Essays on the Constitution of the United States: Published during its Discussion by the People, 1787-1788
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Essays on the Constitution of the United States: Published during its Discussion by the People, 1787-1788
Constitutional history -- United States -- Sources; United States. Constitution
As the state legislatures have to regulate the internal policy of every
town and neighborhood, it is convenient enough to have one or two men,
particularly acquainted with every small district of country, its
interests, parties and passions. But the federal legislature can take
cognizance only of national questions and interests which in their very
nature are general, and for this purpose five or ten honest and wise men
chosen from each state; men who have had previous experience in state
legislation, will be more competent than an hundred. From an acquaintance
with their own state legislatures, they will always know the sense of the
people at large, and the expense of supporting such a number will be as
much as we ought to incur.
If the Hon. gentleman, in saying “there is not adequate provision for the
representation of the people,” refers to the manner of choosing them, a
reply to this is naturally blended with its second objection, that “they
would have no security for the right of election.” It is impossible to
conceive what greater security can be given, by any form of words, than we
here find.
The federal representatives are to be chosen by the votes of the people.
Every freeman is an elector. The same qualification which enables you to
vote for state representatives, gives you a federal voice. It is a right
you cannot lose, unless you first annihilate the state legislature, and
declare yourself incapable of electing, which is a degree of infatuation
improbable as a second deluge to drown the world.
Your own assemblies are to regulate the formalities of this choice, and
unless they betray you, you cannot be betrayed. But perhaps it may be
said, Congress have a power to control this formality as to the time and
places of electing, and we allow they have: but this objection which at
first looks frightful was designed as a guard to the privileges of the
electors. Even state assemblies may have their fits of madness and
passion, this tho’ not probable is possible.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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