When the new constitution was completed, it was referred back to the people for approval.  At this third appeal to the popular voice, rather less than half of all the electors voted, the constitution being adopted by a majority of one-third of those who did.  By this simple, and exquisite republican process, was the principle of the sway of majorities vindicated, a new fundamental law for the colony provided, and all the old incumbents turned out of office.  ’Silence gives consent,’ cried the demagogues, who forgot they had no right to put their questions!

Religion had a word to say in these changes.  The circumstance that the governor was an Episcopalian reconciled many devout Christians to the palpable wrong that was done him; and it was loudly argued that a church government of bishops, was opposed to republicanism, and consequently ought not to be entertained by republicans.  This charming argument, which renders religious faith secondary to human institutions, instead of human institutions secondary to religious faith, thus completely putting the cart before the horse, has survived that distant revolution, and is already flourishing in more eastern climes.  It is as near an approach to an idolatrous worship of self, as human conceit has recently tolerated.

As a matter of course, elections followed the adoption of the new constitution.  Pennock was chosen governor for two years; the new lawyer was made judge, the editor, secretary of state and treasurer; and other similar changes were effected.  All the Woolston connection were completely laid on the shelf.  This was not done so much by the electors, with whom they were still popular, as by means of the nominating committees.  These nominating committees were expedients devised to place the power in the hands of a few, in a government of the many.  The rule of the majority is so very sacred a thing that it is found necessary to regulate it by legerdemain.  No good republican ever disputes the principle, while no sagacious one ever submits to it.  There are various modes, however, of defeating all ‘sacred principles,’ and this particular ‘sacred principle’ among the rest.  The simplest is that of caucus nominations.  The process is a singular illustration of the theory of a majority-government.  Primary meetings are called, at which no one is ever present, but the wire-pullers and their puppets.  Here very fierce conflicts occur between the wire-pullers themselves, and these are frequently decided by votes as close as majorities of one, or two.  Making the whole calculation, it follows that nominations are usually made by about a tenth, or even a twentieth of the body of the electors; and this, too, on the supposition that they who vote actually have opinions of their own, as usually they have not, merely wagging their tongues as the wires are pulled.  Now, these nominations are conclusive, when made by the ruling party, since there are no concerted means of opposing them.  A man must have a flagrantly bad character not to succeed under a regular nomination, or he must be too honest for the body of the electors; one fault being quite as likely to defeat him as the other.