The states are also forbidden to keep on foot any armed force in time of peace, without the consent of congress. This also is a sovereign power, which expediency requires should be exercised by the United States alone. For, if one state keeps a standing army of disciplined troops, the other state will sooner or later be compelled to do the same, the ultimate tendency of which, it is not difficult to perceive. The intention of the framers of the constitution, without doubt, was to avoid all occasions, not only of actual collision between the states, but also of jealousies and distrusts. Nor did it escape their observation, that a state prepared with a standing army, would be much less likely to yield a ready obedience to the laws of the United States, than one having nothing to rely upon, in case of resistance, but the transient and undisciplined ardor of citizen soldiers. PART II. OF SOME PARTICULAR RIGHTS. CHAPTER I. Of the right of suffrage and of elections. IN governments, where the power is retained in the hands of the people, and is exercised in their name by such delegates as they see fit to appoint from time to time for that purpose, the right to take a part in such appointment or delegation, belongs to every constituent member of the social compact, upon which the government is grounded. This right, in whatever manner it may be exercised, is the right of suffrage. It also comprehends within it, the right which each member has of voting upon all subjects, in relation to which the people see fit to exercise their political power personally, and not through the medium of representatives or delegates. The simplest form of a popular government, is that of a pure democracy, where the people meet together in primary assemblies and make such laws and regulations for the conduct of the members of the society, as they see fit. In the formation of any such government, a difficulty would meet them at the outset. For, as soon as any measure was proposed, it would immediately be found that some would be in favor of it, while others would be equally opposed to it. In this case, one party or the other must recede, or the society would be dissolved. Because each individual would think himself justified in saying that he did not intend, by joining the society, to have his feelings or interests made a sacrifice to those of others; that |