The writings of George Washington; being his correspondence, addresses, messages, and other papers, official and private, selected and published from the original manuscripts; with a life of the author, notes and illustrations. By Jared Sparks.

502 WASHINGTON'S WRITINGS. [APPENDIX.
is most readily and easily adopted by a colony upon a sudden emergency. Nature and experience have already pointed out a solution
of this problem in the choice of conventions and committees of safety.
Nothing is wanting, in addition to these, to make a complete government, but the choice of magistrates for the administration of justice.
Taking nature and experience for my guide, I have formed the following sketch, which may be varied in any one particular an infinite
number of ways, so as to accommodate it to the genius, temper, principles, and even prejudices of different people.
"A legislative, executive, and judicial power comprehends the
whole of what is meant and understood by government. It is by balancing each of these powers against the other two, that the effort in
human nature towards tyranny can alone be checked and restrained,.
and any degree of freedom preserved in the constitution.
"Let a full and free representation be chosen for a house of commons. Let the house choose by ballot twelve, sixteen, twenty-four, or
twenty-eight persons, either members of the house, or from the people
at large, as the electors please, for a council. Let the house and
council by joint ballot choose a governor annually, or septennially, as
you like. Let the governor, council, and house be each a distinct
and independent branch of legislation, and have a negative on all
laws. Let the lieutenant-governor, secretary, commissary, attorneygeneral, and solicitor-general, be chosen annually by joint ballot of
both houses. Let the governor, with seven counsellors, be a quorum.
Let all officers and magistrates, civil and military, be nominated and
appointed by the governor, by and with the advice and consent of his
council. Let no officers be appointed but by a general council. Let
the judges, at least of the superior court, be incapacitated by law
from holding any share in the legislative or executive powers, and let
their commissions be during good behaviour, and their salaries ascertained and established by law. Let the governor have the command
of the army, militia, forts. Let the colony have a seal, and affix it to
all commissions.
"In this way, a single month is sufficient, without the least convulsion or animosity, to accomplish a total revolution. If it is
thought more beneficial, a law may be made by the new legislature,
leaving to the people at large the privilege of choosing their governor
and council annually, as soon as matters get into a more quiet course.
Adopting a plan similar to this, human nature will appear in its
proper glory, asserting its own real dignity, putting down tyrannies
at a single exertion, and erecting such new fabrics, as it thinks best
calculated to promote its happiness.'