1821 May 2

First Lines

/Supreme Constitution

Election

3 Equality

3. Equality.

By equality of suffrage, is meant equality of effect as between a suffrage given in this or that one election district, and a suffrage givn in this or that other, election district.

Understand here by equality, nothing more than the absence of such degrees of inequality, that /as/ would be productive of some one or more evils of the following description, to a sensible amount:-

Evil the first. In this or that election district, the number of electors so small that by intimidation, or corruption, freedom of suffrage might be destroyed. By secresy of suffrage, intimidation might be excluded. But unless by a mistake of the electors, as compared with the value of of the situation filled, and the quantity of the means of corruption in the hands of candidates, to exclude corruption is impossible.

Evil the second. 2. In this or that election district, the number of Electors so great, that in comparison of a vote in this or that other election district, a vote is in a sensible degree inferior in value. This being the case all men /voters/ in such overpeopled district, feel a sensation of injury, from the comparison of their situation with that of the electors in an under peopled, or even in an adequately peopled district:

3 Proportioned to the smallness thus produced in the effect and value of a vote, will be the probability of its being outweighed by the loss of time necessary to the delivery of it. In the instance of all. Upon all in whoseinstance the advantage of voting is thus outweighed by the inconvenience, a virtual exclusion is thus put.

4. The greater the distance between the spot /place/ at which the votes are delivered, and the place of his /an/ election abode, the greater is the inconvenience in respect of time lost, with or without concomitant expense. Evil 3, is common to Town and Country Districts: this evil is peculiar to Country districts.