登陆注册
5362500000144

第144章

Improvements on the first draughts will every year become both easier and fewer. Past transactions of the government will be a ready and accurate source of information to new members. The affairs of the Union will become more and more objects of curiosity and conversation among the citizens at large. And the increased intercourse among those of different States will contribute not a little to diffuse a mutual knowledge of their affairs, as this again will contribute to a general assimilation of their manners and laws. But with all these abatements, the business of federal legislation must continue so far to exceed, both in novelty and difficulty, the legislative business of a single State, as to justify the longer period of service assigned to those who are to transact it.

A branch of knowledge which belongs to the acquirements of a federal representative, and which has not been mentioned is that of foreign affairs. In regulating our own commerce he ought to be not only acquainted with the treaties between the United States and other nations, but also with the commercial policy and laws of other nations.

He ought not to be altogether ignorant of the law of nations; for that, as far as it is a proper object of municipal legislation, is submitted to the federal government. And although the House of Representatives is not immediately to participate in foreign negotiations and arrangements, yet from the necessary connection between the several branches of public affairs, those particular branches will frequently deserve attention in the ordinary course of legislation, and will sometimes demand particular legislative sanction and co-operation. Some portion of this knowledge may, no doubt, be acquired in a man's closet; but some of it also can only be derived from the public sources of information; and all of it will be acquired to best effect by a practical attention to the subject during the period of actual service in the legislature.

There are other considerations, of less importance, perhaps, but which are not unworthy of notice. The distance which many of the representatives will be obliged to travel, and the arrangements rendered necessary by that circumstance, might be much more serious objections with fit men to this service, if limited to a single year, than if extended to two years. No argument can be drawn on this subject, from the case of the delegates to the existing Congress. They are elected annually, it is true; but their re-election is considered by the legislative assemblies almost as a matter of course. The election of the representatives by the people would not be governed by the same principle.

A few of the members, as happens in all such assemblies, will possess superior talents; will, by frequent reelections, become members of long standing; will be thoroughly masters of the public business, and perhaps not unwilling to avail themselves of those advantages. The greater the proportion of new members, and the less the information of the bulk of the members the more apt will they be to fall into the snares that may be laid for them. This remark is no less applicable to the relation which will subsist between the House of Representatives and the Senate.

It is an inconvenience mingled with the advantages of our frequent elections even in single States, where they are large, and hold but one legislative session in a year, that spurious elections cannot be investigated and annulled in time for the decision to have its due effect. If a return can be obtained, no matter by what unlawful means, the irregular member, who takes his seat of course, is sure of holding it a sufficient time to answer his purposes. Hence, a very pernicious encouragement is given to the use of unlawful means, for obtaining irregular returns. Were elections for the federal legislature to be annual, this practice might become a very serious abuse, particularly in the more distant States. Each house is, as it necessarily must be, the judge of the elections, qualifications, and returns of its members; and whatever improvements may be suggested by experience, for simplifying and accelerating the process in disputed cases, so great a portion of a year would unavoidably elapse, before an illegitimate member could be dispossessed of his seat, that the prospect of such an event would be little check to unfair and illicit means of obtaining a seat.

All these considerations taken together warrant us in affirming, that biennial elections will be as useful to the affairs of the public as we have seen that they will be safe to the liberty of the people.

PUBLIUS

____

同类推荐
  • 龙虚篇

    龙虚篇

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 秘密要术法

    秘密要术法

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 东西洋考

    东西洋考

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 中阴经

    中阴经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • THE ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN

    THE ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 封天战印

    封天战印

    这是一片以武为尊的大陆,一场神魔之战,天地禁封,万载之后,一个死气笼身的少年,偶然得到武帝传承,他身怀妖兽王族之血,兼修剑道与妖兽秘法,从此天才崛起,剑啸风云……第二次神魔并世的战曲,渐渐拉开序幕……
  • 奇谈笔记

    奇谈笔记

    灵异?墓葬?探险?奇遇?.............本是无为的青年,自通晓道法后,不停的游走于地下未知的空间中,带您领略未知的光怪陆离,上古的往事,超前世的超级文明!为您揭晓!
  • 总裁要够了没

    总裁要够了没

    那一晚,从酒吧到酒店,他才知已婚的她竟还是一个女孩。从女孩到女人,她只当被蚊子咬了一口,却,从此惹上了那个男人,女人星星眼望之的小鲜肉。终于有一天,她才知她一直自以为是小生的男人竟有着无比显赫的身世,再也甩不开。
  • 生活中的诡计

    生活中的诡计

    “诡计”,在词典中的解释是:狡诈的计策;使用不正当的手段。也许,对于很多人来说,这就是一个不好的词汇,认为诡计都是阴谋诡计,是和暗箱操作这些词连在一起,是见不得人的。在生活中,我们究竟是否应该纵容这个词的存在呢?其实,生活中很多地方都需要诡计,生活中的诡计并不单指坏事,我们也常常需要一些小的计谋去解决生活中困难的事,这就是生活中的诡计。在古时,有兵法三十六计,在现代,我们更需要利用适当的诡计去解决生活中无法解决的事情。诡计,对于一个人的爱情、婚姻、人际交往以及工作事业等社会生活都有着重要的影响,有时甚至起到了决定性作用。
  • 大唐乐圣

    大唐乐圣

    老大:每一个时代,都需要有一些人代表正义和光明,所以,我来了。老二:那么,每一个时代,也需要人代表邪恶和黑暗。老三:人就不可以太聪明,否则,烦恼的事情就越来越多。所以,我傻,我的欢乐多。李龟年:我只是带给这个世界欢乐,并不是让所有人变成傻冒,虽然,各位都是······已有完本作品《大唐农圣》,欢迎各位书友品鉴。
  • 刷新世界的100个技术发明(下)(世界历史回眸经典文库)

    刷新世界的100个技术发明(下)(世界历史回眸经典文库)

    技术发明是应用自然规律解决技术领域中特有问题而提出创新性方案、措施的过程和成果。发明的成果或是提供前所未有的人工自然物模型,故而技术发明可以为我们的生活带来翻天覆地的变化,看《刷新世界的100个技术发明》,让我们对那些影响深远的技术发明有一个全面的了解,同时也可以打开我们创新的思维。
  • 做好税收筹划的28个方法

    做好税收筹划的28个方法

    本书作者将职场故事和财务工作中的常见问题相结合,用严密的逻辑将财会知识和实操技巧相结合,从税收筹划入手,深入浅出地提炼出28个方法。
  • 你也可以做个成功达人

    你也可以做个成功达人

    成功学家戴尔·卡耐基曾说:“好口才是社交的需要,是事业的需要,是生存的需要。它不仅是一门学问,还是你赢得事业成功常变常新的资本。”只有掌握了说话的技巧和原则,才能够达到“一语惊起千层浪”的效果,才能够掌握开启成功之门的钥匙。
  • 我可是欧皇

    我可是欧皇

    我相信我的大脑加上我天马行空的想法,加上无法确定的更新,这书,,,,一定会扑街!但是不会太监!本书没有大纲,没有后宫!正文:王二狗:狗比,你在哪?出来嗨呀!肖涛:我在火星吃烧烤,一起?王二狗:你就吹吧,劳资还在月球和嫦娥约会勒!肖涛:不信?(图片)王二狗:卧槽卧槽卧槽!ps:内容纯属虚构,如有雷同,纯属借鉴!????
  • 不伸手不计较不抱怨

    不伸手不计较不抱怨

    第一部分功劳不伸手、第一章把荣耀的桂冠让给别人——功劳不伸手、责任抢着担,功劳大家分、罗马不是一个人建成的,功劳是大家的、为了前程,功劳面前上司优先、别企图霸占同事的劳动成果、才高不必自傲,慢点儿邀功请赏、替下属戴上“功劳的勋章”、在取得功劳之前,要先学会付出、舍弃多余的一切,反而更快乐。