The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-01-22
TIE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
The Formal Declaration Of the Re-
Election Of Senator Voorhees,.
Some of the Objections to the Hilligass Ser
rymander Change in Election
LaWs-Bills introduced Yesterday.

The election of Mr. VOORHEES, as United States
senator to succeed himself, was declared by the
General Assembly in the required form yester-
day at noon. 1t was an uninteresting proceed
ing, and although it occupied but fifteen minutes
time it was found when the roll for the joint
session was called, that fourteen senator's had
disappeared during the transit from the Senate
chamber to the halls OF the House
While the clock was striking IL, Lieutenant
governor Manson stated the purpose of the joint
session, the declaration of the election of Mr.
Voorhees,. The journals of the proceedings in
each branch of the Assembly on Tuesday were
read, and upon the approved statement of the
vote which they gave the Lieutenant governor
tdeclared Daniel Webster Voorhees, elected
United States senator for the term of six years"
Immediately after which the session ended with
an adjournment
THE HLLLIGAss 'GERRYdANDRR
The Hiliigass Gerrymandering' scheme seems
to grow in disfavor among the Democrats the
mere it is examined, and it is now quite certain
that it will not bepassed in it's present form,
but it seems to be equally certain that there
will be a re-apportionment, There is a bowling
demand for NgerrymaAder" which will make
the Eighth district Democratic by transfer of
some Of the surplus majority from the Second
district in order that Senator Voorhees, may have
lieutenant in Congress from his own home.
The Hilligass scheme makes, from Demo
cratic standpoint, fair adjustment between
these two districts but the changes in
the northern part of the State which it proposes,
are not at all satisfactory to the Democratic poll
ticians Aside, however, from the consideration
avaricious nature-the bill has no merit, because
In the matter OF population the apportionment
would not give the proposed districts anything
like equal proportions of voting inhabitants. In
the Fourth district there would be only about
30 600 voters, while in the Third there would be
over 40 0G0 The Seventh, Eighth, Eleventh
and Twelfth districts are each given about 40,
600, while Others vary from $4,000 to $1,000
PROPOSED ELECTION Law.
A bill was introduced in the house yesterday,
by Representative Schley, of this county, which
would, if it should become law, make some i'm
portant and questionable changes in the present
system Of conducting elections. Among other
provisions, it proposes that the polls shall be
opened at 6 o'clock in the morning; it removes
the property qualification now required from a
member of an election board and provides that
any citizen, whether a freeholder or not, may
swear in the vote of any person who sto
destruction of the ballots Immediately
after the vote has been properly counted,
which would have the effect to prevent contested
elections upon demand for recount, and it
requires that the election board before beginning
to canvass the vote, shall first count the number
of ballots for the purpose of learning whether or
not it agrees with the number of names of those
who voted While the bill has some good fea
lures it proposes several changes which would
have the effect to remove some of the restraints
necessary for the Protection of an honest ballot.