Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1873-08-21
MINORITY REPRESENTATION.
speech Of Hon. mills Gardner, OF Fay
cite County, In the Ohio COnstifu-
IiOnaI Convention Aug. 5. '53o

NIX OHAIRAAN-1 snail vote Tor the
pending amendment. This is the
only question on which the Committee
on the Judicial Department was divi-
ded, and it presents squarely the ques-
ton OF small or large districts, and
the question of proportional represen-
tation.
First-PrOportional representation
is a system contrived to aid minori-
| ties in representative bodies. 1t was
originally intended to keep in check
the undue advantage which majorities
were supposed to have over minori
ties. The reason for its adoption, if
reason there is, can only apply in
cases where the minority is liable to
be imposed upon, or their rights not
properly respected by the controlling
party. This can properly have no
application except where obligations,
duties, and limitations are imposed by
Legislative authority; where great pub
lie questions, which are to affect the
rights of property by legislative enact
ment-questions which must in their
nature assume to be partisan and po-
litical. democratic and Republican
| governments do not occupy the posi-
ton of either monarchical or quasi
monarchical governments. The Dem
ocratic government is a government
of the people directly; tie Republican
is & government of the people indi-
rectiy, or representative government
and in either form it is essentially a
government of the majority, and can
| T,n hn ole q hI
adoption of the doctrine of proper
tional representation in any manner
change it in this regard.
It is not claimed that the system
will make it other than a government
of the majority. And it is only be-
cause the system of government is
representative that it is claimed For
l understand the advocates of this
theory to concede that if the govern
ment was purely Democratic-that is,
if the people in mass made the laws
or DEGREES, then, the minority being
permitted to assemble in mass with
the majority, and their voice being
heard and their views considered, that
the decision of the majority as
against the minority should be conclu-
sive Of the matters in controversy
that fifty one of the one hundred as
sem5led should dictate and control
all questions as against the forty nine
opponents.
But our system being an elective
representation government, and not 6
pure democracy, it is argued that such
means should be devised as would in
sure the right to the minority to elect
their proportional share of the repre-.
sentatives, SO that in council by the
representatives the minority should be
heard through its fair proportion o.
representation.
The true condition of a rcpresen
tative government, however, must be
kept in mind. The people in mass
are the true and real sources of power
The questions before the people are
the things that divide them into par
ties, and upon which alone there car
be majority and minority opinions, anG
it is this division of sentiment of the
people that make and constitute par
ties. And the people as much decide
these questions in the election of thei
Representatives as they could do il
mass convention, and are therefore
heard fully in the very act of selecting
the representatives of their opinions
Now, if the majority are to control
does it not do SO amply in this act o
selection
If the majority are to be recognized
as the controlling and ruling element
it cannot be changed by the principle
OF proportional representation, be
cause the representative body will b
composed of those representing tn
people in proportion to the sentimen
of the people. Hence the representa-
tive body must have such a majority
as will be proportionate to the prevail
ing sentiment OF the people, else it il
not proportional representation );
and if this system does anything NOR
or less than this, it is misnomer, an
may be fraudulent. Then what is al
tanned by this system What progres
is made in the so called reform, 0
, the so called advanced civilization =?
Are you not just where you started
' The minority have no advantage the
did not have in the election, were
to be decided by the people in mas
|
ty is as helpless as in the mass cor
vention. In either the minority speak
the law and controls the minority, an
I it is proper it should do so.
. The consideration of the questio
thus far has not disclosed any reaso
for the adoption of this principle, b.
cause have been considering it pure
ly in the light of what its advocate
}. claim for it in principle. ButI appr,
hend that the advocates of this theor
a are not content to consider this que
ton purely in the light of what tt
term proportion representation" rea
: ~ imports, but they carry the thin;
in its practical application, much b
7 yond this. No application of Il
principle, either by the restrictive
cumulative vote. is or can be pract
!! cally proportional representative"
= 1t is system that tends to give ii
minority not proportional represent
tn ton, but control and power, and
i make the minority the ruling elemen
re and put in subordination thereto Il
or majority.
Q, By the restrictive-vote system,
Qe qs the first place, the right to vote al
$ elect is impaired. If two candidat
: only are to be elected, however lar,
the majority may be, they can on
vote for one candidate, and howev
small the majority is it will secure t
election of one. There is and can
no proportional representation in til
case. The minority are made in all l
spects equal to the majority. If thr
candidates are to be chosen the sy
:. tenn limits the right of the elector