7822. SENATE (Virginia), Defects in.—
The Senate [of Virginia] is, by its constitution,
too homogeneous with the House of
Delegates. Being chosen by the same electors,
at the same time, and out of the same
subjects, the choice falls of course on men
of the same description. The purpose of
establishing different houses of legislation is
to introduce the influence of different interests
or different principles. Thus in Great
Britain it is said their constitution relies on
the House of Commons for honesty, and the
Lords for wisdom; which would be a rational
reliance, if honesty were to be bought with
money, and if wisdom were hereditary. In
some of the American States, the delegates
and Senators are so chosen, as that the first
represent the persons, and the second the
property of the State. But with us, wealth
and wisdom have equal chance for admission
into both houses. We do not, therefore, derive
from the separation of our Legislature
into two houses, those benefits which a proper
complication of principles is capable of producing,
and those which alone can compensate
the evils which may be produced by their
dissensions.—
Notes on Virginia. Washington ed. viii, 361.
Ford ed., iii, 223.
(1782)
