The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1882-08-23
The Great GerrE ,asnder.

The persistency with which the South
Carolina Democrats force themselves
upon the public attention would he eX-
asperating were il not for the pictur-
esqueness and variety OF The entertain
ment they afford. A point has at last
been reached where Indignation against
the methods adopted to suppress the
ballot turns to amusement The gro
teSque antics of the Bourbons, all the
more diyerting because so desperately
earnest and unconscious of appearances,
place the sympathy felt for the defraud-
ed citizens temporarily in the back
ground. The last exhibition so dwarfs
ANYTHING that has been previously done
in this country in the gerrymandering
line that Elbridge Gerry may well re-
visit the earth in ghostiy suicitude for
his fame, and protest against his name
beng used any further in the connection
it has enjoyed so long.
The ''Shocstring District" viii not
be mentioned hereafter. 1t viii "pass
into nothingness." 1t had been re-
served to the South Carolina Bourbons
to push the evil OF gerry wandering to
such a ridiculous extreme that it must
soon lead 10 aradical reform. The nest
Apportionment bin will doubtless pro-
vide against any more OF this extraya-
giant nonsense, the amusing element
in which wears away with the novelty of
it. In Tedistricting the State the South
Carolina BOurbonS seem to have had two
objects in view. The first was to give
Dibble district that would be very
sure to elect him, and the second
was 10 lump as many OF the heaviest
Republican Localities together as DO ST
BILE. so as to relieve the Democrats in the
district they were carved out OF Were
it not for the obstacle placed in the way
BY the law requiring the districts to be
composed o. contiguous territory, the
probability is that the one intended Re
publican district would be formed out
of an archipelago of political islands
sprinkled throughout the State. As it is
the different sections are connected with
lanes OF varying width. The result as
depicted in the map would make even a
mule throw back his ears and laugh.
The basis of the work being n district
for Dibble, which he has evidently been
permitted to construct for himself, the
attention of the public may first be
turned TO that. It's line runs around the
city OF Charleston, separates it from
Charleston County. and then reaches
back into the interior, embracing in its
progress but n single whole county. and
cutting five other counties inso sections.
The proper number Of inhabitants for
each district in South Carolina is a little
over IA. COO. DiDble's dis rict has but
10000. One would suppose, taking
into consideration The supreme contempt
manifested for county lines, that it
would not have been necessary to create
such discrepancy, but the dangers to
the Democratic predcminance were
pressing, and SO many Republicans had
to be eXsected that the population was
necessarily reduced. 1t is refreshing TO
learn that in spite of all the eXtraordi-
nary precautions that Dibble has taken
to secure himself 4 seat, there is a chance
of his being defeated after all. He viii
be. If anything Ike q fair vote is cast
and rightly counted
Dibble's district is bad enough, but It
| is not as Lad as the district into which
the marked Republican majoriiies are
crowded. That contains a population
of over 1856 coo, or neasy 81, 900 more
than the former, WI lie II is sprawled
throughout the state in q way that must
be outlined on the map to be appreci-
ated. It b, ars u general resemblance
to cur string of great lakes. the connect
ing links between the sections being If
any thing TT her longer. 1t commences
at the southernmost apex of the State,
the section at that quarter com
prising . slice of Hampton County,
the whole OF Beaufort and Il little of
Charleston County. the city having
been handed over 10 Dbble. The con-
Meeting ink between this fragment OF
the district and the next section runs
between Charleston and the ocean,
which. as may he imagined, is a pretty
d fiicult thing for X to do, As the city is
direct on the water. Strictly speak
ing, the law respecting contiguous ter
ritory is broken in this case. but the
difficulty is techn caliy met by some
outlying islands being utilized rs step
ping g-stones Having s9uee ed Though
in this way, the district broadens out
into its largest section, compris no parts
OF har eston. Berkeley, Williamsburgh
and Georgetown Counties. Thence
taking a narrow and long slice of
OTangeburgh County for n passage way,
it leaves the coast and Denetrates the
very heart OF the State as far as Sumter
County. VIII ch it includes. Thus its
sinuosities extend from the southern
most point to within u single county 5
width of touching. the northern Emil OF
the State. Passing in straight line
from sumter County 10 te&uIOr5 the
traveller crosses the boundaries and goes
through parts of four Congressional
districts, and yet Sumter and Reau!ort
Counties are supposed TO constitute con-
tiguous territory in legal sense.
The other districts are curiosities in
their way; and would enjoy proud dis
tinction of their own were it not for the
! existence of the two curiosities described
above. No surer sign of the demoraii-
zation otthe South Carolina Bourbons
is needed than this last performance of
| theirs. When partg is situated so that
| it has to throw away all pre:ense even
to decency and fairness, it is on its last