p.

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accomplished by constitutional provisions. It must not be
left for each party to seek its share of power and influence
by intrigue, corruption, or the influence of the press. This
mode will excite perpetual feuds, engender evil passions,
and incessantly agitate the public mind. The mode of pre-
venting all such strife and agitation, must be by definite
constitutional provisions.

To effect this object, the most simple process would
be to separate the electors into two classes, the qualifica-
tions of one of which shall be superior age, and the posses-
sion of a certain amount of property ; while the other class
of votes shall comprehend those who have not the same
qualifications. These two classes may be independent of
each other in elections, and their representatives compose
different houses, each with a negative upon the acts of the
other.

Some provision of this kind will probably be found in-
dispensable to the due protection of the rights of the differ-
ent classes of citizens ; and universal suffrage, without some
such provision, will destroy that equality of rights which
our constitution was intended to maintain.

To understand the operation of universal suffrage, we
must consider that there are two kinds of rights to be se-
cured by government--the rights of person and the rights
of property. The rights of person are equal, in all classes
of men. The protection of the person of the poor man is
of as high a nature, and of as much importance in a code of