1822 Feb. 10

Constitutional Law /Code/

Supreme Constitutive who

'2. Means of Government

In comparison of the governed the governors must in every community be a small number - for those by whom the operations of government are carried on can not during that time be carrying on operations of any other sort: those excepted by which the individual and thus by which the species are preserved. For the greatest portion of the labouring time of the greatest number must at all times be employed in the securing of the means of subsistence to the whole

By whom then and how shall this distinction be made? By what cause or causes shall it be determined who at each moment shall be the governor, and who the governed?

The greatest happiness of the greatest number requires that be the governors who they may - be the powers of government exercised by them what they may, it is by /of/ the will of the governed that during each moment their existence in that situation should be he result:- that is to say that after having been placed they should at certain intervals of no great length be displaceable by the governed.

The governed can not all of them be at all times exercising the immediate powers of government, as above specified /particularized/ but at stated times they may all of them exercise the functions of declaring who the individuals shall be by whom those same immediate powers shall be exercised.