The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-11-30

the state is entitled, "shall be elected by
" districts, composed of contiguous terri
tory" that, in pursuance of said act, the
legislature of South Carolina, March 3,
1874, passed law dividing the state into
five congressional districts, the third being
composed of Richland, Newberry, Abber-
vile, Laurens, Anderson, Oconee and
Pickens counties that these counties are
not contiguous" Richland county-in
which Is the state capital and which Is the
largest and most important county In the
district, both in point of wealth, popula-
ton and inhuence-is not 7" contiguous to
{" any other portion of the other counties
composing the district, but ais separated
from them by counties forming portions
"of other congressional districts and
that this is sin palpable aud intention
I" al violation of the law of congress,
illegally constituted, and not entitled to
representation.
1t is not our purpose, this morning, to
inquire how far congress has the power,
under the constitution, to provide that con-
gressional districts shall be composed of
contiguous territory Whether or not
this power is granted by the provisions that
congress shall apportion the representatives
among the several states according to pop
ulation, and that congress may, at any
time, make or alter the regulations as to
the "times, places and manner" of holding
elections for representatives-and these are
all the provisions there are on the subject
is for congress to determine, as it is the
sole judge of the elections, returns and
qualifications of its own members. The
its political aspects, and is a new one, this,
we believe, being the first attempt to con.
stitute congressional districts out of terri
tory not contiguous-ce the ques-
ton has never been brought to the atten-
ton of congress before. IL the district is
allowed to remain as constituted and to be
represented in congress, new system of
"Gerrymanderipg" will have been intro
duced and will, without doubt, be extern
sively followed, with the intent and effect
of destroying the power of minorities and
placing all political power in the hands of
majority, no matter how small it may
be- The object is worthy of South Caro-
lima and of the halycon days of the rule of
that good old Moses.
To Massachusetts belongs whatever of
honor may pertain to inventng clergyman
| dering, and her example has been followed
by all of her sister states, each, how ever,
keeping up seeming regard to contieuity
of territory. Prior to 1911, the year of its
invention, the state had been nearly equal
| ly divided between the federal and demo-
cratic parties, the senate being alternately
republican and democratic by one or two
majority. In 1911, the governor and both
branches of the legislature were for the
| first time, with single exception, demo
cratic, and the party determined to take
measures to perpetuate their power, at
least in the legislature. Heretofore, the
senatorial districts had been formed with
| out division of counties and according to
their natural geographical position, but,
this year, counties were divided, and, es-
pecially Worcester and Essex, in the divi-
sion, all considerations of propriety or con-
venience we're disregarded, and the only
attention paid TO geographical position was
| to make the several towns of district con-
| tiguous to another, and this was accomp-
| lished, in many instances, by making the
corner of one town touch the corner of an
other. The sole object being to secure the
election of democratic senate, and in this
they succeeded, as was shown by the next
election. In 1912, the federal candidate
tor governor was elected by handsome
majority, while fifiy-ono thousand seven
hundred and fifty-sx federal vottS only
elected eleven senators, and fifty thousand
one hundred and sixty-four democratic
votes elected twenty mine senators in
other words, the democrats with minority
of sixteen hundred and two votes had
nearly three times as much political power
as the federalists.
| This system of districting states derived
its name of "Gerrymandering" in this wise
In Essex county, the new arrangement Of
towns was singular and absurd, and the ac
defining the bounds of the district was ap
proved and signed by Elbridge Gerry, ther
governor of Massachusetts. Major Ben
jamin Russell, the able and learned editor
of the Oentine1, the federal organ, who hat
used his utmost exertions to defeat the bill
took map of Essex county and, with an
propriate coloring, designated the districts
thus created, and placed it on the wall OF
his editorial room. Buckingham, in his
"Reminiscences, relates that Gilbert Stuart
the eminent portrait painter, saw it, and
saying that the towns resembled some
monstrous animal, took pencil, and with
a few touches added what might represent
a head, wings, claws and tail, and then,
pointing at it, said "There, that will dc
" for salamander." Russell looked up
from his writing to the hideous figure, and
exclaimed "Salamander call 1t Gerry
" mander." The word became part OF
the political vocabulary, and Stuart's pic.
ture was engraved, and with "natural
I" and political history of the clergyman
der was made to do service in future
political campaigns. And SO the ord
"Gerrymasder" becamee engrafted on our
politics and its practice into general use.
Those curious In such matters will find an
engraved copy of Stuarts picture in Los
sings "Field Book of the War of 1872"
This system of distrcting states has now
become 80 common that it is taken as a
matter OF course, and excites no surprise I;
but, in 1911, it was as great an innovation
on the established order of things as it
would be, to-day, for Rutland and Frank
lin counties TO be placed in one congress
sional district and Orleans and Bennington