The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1870-07-23

4Ginog1ey 1opsssensaeaon.
The question whether the minority repre-
sentation principlc in the election Of members
of the Illinois Legislature, which has been
made feature Of our new constitution, is to
obtain IN the election Of representative next
fall, is 80 clearly and extensively treated by
our correspondent &C." in another column,
that little mere seems to remain to be said on
the subject Yet We see with much surprise
that the Chicago Tribune, which for some un-
accountable reason is trying to befog this sub
iect, has succeeded in enlisting on its side
Judge Underwood, who was a distinguished
member of the convention. The Judge writes
letter on the subject, which the Tribune
publishes with flourish. Judge U. gives only
two reasons why the minority section does
not apply to the election OF members Of the
house this fall. The first is, that "Had the
Convention designed that the rule of the mi
norlty representation should be applied this
fall, six members of the house Of Representa-
tives might have been elected in each existing
Senatorial District That is very true; but
Is that any reason why the house should not
be elected by districts to be formed by the
Governor and Secretary of State Strictly in
accordance with the rules aud principles an
nounced in the article on the Legislative De-
partment of this constitution according to
the mandate contained in section Ii of the
Schedule?
The second reason is, that
1T is true that the proviso to Section IL, in
the Schedule, is that if the constitution and the
separate section on minority suffrage are both
adopted the latter shall be substituted for the
sections in she legislative article for districting
the House of Representatives by ratio and com.
putation. When shall it be SO substituted
The section on minority representation informs
US: cat the general election in the year of our
Lord 1872"
Is that true in point of fact Does, in truth,
the section on minority representation " say
that it shall be substituted for sections seven
and eight in the legislative article as printed
in the body of the constitution, at the general
election in the year of our Lord 1927 1t
does not. 1t says nothing whatever rs to the
time when it shall be substituted. The ''mi-
nority representation section was adopted by
vote of the people in preference to sections
seven and eight of the legislative article by
vote on the I'd of July. The Schedule de.
clares that when so adopted, it shall be ''sub.
stituted" for said sections seven and eight.
When substituted can language or inference
be palmer, than the answer, given by section
twelve of the Schedule. which says. "If said
section minority representation shall receive
such majority (of votes), it shall be part OF
the constitution of this state and in case 1T
becomes portion of the constitution, itshall be
substituted for sections seven and eight of the
Legislative article" 1t becomes part of the
constitution, then, when it receives majority
of votes it then displaces sections seven and
eight, and becomes substituted" for them as
part of the constitution of the state, and goel
into effect, as the constitution of which il
forms a part does, on the 9Th of August.
Preliminary to districting the state by the
first general assembly, misrepresentation are to
be chosen from districts to be formed by the
Governor and Secretary, strictly in accor.
,, dance with the rules and principles announ.
ced in the article on the Legislative Depart.
ment." Minority representation is one OF
those "rulcs and principles; Can any thing
be palmer, then, than the duty of the Govern.
or and Secretary in forming the districts?
! 1t is incredible that men of the intelli.
| pence of Judge Cnderwood and the cOnduct.
ors of the 7ribune should resort to such disin.
genuous misrepresentation as they have
done unless they had some disingenurous pro.
.ect in view! Their are all Republicans is il
some party advantage that is the rat lurking
in this worthless meal tub in which they are
endeavering to hide their designs9
NENT CoNGEss.-The New York Sun, q
radical paper, expresses the opinion that I'm
the ensuing election for congressman, the de.
| II