Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1805-10-14
FRoM THU BALTIMORE REPUBLICAN,, OR
AsTI. DEMocRAF. ~
ESSAY XXI,

senate consisting of four hundred, one
hundred Of which were elected from each
tribe and, an assembly consisting of four
classes of citizens, without any other ex-
cepsions than of such as had been punished
with infamys and Of women and children.
The election OF senators was made in the
following manner: Onacertain day inevery
wear the president of each tribe, gave in the
names of all the persons within his district
qualified to fill this office, and who.pernit-
ted themselves TO appear for it. Their
names were put into vessel provided Tor
-shas purpose, aud in another vase were,
cast the. sssne Number Of beans, one hun.
dred of which were white and the rest
black. The names of the candidates and
the beans were drawn, one by one, when
each person whose name was drawn out 49,.
cether with awhile bean was declared du-
Nv elected, an1 received into the senate.
The senate being a place OF great trust,
no man could be Admitted into II the whole
course of whose life had not been prevl-
ously investigated, and found TO have been
managed with crsdls and,reputa,ioa.
Tothe senate Scion consigned the right
of preparing all matters of elaboration tor
the asselnoi9 where no measure which
they had not yiously approved OF could
be >aforced. 1t was the Prsrogauve of the
.senase also TO make DEGREES, which had the
force of law for year, at the end OF which
period they expired unless confirmed by
the assembly. To the presidents OF the
ssnate !. was also given, sopreside in the as.
y, summon its extraordinary meetings
---put the question 30 vote, collect the sui
frages, and having declared the will OF the
people, dissolve the assembly.
Besides this contronliag power over the
assembly, the senate had the care ct the
peor, the examination of the accounts Of
the magistrates at the expiration OF their
offices, the appointmens of the keepers OF
r. s1,,ss * - 49, % raraans &C.
cused OF such crimes as were not Forbidden
by any positive law, & the sapsrintendance
Of the building of new man of war and Of
( the feet.
To the people in their assembly Solon
assigned the right 60 deliberate ana decide,
negatively or atirmativelg, on all questions,
propositions, or edicts OF the senate, and TO
debate and ultimately decide on Subjects
of general policy. This assembly was also
the last resort of justice, in ease of public
delinquency. To il too, belonged the cleo.
tion to military commands, and to some,
civil Offices where the institution preferred
the course of suffrages and the election in
all cases where a general sense of peculiar
urgency called for departure from the
ordinary mode by ballot, yet with attention
TO the regulation of census and qualihca,-
ons, which could not be dispensed with,
from any sentiment ofdanger,. or predslic-
tiop, which, a peculiar occasion or chsrac:
ter might suggest,
Il was also . part Of the constitution,
that those entitled to speak first upon auy.
question or any decree from the senate,
should be old men above fifty wears, after
which every Athenian might deliver his
sentiments, WHO was not under thirty, &C.
cording' TO- seniority. In every meeting of
the. assembly one whole tribe preside d, TO
preserve order and defend the common.
wealth. Foprevent oonsp;racies or COM
binations of the disconnected and factious,,
asleast TO prevent large and seclusive mcet-
ings uaknown to the constitution. Scion
expressly limited the number of guests at
feasts and entertainments and to add
sill further restraint upon the democracy.
be subjected to most rigorous propulsion
the lives and characters, and qualifications
OF the orators entitled; to saddress the peo.,
pie.
BY suehsmeaus as these in conjunction:
with the high prerogatives and dignity of
the Areopagus, and the great aud controul.
ing powers Of the senate, Scion expected
To keep within due bounds, the popular
branch Of the constitution.
lasthis system we 6nd virtue, and every
substantial discri niua,ion from character