But he wished the election on the other to be so modified as to secure more effectually a just preference of merit. His idea was that the people should nominate certain persons in certain districts, out of whom the State legisilatures should make the appointment. He wished for vigor in the government but he wished that vigorons authority to flow immediately fiom the legitimate source of all authority. The government ought to possess not only first the force, but secondly the mind or sense of the people at large. The LegisIature ought to be the most exact transcript of the whole Society.
Representation is made necessary only because it is impossible for the people to act collectively.
The opposition was to be expected he said from the Governments, not from the Citizens of the States. The State officers were to be the losers of power. The people he supposed would he rather more attached to the national Government than to the State governments as being more important in itself, and more flattering to their pride. There is no danger of improper elections if made by large districts. Bad elections proceed from the smallness of the districts which give an opportunity to bad men to intrigue themselves into office.