The infancy of the subject at that moment, and our
inexperience of self-government, occasioned gross departures in that
draught from genuine republican canons. In truth, the abuses of monarchy
had so much filled all the space of political contemplation, that we
imagined every thing republican which was not monarchy. We had not yet
penetrated to the mother principle, that 'governments are republican
only in proportion as they embody the will of their people, and execute
it.' Hence, our first constitutions had really no leading principle in
them. But experience and reflection have but more and more confirmed me
in the particular importance of the equal representation then proposed.
On that point, then, I am entirely in sentiment with your letters; and
only lament that a copyright of your pamphlet prevents their appearance
in the newspapers, where alone they would be generally read, and produce
general effect. The present vacancy too, of other matter, would give
them place in every paper, and bring the question home to every man's
conscience.
But inequality of representation in both Houses of our legislature, is
not the only republican heresy in this first essay of our revolutionary
patriots at forming a constitution. For let it be agreed that a
government is republican in proportion as every member composing it has
his equal voice in the direction of its concerns, (not indeed in person,
which would be impracticable beyond the limits of a city, or small
township, but) by representatives chosen by himself, and responsible to
him at short periods, and let us bring to the test of this canon every
branch of our constitution.
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