1856. COUNTIES, Division of.—[continued].
The article, nearest my
heart, is the division of counties into wards.
These will be pure and elementary republics,
the sum of all which, taken together,
composes the State, and will make of the
whole a true democracy as to the business
of the wards, which is that of nearest and
daily concern. The affairs of the larger sections,
of counties, of States, and of the Union,
not admitting personal transactions by the
people, will be delegated to agents elected by
themselves; and representation will thus be
substituted, where personal action becomes
impracticable. Yet, even over these representative
organs, should they become corrupt
and perverted, the division into wards constituting
the people, in their wards, a regularly
organized power, enables them by that
organization to crush, regularly and peaceably,
the usurpations of their unfaithful
agents, and rescues them from the dreadful
necessity of doing it insurrectionally. In this
way we shall be as republican as a large society
can be; and secure the continuance of
purity in our government, by the salutary,
peaceable, and regular control of the people.—
To Samuel Kerchival. Washington ed. vii, 35.
Ford ed., x, 45.
(M.
1816)
