CHAP. XIV.] AND RELIGION. 391 



qualification was a hundred pounds. But, one 

 of those States, CONNECTICUT, has, to her great 

 honour, recently set an example worthy of the 

 imitation of the other three. A new constitu 

 tion 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 white citizen of the United States, 

 " who shall have gained a settlement in this 

 " state, attained the age of twenty-one years, 

 " and resided in the town [that is parish in the 

 " English meaning] in which he may offer him- 

 " self 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 admission, 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 

 " preceding the time he shall present himself for 

 " admission, and shall sustain a good moral 

 " character, shall, on his taking the oath pre- 

 " scribed, be an elector." 



407. And then, the proof of bad moral cha- 



