It may on the other hand be that as society settles down from the feverish instability of these early days, as the mass of the people acquire a more enlightened view of their true interests, as those moral influences which count for so much in America assert their dominion more widely, the present evils will slowly pass away. Probably he is right. American experience shows that the optimists generally are. I. A main object was to prevent the corruption of the legislature and of office- holders. 35 provides that a legislator influenced in his vote by reward or promise of reward is to be deemed guilty of felony, and punished accordingly, as well as disfranchised and disqualified from ever holding any office.
Official salaries are limited.
These restrictions on the legislature were probably necessary. Similar ones are to be found in nearly all the newer State Constitutions. But the air of suspicion that runs through them, and the penalties threatened against corruption, show how little hope was entertained of seeing the election of honest men. The attempt to diminish the burden of taxation is made in two ways. Another is by imposing taxes on property which had previously escaped it, or borne it at a comparatively low valuation.