[131a-030]

[mainly in copyist’s hand]

1818 Dec. 20

Parl. Reform Bill

Reasons

Annuality

2

2

From Smiths Comp. View continued

Tab. I. Legislation. South Carolina. “Term of Duration” “Senate for 4 Years, with a biennial rotation of one half. Representatives biennually.

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Note (cc) p.22. “South Carolina and Tennessee are the only States in the Union, whose most numerous branch is elected for so long a term as two years: in all the rest, it is annually elected, except in Connecticut and Rhode Island, where elections are semi-annual. On Connecticut some remarks have already been made. The biennual seems preferable to the annual term. The former is short enough to secure responsibility, the latter diminishes that firmness and independence, so essential in a legislator. Surely, a man, who has his property, his connections, and every thing dear to him at stake, will (with the responsibility arising from a biennial election) feel ties strong enough to attach him to the public good; at least, let there be one Session out of two where he may act, unawed by the terrors of public disgrace. If a sufficient time intervene after the Session, he may have opportunities to convince his Constituents, in the cool moments of reflection, of the rectitude and propriety of his conduct: but where the Election immediately succeeds the Session, and the passions of the Constituents are industriously inflamed by the interested partizans of aspiring Competitors, and their judgments surprised by uncandid misrepresentations, the Member unvindicated has but a poor chance of re-election. These apprehensions too often lead well-disposed men, over-fond of popularity and place, to sacrifice their own honest sentiments to the current opinions and prejudices of the day, or to the wild caprices of the influential demagogues of their election districts. At the same time, it is to be understood, that too remote a term of election ought to be avoided, least leading characters, possessed of talents and ambition, might pursue measures injurious to the State, unrestrained by the public voice, which ought always to have its due influence on the constituted authorities. The constitution of South Carolina, by the biennial Elections of the Representatives, and by the quartennial and rotatory Election of the Senate, is happily calculated, in this respect, to combine a sufficient independence of the Member, with a proper responsibility, and the public security. See Federalist N o 52 &c[?]