Chap. XrV.] AND Religion. 221 



deavouring to murder the man whom he has so I're- 

 quently robbed, and whose facts and thoughts, though 

 oisguised and disgraced by the robber's quaint phraseo- 

 logy, constitute the better part of his book. Jerry, who 

 was made a Reiormer by Fitt's refusal to give him a 

 coHiract to build a penitentiary, and to viake him prime 

 administrator of penance, that is to say, Beggar-Whipper 

 General, is a very proper person to be toasted by those, 

 who have plotted and conspired against Major Cart- 

 wright. Mr. Brougham praises Jerry : that is enough ! 

 406. In the four Neiv England States, the qualifi- 

 cation was a hundred pounds. But, one of those States, 

 Connecticut, has, to her great honour, recently set au 

 example worthy of the imitation of the other three. A 

 new constitution has, during this year, been formed in 

 that State, according to which all the elections are to be 

 annual: and, as to the suffrage, I will give it in the 

 words of the instrument itself: " Every male Avhite 

 " citizen of the United States, who shall have gained a 

 e" settlement in this state, attained the age of tsventy-one 

 *' years, and resided in the town (that is parish in the 

 " English meaning) in which he may offer himself to be 

 *' admitted to the privilege of being an elector, at least 

 ** six months preceding, and have a freehold estate of 

 ** the yearly value of seven dollars in this State; — OR, 

 " having been enrolled in the militia, shall have per- 

 " formed military duty therein for the term of one year, 

 " next preceding the time he shall offer himself for ad- 

 " mission, or, being liable thereto, shall have been, by 

 " authority of law, altogether excused therefrom ; — OR, 

 " shall have paid a State Tax within the year next pre- 

 ♦' ceding the time he shall present himself for admis- 

 " sion, and shall sustain a good moral character, shall, 

 " on his taking the oath prescribed, be an elector." 

 ^ 407. And then, the proof of bad moral character, 

 ^, is, " a conviction oi bribery, forgery, perjury, duelling, 

 ^^ fraudulent bankruptcy, theft, or other offences, lor 

 *' which an iniamous punishment is inflicted." By 

 forgery is not, of course, contemplated puff-out for- 

 gery ; for that, as an act of resistance of oppression, is 

 ,j^.fully justifiable : it is not only not an immoral, but it 

 ^ is a meritorious act. The forgery here raeaiit is for- 



