Anthony.
In this country, two kinds of representation exist, property and
personal. Let us look for a moment, at the Constitution of the United
States. In three years we celebrate our centennial. From what does it
date? Not from the Constitution, as our country existed eleven years
without a Constitution,--in fact, thirteen years, before it was ratified
by the thirteen colonies. The centennial dates from the declaration of
Independence, which was based on underlying principles. But as our
government has recognized its own needs, it has thrown new safeguards
around liberty. Within a year after the Declaration, it was found
necessary to enter into articles of Confederation, and those were soon
followed by the Constitution, as it was found property rights were not
secure "under the action of thirteen different deliberatives."
England has never possessed personal representation, but only that of
property; and in the secret proceedings upon the framing of our
Constitution, the question as to property, or personal representation
was strongly agitated. Some of the delegates favored the fuller
representation of property than of persons. Others, who advocated the
equality of suffrage, took the matter up on the original principles of
government, recognizing the fact that it was not strength, or wisdom, or
property, that conferred rights, but that "in a state of nature, before
any government is formed, all persons are equally free and independent,
no one having any right or authority to exercise power over another,"
and this, without any regard to difference in personal strength,
understanding or wealth.
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