LEGISLATIVE PEERS. 129 



The federal constitution of the provinces of Venezuela and Ca- 

 raccas, of 1811, had also instituted a senate endowed Avith similar 

 attributes. In 1821, the constitution of the Colombian republic 

 established a congress divided into two chambers. The first, styled 

 the Senate, has the initiative in every project of law, except in 

 measures of finance. Every department sends four senators to con- 

 gress, who are elected for eight years, and half of them are renewed 

 every fourth year. They must be thirty years of age ; have been 

 domiciled in the department at least three years; must possess a 

 landed property of the value of 4000 dollars, or an income of 500 

 dollars, or exercise some useful science. The constitution of 1830 has 

 greatly modified this organization. According to it, a senator must 

 be forty years of age ; must possess a landed property valued at 8000 

 dollars, or an annual re venue of 1000, if arising from land; or 1500 if 

 derived from some useful profession. 



The constitution of Peru is based upon the same principles. 

 In Chili there is a senate composec^ of nine members, annually 

 elected by the electoral assemblies ; but they may be re-elected the 

 following year. They must be thirty years of age, and possess a 

 property valued at least at 5000 dollars. 



In Brazil, the constitution of 1823 institutes a senate, composed of 

 members elected for life by the Emperor, upon triple lists formed in 

 the provincial elections. The senate must in number be equal to 

 one-half of the other chamber. The princes of the Imperial family 

 take their seats at the age of twenty-five ; but every other member 

 must be forty years of age; be learned, skilful, and virtuous; have 

 rendered services to the state, and possess an annual income of 800 

 milreis derived from property, manufactures, commerce, or govern- 

 ment employment. The indemnity received by the senators for tra- 

 velling expenses, &c. is double that of the deputies. 



Such are the constitutions of the upper chamber in the different 

 representative governments that at present exist constitutions which, 

 in their varying phases, open a wide field of study and reflection to 

 the political philosopher and statesman. In some of these, so deeply 

 rooted is the aristocratic principle, that popular representation is an 

 absolute nullity the government k an aristocratic oligarchy ; while in 

 others, elected as they are by the people, we may fairly question their 

 utility, and imagine that in deference to ancient usage alone the 

 framers of their constitution departed from that unity and simplicity 

 of system which would have preferred the organization of the legis- 

 lative body into one single chamber, seeing that the sources of both 

 are identically the same the will of the people. 



M.M. No. 92. 



