Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1871-02-11

Wncn one class OF citizens have and DOS
sess rights aud privileges denied TO 9TH
ers, and the very elemental idea of our
government, is that power emenates
from all the people. In theory the town
meeting and the school district wherein
all the people have voice, is the source
OF authority and power. This theory is
perfection, and il is the product of all
political progress. 1t is the sum total
of all that mankind has learned, but in
our practice this system so develops IL.
self, that five hundred men make the
laws for and govern four hundred and
ninety-nine of their neighbors, and in all
political action, the feelings aud the in-
terests of the four hundred and ninety
nine are entirely ignored and forgotten.
Hence l say, that our practice, under
theory that is perfect, is imperfection.
Aud how to make the theory and prac-
tice alike perfect and complete, and
thereby TO enable each unit in the vast
whole, to make his voice heard and felt
in moulding and onacting the laws is
the problem of problems.
The representative form of govern
ment originated among our anoesters in
the forests of Germany. The northern
conquerors, after overrunning the Ro-
man Empire, found it impracticable to
assemble all their people, in the great
council OF the nation, as was their for
mer practice, and il became necessary TO
select delegates, who should represent
the people and make the laws. And
this system of representation is the only
means whereby the people can be heard
III the halls OF Legislation where the pop
ulation is numerous and the territory
widely extended. This is our SYSTEM
Ours is said to be a government of the
people, by the people, and tor tho peo-
Pile" meaning thereby that all the cleo
toral body help to make the laws. We
boast that all the people aid in eracting
the laws, and that in yielding obedience
thereto, they are consenting to their
own sovereign will and pleasure, while in
truth laws are enacted, and we are gov
erned, 10y the sovereign will OF partizan
majority. We say that no man is COM
PEELED to obey a law that he does not
aid in forming, while in fact, he obeys
the will of two of his neighbors. Our
fundamental princi pie is self-government
This is the rock upon which we stand,
and we say thereby that all the people
within the jurisdiction of the laws, and
who are to be at all affected by their op-
Grafton have voice in their formation.
1t will be readily seen that we nave not
reached this result in practice, and that
instead Of the whole political body par
ticipatiDg in the making ofthe laws, on
ly a part Of the people have a voice
therein, and the question is how we can
so perfect our representation, Us in fact
to reach and practice the glorious prin
ciple of seli-government.
Now, what ,ocurs at our cleo ions
The caucus system generally prevails,
and the States are divided into districts
by one party or the other, as the case
may be, to further party ends and pur-
poses, and it very often so happens that
a majority i'll Congress or the State Leg
islatures represent minority of the peo-
Pile. The respective parties put in nom
ination their candidates, the election
takes place, and in counting up the re.
suit, the whole minority party, although
that minority may comprise but one less
than half of the whole electoral body,
are left entirely out of the count and are
wholly unrrpresented. And after the
members take tlier seats in Congress- or
the Legislatures, the same principle is
acted upon, and there the minority is
wholly Ignored, and might better be at
home, although in fact, that minority
may represent the majolity of the peo-
pie, . ......
In every free government there will
q ways exist opposing political parties.
This results from the constitution of the
human mind and the very hature of
things. Honest men view things in dit
ferent lights. We naturally array our
selves on different sides of almost every
question that arises. And the fact is
to growth and health in free
government. 1t causes competition and
Investigation. 1t evolves thought, and
thereby, progress. 1t brings mind in
contact with mind, intellect with intel
ect, and this is development aud growth.
But our political machinery ought to be
SO arranged as that no man shall pay a |
penalty tor his honest convictions. Be |
;ause a citizen is Democrat or Re- |
publican, he ought not to be disfranchis-
I'd thereby, or, what is equivalent there.
%, to be simply permitted to vote for a
representative whom he knows before
,and will be defeated. He thus loses
his vote, throws il away, and for all
practicable purposes and results, might
IS well be distranchised entirely. In the
operation of our system, this is the pre-
Use result, Men are disfranchised for
III purposes, and counted out of the self
governing class, because they happen to
belong to one party or the other, as the
ase may be. so that in the grand result
'ur forty millions OF people are govern
ID and controlled, and the destiny of
he nation for good or evil, is welded by
wenty millions and one of our citizens
Who happen to belong to the majority
'arty,
Let MS put a few examples to illus
rate This idea. In the State of Massa-
husetts at the late election, the relative
trepgth Of the two opposing parties,
vas as two to one, that is TO say the re-