This would not be
needful under a political system which assured them an indefinite
choice of honest and unprejudiced candidates; but under the existing
system, in which the electors are almost always obliged, by the
expenses of election and the general circumstances of society, to
select their representative from persons of a station in life widely
different from theirs, and having a different class-interest, who will
affirm that they ought to abandon themselves to his discretion? Can we
blame an elector of the poorer classes, who has only the choice
among two or three rich men, for requiring from the one he votes for a
pledge to those measures which he considers as a test of
emancipation from the class-interests of the rich? It moreover
always happens to some members of the electoral body to be obliged
to accept the representative selected by a majority of their own side.
But though a candidate of their own choosing would have no chance,
their votes may be necessary to the success of the one chosen for
them; and their only means of exerting their share of influence on his
subsequent conduct, may be to make their support of him dependent on
his pledging himself to certain conditions.
These considerations and counter-considerations are so intimately
interwoven with one another; it is so important that the electors
should choose as their representatives wiser men than themselves,
and should consent to be governed according to that superior wisdom,
while it is impossible that conformity to their own opinions, when
they have opinions, should not enter largely into, their judgment as
to who possesses the wisdom, and how far its presumed possessor has
verified the presumption by his conduct; that it seems quite
impracticable to lay down for the elector any positive rule of duty:
and the result will depend, less on any exact prescription, or
authoritative doctrine of political morality, than on the general tone
of mind of the electoral body, in respect to the important requisite
of deference to mental superiority.
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