" The following illustration was used: "Suppose, for instance,
_ten individuals_ in a state of nature, about to enter into government,
nine of whom were equally wise, equally strong, equally wealthy, the
tenth is ten times as wise, ten times as strong, or ten times as rich;
if, for this reason, he is to have ten votes for each vote of the
others, the nine might as well have no vote at all, and though the whole
nine might assent to the measure, yet the vote of the tenth would
countervail, and set aside all their votes. If this tenth approved of
what they wished to adopt, it would be well; but if he disapproved, he
could prevent it, and in the same manner he could carry into execution
any measure he wished, contrary to the opinion of all the others, he
having ten votes, and the others altogether but nine. It is evident that
on these principles, the nine would have no will or discretion of their
own, but must be totally dependent on the will and discretion of the
tenth; to him they would be as absolutely slaves as any negro is to his
master. If he did not attempt to carry into execution any measures
injurious to the other nine, it could only be said that they had a good
master; they would not be the less slaves, because they would be totally
dependent upon the will of another and not on their own will.
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