 23th OF 6eptember. 1870. Such sp-
rortionment to be rnAde strictly in accordance
With the rules md principles tn the Article Of
the Legislative Department Had the couven-
tiou designed that the Tu1s Of minority repre-
sanitation .houh be applied this fall, st1 mem-
bers OF the House OF Representatives might
have bean elected in each existing Senatorial
District
Its true thzt the proviso to Section II, in
the separate section on minority suffrage are
both adopted, the l4tter shau be substituted
for the sections u the fegialAtive article for
districting hA House Of Representatives by
ratio and couuputation. When ehail It be 80
substtuted1 The eectiu1 Of n1iuodty repre-
sentzton informs rs: 81 At the general eleo-
ton in the year OF cur Lord 1871
XCS1lrA SUBSCRIPTIONS 70 RAILROADS A1p
P2IvA11 coEPoRAI1oSs-
When does this section take Affect and be-
come P1zt Of tho fundamental Law OF the
State? Section Il OF lhe- Schedule provides
that returns OF the election On tho constitution
and eeparzte articles md sections shall be
made to the Secretary OF State within twenty
days AFTER the election, and be eanvaased By
the Auditor, Treasurer, and Secretary Of State
within five days thereafter, In tie presence Of
the Governor. md the Governor shall forth
With, By proclamation: announce the result Of
the c1nyass-
Section Il provides that, Il it shall appenr
that majority Of the yoteA cast are q for the
new constitution" then 50 much Of tho cor
stitutsm ss Was not separately submitted shall
be the supreme Law OF the State on and
after August 8. 1870. Il then provides
thai 1ny Of the sepayate articles, except mi
nosity representation, re:sivlus 5 uaiorAy Of
the votes cast upon it shall rs pa1t OF the CON
stlt1taon Of the State, although the oarts not
separately submitted ire not adopted. AHA
majority Of the votes po1led are for tho Sec
tion relating 70 municipal subscriptions to
rAaroAds o. Wlvate coEpo1stions,~ d., - then
aueh q said secsons - shall receive u1atorisy
shan be part Of tho constitution Of The
state IN inclined to think that under said
Sections u and 1e Of the Schedule Ill Of the
Articles and sections separately submitted, ex-
cept minority representation, wn b part Of
the constitution Of the State whsn it u official
y asceItaned and aunounced By proclamation
o. no doFe1nnr that they received \ mstonty
i wlu BE- further seen that tho section as
caued N the Schedule or articles a. denoHi-
nsted IN isa pxov3so forhida Ill Bocn aopect1p-
uona7 ADD tha p1oFiso to the aAme only eAFes
1rom it's opeTation easss wheSe toase u vote
81 the people in favur Of such subscriptions
prior to such adopton. Respectfully,
Tx- II. O3nERwoon.
July Is, 1870. .'~ '-