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

nearer home, even IN the composition o.
THIS Senate, and the inequality of repre-
sehtation and the same injustice could
be shown To exist For my part, car
see no reason why the few Democrats in
the benighted district composed of The
counties Ashtabula, Lake and Geauga
ought not to be represented on this
hooI, They are not SO represented now.
~ all political measures that come before
this body, for the member from that di,
trlct was sent here TO do any thing in
the world but represent them in that re-
Spect. Aud not wishing ia be at all per.
sonal, but simply for an illustration, take
the case of the 18th Senatorial district.
The Senator from that district received
6,363 votes and his opponent of the op.
poSite party received 5,fl6 votes. Now,
for all purposes the 5,fle are not reure,
sented here. Their voice il not heard
on this floor. They are practically dis.
tranchised, Their aid iu making the laws
is delusion,
These illustrations are sufficient TO
show that there is defec. in oar repre-
sentative system. They show that our
theory of self government, wherein ev.
cry man is supposed to make laws for
himself, by his represent ative. is untrue,
for nearly one,half the electoral body.
Now, what is the remedy? What do
we propose? Why, the proposition il,
to give to each and TO all the people a
voice in making the laws. 1t is TO give
to the minority representation, and to
permit that unfortunate class to be heard
in the halls OF legislation.
w recognized the principle last win
ter that the minority should be repre-
sented, by providing that in the forma
tlon of the board of judges of elections,
the person receiving the highest number
Of votes of the defeated party, should
constitute one of the Judges. This was
upen the principle that the minority
should he represented there. The same
principle prevails in Pennsylvania in
making up their board of inspectors of
elections, both political parties always
have member in the board. the same
principle could be applied to the election
OF township trustees aid county com
mssioners, But Ao~ it should be appli-
ed in any case is the great question.
The subject of providing the best
mode of securing representation to the
people, is comparatively new question.
The old method of giving the entire re-
presentation TO the majority prevailed
ior years, without exciting much
thought or comment. 1t was, and is,
such an improvement upon any other
system OF government, and cost so
much blood and treasure TO secure it,
that the people have guarded the right
of representation as now understood and
practlced, with the greatest care and vi
gilanee. But several modes have been
proposed to improve our system, only
two OF which will be noticed at this
time, viz; The limited or restricted
vote, and the cumulative vote, In the
State of Pennsylvania, when voting in
spcctors are chosen, the electors vote for
one Inspector, and two are chosen. In
stead OF voting for two, their laws say
they shall vote for but one, that is, their
vote is limited or restricted, This plan
or system of voting secures TO the Mi
nority throughout the State representa-
tion upon every inspectors board. No
one can fail to see that a board of Judges
to inspect the elections, composed of one
member of each of the opposing politi-
cal parties, would tend greatly to secure
honesty aud fairness iu the elections.
The people are all represented upon the
board. Their agent is there 10 speak
tor them, and to protect their interests
They are there to see that each member
OF the great political parties is fairly
dealt by, and has the right and privilege
of voting. This result is obtained 6y
the limited or restricted vote. 1t can be
very easil y seen that when all the in
Spectors of electiuns are members of the
same political party, and are jealous par
tizans, rs they are apt to be, frauds will
creep in, or at least the temptation is
very great, for men will-do almost any
thing in politics to secure the triumph
OF their party, even to straining their
consoiences and their 0aths. The restricted
vote securing 10 the minority representation
upon the inspectors board abolshes this
temptation TO fraud, and compels each party
to vote, under the scrutiny of the other, II
this principle can be successfully and salts
fnctorily applied in making up the judges of
elections It would he difficult to see why it
cannot he made to apply in the election of al
most all the officers IN the gift of the people.
In 1867, Lord Cairns, in the British House
of Lords, offered an amendment to bill
from the House of Commons In these words
rAt any contested election, for any county or
borough represented by three members, no
person shall vote for more than two candi-
dates" After proiracted and exhaustive de.
bate, in which the greatest minds in England
this amendment was adopted by
both Houses is now law. By this law the
are represented in the House OF
Commons The practical working of this
law secures to the minority one member and
te the majority two members in almost every
election district in Great Britain. By dividing
our States into suitable election districts, the
same law can be applied to the election of
members of Congress, State Senators and Rep
and Presidential Electors.
Inow pass to the consideration of the plans
Of voting proposed by the resolution-I mean
the cumulative vote. The resolution provides !
that the Stale DO divided into election districts
Dfsuch size as would enttle each district to at |
least three Senators and three Represents
tives. Now, what is cumulative yo,ing? 1t |
is this: That when there ale two or more Of: |
hcers TO be elected, and each elector may be-
stow all his votes upon one candidate, or he
may distribute his votes among all the eandi
dates, US he thinks proper. In The districts as
nl, L.. |