Litchfield enquirer., 1881-02-24
How to Do It !?


 The Litchf4d Enquirer urgently favors constitutional convention, the object oi which mainly shall be to get rid of the which the lower branch of the General Assembly is elected The trouble about a convention is that the powers that be under the present system are in full con- trol of the constitutional agencies, whose favorable action is necessary to set the ball in motion. There have been propo- sitions before the Legislature, somewhat extra-constitutiopal in character, to se- cure convention without following the ordinary course as provided in the consti- tuition for alterations and amendments. the object being to escape the great obsta- cle of two thirds vote in the two houses, and some of the best lawyers have favored this way of getting at the reform, but the "little town sovereignties" have had their way, being always in legislative majori- ty, and will have it unless the Enquler can suggest some process of education which will change human nature. 'h.
 As the mat CT stands there does not ap- pear to be any encouragement for the large towns or centers of population t. seek relief from any constitutional change in the regular way. There is, this, to be said, however, that it is for the interest of the small towns to equalize the representa- ton in the Senate. so as to satisfy populous districts, which are, entitled under the constitution to fair division of political power according to population. It is for their interest, because if inequality is to be forced where there is no warrant for 1t in the organic act of the state, the injus- tice will become so unbearable that ma jority of the people of the state will be temp ed to go outside of the constitution for their remedy and this can be done by the exercise of the right of peaceful revolution. Some way can be found to call convention outside of the Legsla- lature by party which shall go before the people on the single issue of con vention and elect it's candidates, and If once there is convention there will be sweeping changes in the whole represent alive system. We believe there is no inn mediate danger of this extreme course, hut it will come in time unless the small towns of the state show willingness to do what under the constitution they are really bound to do to give one branch of the General Assembly representative character. -Hartford Post. ........'.
 If the editor of the Hartford Post will read the history of the great British Re- form movement of half century since, he will see something of the ''process of ed ucation which will change human nature" !" In that case the British aristocracy would have much preferred letting the rotten borough system remain unreformed, but the Reform party brought public opinion t. bear so sharply upon Parliament that even so stiff an aristocrat as Wellington was forced to give way at last, .... .r..
 But without going SO far away as Eng land, we can find in our own war against slavery an example of successful attack upon an abuse fortified as strongly as an abuse can be fortified by ingenious con- stirutional provisions. and by. an almost unanimous public .opiniop.s The Aboli- tionists wrought most marvellous change in "human nature" by the simple process of ceaseless agitation. The Massachusetts which mobbed Garrison in the streets of Boston was the same Massachusetts which soon afterwards sent Charles Sumner to the Senate, and became the leading anti slavery state. The difference was simply the difference of sentiment in communi- ty before and after it had been "educat- ef to conHder slavery sin. .,
 What the rcformf rs who wish to edu- cate Connecticut to due sense of the in justice of its rotten borough system must first take into account is the exceeding sluggishness of the popular conscience re- garding any ancient political abuse-par-, ticularly ou the part of those who profit by that abuse. Nothing will ever be ac- complished till the large cities take hold of the matter in earnest, and send men to the legislature year after year to demand a People House in place of the existing Town House. With such arguments as there are within reach. and with such representatives as they might send to urge them, Hartford or New Haven might give reform strong impetus at the outset. Twenty towns, all grossly defrauded of their just representation under the present system, cast a majority of the popular vote in the state. They could elect 8 state ticket favorable to reform, if so minded, at the very first election.
 There is another class of citizens de- frauded of their political influence just as wrongfully as the unrepresented tens of thousands in the city of New Haven we refer to the minorities in towns strongly controlled.by one or the other political party. The Republicans, of New Haven or Waterbury are but so many dead men as regards representation in either Senate or House of Representatives. Hartford and Bridgeport Republicans fare but lit- tie better. There are towns in this State. also, which no Democrat ever represents. Here is misrepresentation just as unfair practically as the .aon-representation of the large cities. No plan for Constltu- tional Convention ought to meet popular favor which does not offer fair representa- ton to all the people of the State, minori. t;es as well as maiorities.
 The non-represented citizens in the cities, and the mis represented citizens in in the country, combining, could easily elect Senate as well as Governor. The maiorities in the little towns would then find themselyes in decided popular mi nority. poweriess to pass any law, and with an overwhelming, thoroughly aroused popular opinion against them. No doub, they would hold out for a time, but when, when, at last. a sense of their popular weakness, and of the injustice of their cause, came tepervade their ranks, they Would 'inag,s,;i inag,syi tably give way. Such has been the his tory of all similar struggles, heretofore and the little towns of Connecticut are b, no means so impervious to reason ,a,nf