They probably
would not fulfil this duty any better than it is fulfilled by the
inhabitants voting directly; while, on the other hand, if fitness
for electing members of Parliament had to be taken into
consideration in selecting persons for the office of vestrymen or town
councillors, many of those who are fittest for that more limited
duty would inevitably be excluded from it, if only by the necessity
there would be of choosing persons whose sentiments in general
politics agreed with those of the voters who elected them. The mere
indirect political influence of town-councils has already led to a
considerable perversion of municipal elections from their intended
purpose, by making them a matter of party politics. If it were part of
the duty of a man's book-keeper or steward to choose his physician, he
would not be likely to have a better medical attendant than if he
chose one for himself, while he would be restricted in his choice of a
steward or book-keeper to such as might without too great danger to
his health be entrusted with the other office.
It appears, therefore, that every benefit of indirect election which
is attainable at all is attainable under direct; that such of the
benefits expected from it, as would not be obtained under direct
election, will just as much fail to be obtained under indirect;
while the latter has considerable disadvantages peculiar to itself.
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