ir graves and see how their successors have thrown down the
prudent barriers they had raised, and laid the franchise bare to
citizenship, now that the Union numbers 23,000,000 souls, and that the
tide of emigration is daily flooding them with hordes of the
discontented and turbulent from every country in the Old World?

But perhaps it may be said that I, as an Englishman, am prejudiced
against republican institutions in any shape; let me, then, quote you an
authority which every educated American will respect. Mr. Justice Kent
says, "The progress and impulse of popular opinion, is rapidly
destroying every constitutional check, every conservative element,
intended by the sages who framed the earliest American Constitutions as
safeguards against the abuses of popular suffrage." Let us turn to
another equally eminent American authority, Mr. Justice Story. "It might
be urged, that it is far from being clear, upon reasoning or experience,
that uniformity in the composition of a representative body is either
desirable or expedient, founded in sounder policy, or more promotive of
the general good, than a mixed system, embracing, representing, and
combining distinct interests, classes, and opinions. In England, the
House of Commons, as a representative body, is founded upon no uniform
principle, either of numbers, or classes, or places; ... and in every
system of reform which has found public favour in that country, many of
these diversities have been embodied from choice, as important checks
upon undue legislation, as facilitating the representation of different
interests and different opinions, and as thus securing, by a
well-balanced and intelligent representation of all the various classes
of society, a permanent protection of the public liberties of the
people, and a firm security of the private rights of persons and
property."

Thus far I have quoted the opinions of the highest American authorities
upon the franchise. And, as far as the lowering it in England affords us
any light, I would wish some unbiased and competent person to inform the
public, whether--whatever other benefit it may have procured to the
community--it has increased or decreased bribery and corruption; and how
the balance between advantage and disadvantage will stand, in reference
to the community at large, by a further lowering of the franchise in
this country; and also to what extent--if any--it can be lowered,
without throwing all but unlimited pow