The 'founders  of  new  commonwealthB
must^  we  confess,  act  upon  some  uniform
principle.  A  builder  can  seldom  imitate,
with  success,  all  the  fantastic  but  picturesque
and  comfortable  irregularities,  of  an  old  man-
sion, which  through  a  course  of  ages  has  been
repaired,  enlaigea,  and  altered,  according  to
the  pleasure  of  various  owners.  This  is  one
of  the  many  disadvantages  attendant  on  the
lawgivers  of  infant  states.  Something,  per-
haps, by  great  skill  and  caution,  they  miffht
do ;  but  their  wisdoni  is  most  shown,  alter
guarding  the  great  principles  of  liberty,  by
leaving  time  to  do  the  rest.
Though  we  are  satisfied,  by  the  above  and
by  many  other  considerations,  that  we  ought
hot  to  exchange  our  diversified  elections  for
any  general  qualification,  we  certainly  consi-
der universal  sufifrage  as  beyond  calculation
more  mischievous  than  any  other  uniform
rieht.  The  reasons  which  male  it  important  to
liberty,  that  the  elective  franchise  should  be
exercised  by  large  bodies  of  the  lower  classes,
do  not  in  the  least  degree  require  that  it
should  be  conferred  on  them  all.  It  is  ne-
cessary to  their  security  from  oppression,  that
the  whole  class  should  have  some  represen-
tatives: but  as  their  interest  is  every  where
the  same,  representatives  elected  by  one
body  of  them  are  necessarily  the  guardians
of  the  rights  of  all.  The  great  object  of
representation  for  them,  is  to  be  protected
against  violence  and  cruelty.  Sympathy  with
suffering,  and  indignation  against  cruelty,  are
easily  excited  in  numerous  assemblies,  and
must  either  be  felt  or  assumed  by  all  their
members.  Popular  elections  generally  insure
the  return  of  some  men,  who  shrink  from  no


47<


MACKINTOBH'S  MISCELLANEOUS  ESSAYS.
