The New York herald., 1877-10-01
CONNECTICUT ELECTION.

THE FIRST TRIAL OF THE MINORITY REPRE-
sENTATIoN Law AMENDMENTS OF THE con-
srITUTIoN TO BE VOTED oN-IHE COMING
CONTEST FOR THE CONTROL OF THE LEoIs-
LAruRE.
NEW HAVEN, Sept 20, 1877.
On Monday. October !, the various towns Of tho
State excepting New Haven and Bridgeport, which
by special legislative acts elect town officers In
December and April respectively, viii hold their
annual elections for tho choice OF sslectmen,
nsscssors treasurcrs, boards OF relief and boards
Of school visitors. - In Wow Of tho late struEac
between parties for tho choice OF Chief Magistrate
these 'Ittls town meetings" will have q significance
OF greater moment than usual from The fact
that they will, to somo extent, indicate tho
strength and complexion OF existing factions: and
further that In the hands OF the legal voters rosts tho
fato OF proposed amendments to the State cons,i
tuition, each OF which has important bearing upon
the property interests OF the State.
THE coSsrlTurIoxAL AMENDMENTS
The proposed amendments arc as fo.lows:-
First-Neithor the General Assembly nor any coun-
ty city, borough town or school dis,ric, shall havo
any to pay or grant any extra compensation TO
any public oiicer, employee agent or servant or IN
crease tho compensation OF any public officer
poyc to tako eect during tho continuance In Office OF
any person whose salary might be increased thereby,
ncroasc the pay or compensation OF any public
tractor above tho amount specified in tho contract
Second-No county, city, town, borough OF other
cpaty shall ever subscribe TO the capital stock
OF any railroad corporation or become purchaser of
the bonds, or mako donation TO or loan It's credit,
directly or indirectly In aid OF any such corporation
but nothing herein contained shall affect the validity
OF any bonds or debts incurred under existing laws,
nor De construed to prohibit the General Assembly
from authorizing any CITY or town TO protect by addi
tional appropriations oil money credit any railroad
debt contracted prior to tho adoption Of this amend
ment.
MINORITY REPRESENTATION.
updcr n Inv nnprovcd Inst Mnrch rho exncrinne n
minority representation s 10 DO tried in these cleo
lions for the nrst time. The law Ii folIows:-
SECTION AT each annual town meeting there shall
chosen less than three than 10 be
and not less than Two nor moro than Ave TO
be board OF rciict.
SIZE ..--whenever the number OF the aforesaid Of
ccrs be chosen shall be two, four or SIX no person
snai vote for moro than onc-half such number. II
The number 10 bc chosen be thrcc, no person shall
vote Tor moro than two; II hye no person shall vote
Tor more than three, II seven, no person shall vote
for more than focr That number oil persons sum-
cIent 10 oil each OF said boards have tno highost
number OF votes shall Do elected In case oil tie
tnat person whose stands hrst on tho greatest
numUar OF ballots shall be elected.
Under tho old law the nomination to q town Office
was usually considered equivalent TO an election.
Al any rate, tho candidates chances Of success or
failure could bc Indicated before the polls closed
Tho new law Is a mystincr among c,on the
shrewdcst calculating politicians and the votes must
be counted before results can DO known.
TnE STATE ELEcrIoSs
Five weeks hence, on Tuesday, November Q, tho
ann gal state election will be held, when members OF
,nc Lower House OF the legislature Senators in dis
ric,s having odd numbers and county shcrls will bo
elected Tho contest, is expected, VIII be spirited
one, tne republicans lighting to hold their ma
ioriiy IN The Legislature, ana tho democrats
seeking TO wrcst II from thcm. The Sem
aiors holding over IN the evenly numbered
districts are second John l.. Houston Enfield;
Fourth, Caleb q. Bowers, Now Haven; SIKH. Charles
A. Bray, Fast Haven Eighth, Lucius Brown, Preston;
r,ntn wniIam u. Bishop, Bridgeport; twelfth Oliver
Hoyt Stamford Fourtcenih, Junn l.. Dcan Ashford;
slxierntn, James Huntington, Woodbury. Eighteenth,
Charles X. Pagan, Mlddietown.
or these four arc democrats and six are republicans
TO MAINTAIN political control Of the Senate tho re-
pubacans must carry i've oil tho eleven districts IN
which Senators arc 10 be chosen Tho democrats
must carry seven districts to have majority.
Tho most active personal nseres. Will be created in
the contest Tor county shcrs, from tho TACT that
many candidates are 10 affected by the result There
win be cgnt nominees for sherin in each party, and
deputies arc either to be turned out or con-
tinucd together with ninc deputy Jaers.
ron THE PREVENTION FRAUD.
The last Legislature looking TO the prevention OF
fraud among voters made some important restrictions
undcr the or the conduct oi elections as ior
instance person TO become an cccor must reside IN
this state one year. and In tho town wDcrc he Is to DO
registered months preceding tho electors meeting
Heretofore the voter could notify the registry board
OF mis- intentions lev months preceding anu qualify
hud cast MS Dhilot on uay VI by tHls
means many q vote was illegally cast Ccruhcatc
voting is entirely abolished and any name omitted
voting list cannot as heretofore be restored
election day II The registrars have previously
passed upon u, and be added on that day
without the consent OF both registrars.
Polls are 10 DC opened In all The towns at nine O'CLOCK
and IN the cities NJ SIX.
Places where Intoxicating liquors are rcputed TO be
sold must be closed election day IRON i've VI. 10
six i. NJ, under penalty OF $40 nno and thirty days
imprisonment, applies not only to barrooms
but 10 'apy room, and dealers violating the law viii
iorloit thcir licenses.
penalties tor fraudulent voting or mdation src I'm
posed,