In the structure of our legislatures, we think experience has
proved the benefit of subjecting questions to two separate bodies of
deliberants; but in constituting these, natural right has been mistaken,
some making one of these bodies, and some both, the representatives of
property instead of persons; whereas the double deliberation might be
as well obtained without any violation of true principle, either by
requiring a greater age in one of the bodies, or by electing a proper
number of representatives of persons, dividing them by lots into two
chambers, and renewing the division at frequent intervals, in order
to break up all cabals. Virginia, of which I am myself a native and
resident, was not only the first of the States, but, I believe I may
say, the first of the nations of the earth, which assembled its wise men
peaceably together to form a fundamental constitution, to commit it to
writing, and place it among their archives, where every one should be
free to appeal to its text. But this act was very imperfect. The other
States, as they proceeded successively to the same work, made
successive improvements; and several of them, still further corrected
by experience, have, by conventions, still further amended their first
forms. My own State has gone on so far with its _premiere ebauch_; but
it is now proposing to call a convention for amendment. Among other
improvements, I hope they will adopt the subdivision of our counties
into wards.
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