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having the power in their own hands, was as
clear and undoubted, as that it, of right belongs
to them, to dispose of as they see proper,—it is
known that the large states will not agree to
deprive themselves of the power to exercise the
decisive weight and influence of an undivided
vote, in the primary elections, without the aban-
donment by the small states, of the federative
principle which gives them equal weight with
the large ones, in contingent choice, and making
the elections upon popular principles, or, at
least, retaining the same relative power and in-
fluence in all subsequent trials. It is, there-
fore, manifest, that little hope exists of the al-
terations desirable to us being obtained, with-
out too great a sacrifice—without agreeing to
others so destructive of our existing rights and
power, as to forbid our assent to them.

The constitution of the United States is the
work of some of the wisest heads and purest
hearts that were ever devoted to the service of
any people.

We should be cautious in making changes in
an instrument, the result of the deliberations of
such men; and which contains more knowl-
edge and judgment in poising ard balancing its
various powers, so as to reconcile conflicting
feeling, prejudices and interests, than is to be
ound in any other monument of human genius,
the annals of the world can furnish.

The foregoing views of this interesting topic,