Change of leaders, 80—Montesquieu, 80—Principle of order to be sought and evolved, 81—State of Society, 81—Activity and combination of the vicious elements, and misleading of the rest, 83—Helplessness of the more upright and intelligent electors, 85—Demoralizing character of election contests, 87—National and individual deterioration under the new system, 88—Absence of volition and responsibility, 90, 92—The individual conscience must be aided and invoked, 92—Restoration of personal responsibility, 93—A corporate conscience non-existent, 94—Individuality needed, 94—Announcement of candidature and deposit, 95—Example of a gazetted list of candidates, 97—Expiring traditions to which the House is indebted, 96.
THE OBSTACLES WHICH DIMINISH THE NUMBER OF CANDIDATES.
Necessity and right of electors to the most extensive range of choice, page 99—Principle of the Commons' resolution of 1769, relating to Wilkes, 100—Impediments to candidates, 100.
I. Expense of elections, 101—Educated classes not necessarily wealthy, 101—National disposition for public labours, 102—Contemporaneous labours in Parliament and in professions, 102—Wealth not a security for character, ability, or conscientious action, 103—Its demagogism, 104—Burke, 104—The selection of the worthiest the interest of all, 105—Limit of necessary expense, 106—Bribery, 106—Causes of its prevalence, 107—Hardship of exposing to it the poorer voters, 108—Reduced to its minimum, 109—Voluntary and disinterested support, 111.
II. Introduction to constituents, 112—Canvassing, 112—Its demoralizing character, 113—A concurrence of sympathies contrasted, 113.
III. Incapabilities created by law, official persons, 114—Debate on the Indian Council, 114—Exceptional exclusions only justified by necessity, 115—Persons in holy orders, 116—The injustice and mischief of their exclusion, 117—Returning officers, 119—Presumptuous legislation on matters of individual judgment, 119.
THE ACT OF VOTING.
Documentary voting substituted for oral, page 121—Option of voting for one, or contingently for one of several candidates, 121—No single vote for more than one representative, 123—Voting paper, 124—The act necessarily deliberate, 126—Grote, 126—Burke, 126—Nature and sources of knowledge of candidates by electors, 128—Personal and public information, 129—Encouragement to inquiry, 130—Manifestation and recognition of superiorities, 132—Nurture of love of country, 134—Contact of
