The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1870-07-08

Q common platform OF good and decent
government!
Illinois In the vnn-hinorlty Represcn-
tation.
It is stated that in all probability that
clause in the new Constitution of Illi-
nois which provides for minority repre-
seutation; has been endorsed by thepopu-
lar vote. If so, Illinois is certainly in
the van upon this great question of rep
preventative reform. AS to the peculiar
mode of voting that has been adopted,
we are not fully informed, but if Mr..
hIedill's plan was the one submitted to
Che people of Illinois, the CUMULATIVE
sYsTRM is the system introduced in the
Constitution of Illinois. This has been
thus explained:
''The theory of this is. that, quota
being asoertained as before, each voter
shall have as many votes az there are rep
resentatives to be elected, (either from
the whole State, or from electoral dis
Sficts less than the whole State, as may
Be determined,) and shall be at liberty to
cast them all for one candidate, or divide
them among several, as he pleases. This
plan has been proposed in Congress by
Mr.. Buckalew, of Pennsylvania. It's
operations may be illustrated thus: Mas
lower house of Congress-; each voter has
ten votes; he may give them to ten can
didates, one to each, or he may cumulate
them upon q less number than ten, even
10 one. One.tenth Of the voters may
thus be sure of a representative, if they
choose to unite upon one person. Thus,
suppose the number of voters to be 2O0,-
600, and each with ten votes, making
1000, 900 votes in all, of which 100000
shall be sufficient to elect, the friends of
any one candidate might secure the con-
centration or emulation of the 100000
votes cast by 10000 voters, and those
would have one representative, though
all the remaining votes we're cast for one
person. In practice, no doubt, tickets
Kould be made up by the two parties,
and each party would send representa-
tives merely proportionate to its con-
stItuency."
Our contemporaries OF the Sumter
Watchm,an, Charleston Ne,cs, and the
Spartanburg Spartan, call attention to
the importance of minority representa-
tion. We hope that this matter will re-
eeive the attention it merits. No reform
is moro demanded than this.
-~~e
The rejection Of Whittemore by the
House Of Representatives raises the
question whether there is vacancy in
the First Congressional District of South
Oarolina, and also whether it becomes
the duty of 1.-THE Governor of the State
to issue his proclamation and order an
other election to fill the position for the
nnexpired portion of the Forty-6rst
Congress. If the House send an official
notification Of its action to Governor
Scott, he must recognize tho fact that
vacancy exists. The House is the con-
stitutional judge of the election and
qualification of its members, and having
declared Whittemore disqualified to take
seat in that body, of course his cleo.
ion is void and his place vacant. In o
recent letter, Whittemore says he will
again submit his case to the people, and
will energetically persevere in the mat
ter, until Congress is forced to regard
the votes of black electors as favorably
as those of white
--%-e
An infuriated COW, in Glen Cove, New
York. gored young lady to death, on
the 3D. The name of tha v;ot;ro ,uoo