The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1870-10-01
An Opinion as is an Opinion.

One of the most comlcal muddles into which
radlcalid dishonesty and want of principle ever
involved the minor leaders of that party was
that which grew out of the duty imposed
upon Governor Palmer, by the late constitu-
tional convention, to apportion this state for
representatives to the next legislature. In the
first place, the simple question presented to
the governor was, shall the state be appor-
toned according to the minority representa-
ton article of the new constitution, which the
people adopted, or according to sections and
Z of the alternate article, which the people re-
jecteda An honest governor, simply DESTROYS
of consulting the wishes of the people as ex-
pressed by $4,000 majority would have had
no difficulty in the matter, for the new consti.
tuition was SO plain on the question that
'none but fool could err therein" But
such an apportionment might seriously en-
danger the desired radical majority in the
next legislature, which has a L. S. senator to
elect, position Gov. Palmer himself wouldn't
refuse to take. So he preferred to apportion
the state under the deiunct sections 6 and Z,
which gave him more latitude in fixing up
the districts in amanner to favor "loyal inter
ests." Accordingly he set himself about max
ing the apportionment and the work went on
smoothly enough until he came to Cook coun-
ty, but here he ran against the biggest kind of
q snag. The defunct sections divided Cook
county into three representative districts, and
then provided that no district should have
more than .tice representatives,. This would
give Cook county but Is representatives,
whereas on the basis Of Mr.Palmcr's apportion-
ment, Cook would be entitled to 90 represent
tatives. How to get these other seven
radical members from Cook, was the conun-
drum The language of sections and was
so plain that Palmer had to give it up. Not
so the little radical leaders, however. A big
committee went to Springfield from Chicago
and laborcd with Palmer two days. Then he
surrendered so far as to say, " If you Will Get
an opinion from Attorney General Wash. Bush
nell justitying my reputation of the plain
language Of the sections, will yield.' How
it was worked this deponent saith not Wash.
Bushnell is clever and obliging, and probably
his good natured was appealed to,-at ali
events he complied, and gave the desired
opinion. All we shall say about it is that the
meanest thing Palmer and the rest of them
ever did TO Wash. Bushnell was to publish it.
The substance Of it is, that though the con-
struction sought to be placed upon the de-
funct sections 6 and 7. so as to give Cook
county Z more representatives, cannot be
supported by the language of those sections .
am still Of opinion that 1t was the intention
OF the convention ito establish an equal,
though somewhat artificial system of repre-.
sentatlon, winch should apply to all counties
alike and therefore ! think Cook county is
entitled to as many representatives according
to population as any other county. And this.
after the convention, in thus cutting down the
representation of Cook county had put it en-
pressly upon the ground of compac,ness of
population, &c O, Washington. who would
have thought this of you.