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being a pure demagogue, has obtained the Senatorial toga; he who has mere tongue and no brains; the first, the
second and third, the men of these classes may cut sensational and dramatic fan tastics in that body but they will soon sink into oblivion and contempt —
has its hands constantly on the pulse of the people and knows its immediate desires and wants; the upper house determines how far these desira and wants are consistent with the settled
derided and despised by their associates
and fixed happiness and prosperity of the people. As Plato substantially puts it: forecast should direct improv
and finally condemned by their constitu ents and countrymen. The American people are not slow to mark their public
idence, reason control passion and wisdom command folly. Our political system is based upon checks and
men and where political crimes or per
balances, each function or branch as
sonal defects are discovered the finger of scorn is soon raised to point them out as unworthy public servants. That a
delicately arranged, as nicely adjusted, as the works of a watch. Any change like the one contemplated will throw out of gear the whole machinery of the Constitution. The three departments of our government are separate from each
few demagogues; that some bad and ignorant men have made their way to the Senate; or that even the Senate as a body has on occasions been derelict in its duty to the people, is no reason whatever for a change in the method
of electing its members.
Compare its
other but they are all contiguously
connected. We enter from one branch into another as one walks from one room to another in a symmetrically
members and the history of the Senate
arranged house; yet each branch is an
with the members and acts of the House
entirety and independent of the other.
of Representatives, and then let anyone conscientiously, if he can, say that the
The Senate is a check upon the House,
method of direct election by the people would be better for the interests of the country, or would produce a higher class
of representatives than those elected by the legislatures of the diflerent states.
It will be a sad sight to this country when the Senators of the
and each of the houses severally a
check upon the Executive and upon each other. John Adams, in a letter to John Tay lor, gives the following description of the United States Government: —
United States shall
as a body make a confession to the Ameri can people that they are unworthy of the trust committed to them and no longer fit to represent the sacred interests which the states have confided to their hands.
The nature of our two Houses of Con gress renders it most dangerous to the true interests of the people to alter the method of election of Senators. In every free government there must be
two houses of legislation chosen by different methods
and the Executive a check upon both.
and
distinctly ex
amining proposed legislation from difler ent standpoints. The popular house
First, the states are balanced against the general
government.
Second,
the
House
of
Representatives is balanced against the Senate. and the Senate against the House. Third, the executive authority is in some degree balanced against the legislature. Fourth, the judiciary is balanced against the legislature, the executive and the state governments. Fifth, the Senate is balanced against the President in all appoint ments to oflice, and in all treaties.
Sixth, the
people hold in their hands the balance against their own representatives by periodical elections. Seventh, the legislatures of the several states are balanced against the Senate by sextennial elec tions. Eighth, the electors are balanced against the people in choice of President and Vice-Presi dent.
