ed--the higher qualities
subdue the lower and make themselves felt in every department of the
State. But if the representation from defective machinery is not equal,
the balance is overthrown, and neither education, talent, nor virtue
can work through public opinion so as to have any beneficial influence
on politics. We know that in despotisms and oligarchies, where the
majority are unrepresented and the few extinguish the many,
independence of thought is crushed down, talent is bribed to do service
to tyranny, education is confined to a privileged class and denied to
the people, property is sometimes pillaged and sometimes flattered, and
even virtue is degraded by lowering its field and making subservience
appear to be patience and loyalty, and religion is not unfrequently
made the handmaid of oppression. Taxes fall heavily on the poor for the
benefit of the rich, and the only check proceeds from the fear of
rebellion. When, on the other hand, the majority extinguishes the
minority, the evil effects are not so apparent. The body oppressed is
smaller and generally wealthier, with many social advantages to draw
off attention from the political injustice under which they suffer; but
there is the same want of sympathy between class and class, moral
courage is rare, talent is perverted, genius is overlooked, education
is general, but superficial, and press and Pulpit often timid in
exposing or denouncing popular errors. An average standard of virtue is
all that is aimed at, and when no higher mark is set up there is great
fear of falling below the average. Therefore it is incumbent on all
States to look well to it that their representative systems really
secure the political equality they all profess to give, for until that
is done democracy has had no fair trial.

In framing a new constitution the opportunity arose for laying the
foundation of just representation, and, had I been elected, my first
and last thought would have been given to the claims of the whole
people to electoral justice. But the 7,500 votes which I received left
me far enough from the lucky 10. Had Mr. Kingston not asserted both
publicly and privately that, if elected, I could not constitutionally
take my seat, I might have done better. There were rumours even that my
nomination paper would be rejected. But to obviate this, Mrs. Young,
who got it filled in, was careful to see that no name was on it that
had no right there, and its presentation was delay