The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1877-02-14
THE "GERRYMANDER" OF THE CON-
OCCASIONAL DISTRICTS.

We endeavored to point out last week the
rascally features Of the legislative apportion-
ment act as passed by the last radical legis-
lature. The Journal made several attempts
to defend il, but meeting with poor success,
it finally threw up the sponge" and retired
from the field. As no defense can be made
of the bill, ard as the radical governor,
Baker, refused to give his sanction to it at
the time it was passed, the radical party and
its organs adopt the policy of keeping as
quiet as possible, hushing up all talk and de-
bate about it, in the hope that the great ma
tional question now on the tapis may over
shadow it and bury it from sight.
We believe we were successful in making
it plain that the legislative apportionment
act was a miserable party measure, and ft
only to be classified under the same general
head as the rascally oPe rations of the south
ern returning boards. They belong to the
same class of legislation, both being aibi-
trary, rascally and infamous beyond all ex-
preston. We confine ourselves to the dis
cussion of the apportionment act, as it af-
fected our legislative representation. We
now propose to look into the 'gerrymander-
ing of the state into congressional DIS
tricts. The word ''gerrymander" is taken
from Eldridge Gerry, one of the signers of
the declaration of independence, and gov
ernor of Massachusetts,. Massachusetts, was
divided in such manner at one time as to
make an unfair legislative representation
and, we believe, at the time Mr.. Gerry was
governor, but it was afterwards ascertained
that he had nothing to do with the division,
yet it was at the time believed,
and unfair apportionments therefore,
ceived the name of 'gerrymandering' from
Mr.. Gerry. "Gerrymandering' then being
Yankee invention, and having its birth in
Massachusetts,, it ought to be very perfect
piece of machinery.
Mr. Dawes in the debate on the, electoral
count bill alluded to the manner in which
"they did things in Massachutts." Mr..
Roscoe Conkling in answer remarked:
My friend suggests the accuracy with which
the Jurisdiction of courts is asserted in the
state of Massachusetts,, and he bids me make
the state of Massachusetts. Mr.. President the
sentiment of despair Is the only sentiment
invoked by such an appeal; The idea of
the representatives of all the states
making anything on earth, in
heaven above, or in the waters under the
earth, as exact as everything Is made by
the state of Massachusetts! My friend
says that stated we have done il as IL is done
in Massachusetts,. did not mean that. 1t
the queen of Sheba who said that she
never realized the glory of Solomon until she
entered the inner temple. Oh, no, Mr.. Presi-
dent; whenever the thirty-seven other states
exactneSs of the state of Massachusetts the
time will have come when no problem re-
mains to be solved, and when contested presi-
q
universe will go on then by automatic adjust
ment.
We therefore suppose that our readers
may have an idea that the 'gerrymander-
ing process is about as finished a piece of
rascality as can be made. Well, at the time
il was first invented or created, this was un-
doubtedly true. But we venture to say
that our Indiana radicals have improved
largely on anything that has ever been
done in this direction. We think they
are equal to their brethren of the southern
returning boards, and that is equal to saying
very great deal in their favor, and it is also
an economical way of stating it, saving Ian
guage, paper, pen, etc, etc. Now, look at
the Indiana congressional gerrymander. The
Journal said the other day that the appor-
tionment bill worked equality in the aggre-
gate" also that it was substantially just"
We beg our readers TO look closely into the
matter The democracy elected their COVER
nor by over FIVE thousand votes, and one
would think they ought to have goodly
share of cor gressmen. What is the fact?
Nine radicals 90 TO congress from Indiana, and
only four democrats. Call you this working
Substantial justice" or equality in the ag-
gregate?" Central Africa is full of such
substantial Justice" Then let us examine
the details of the blk Take the second
congressional district and there we find
| nearly all the heaviest democratic counties
in southern Indiana massedinto one district.
giving sometimes a majority of almost 200
democratic The district begins in the
county next to Vigo, of which Terre Haute
is the county seat, and runs in an irregular,
helter-skelter shape to the Ohio river, nearly
opposite to Louisville, Kentucky. Another
district, the fifth, begins in northeastern
Indiana, and makes long, narrow shaped
| shoot for the Ohio river, coming out in the
neighborhood of Cincinnati. This was made
! for the purpose of defeating Mr.. Holman
The first race he made after the clergyman
der he won, with 1 400 majority against
him, estimating the majarities from the
election previous, and in the second race he
made in the district, against General Tom
| Browne, he was defeated. Mr.. Holman is
one of the best men every way that ever
represented Indiana in congress. He was so
watchful over the expenditures of the gov
eminent that he earned for him.
self the soubriquet of the Watchdog of
the Treasury" one would have thought
| that the radicals would have been proud of
a representative like Mr. Holman, and ar
ranged the district so as 10 have kept him
| in public life. But no, economy"
has no music for the radical ear;