20 TlMEHRI. 
cated, nor demanded, nor wished for. The eleclors 
were to be those direclly taxed. But even this did not 
offer a sufficient guarantee against the danger of unde- 
sirable and incapable members being " sent up to the 
" States" to represent the colonists, and to co-operate 
with the Government in conducting the administration of 
the colony. The door ought not to be opened too wide. 
Every person being a Dutch subject or an alien domi- 
ciled in the colony, having attained the age of 25 years, 
and enjoying all civil rights, was eligible. No owner- 
ship of any property, certainly not ownership of or 
agency for estates or plantations, (as in days by gone, 
when autocracy from home and plantocracy had their 
full sway in the colony and had destroyed her politi- 
cal life and existence) was any longer a requisite or 
qualification for eligibility. It was not even necessary to 
be classed among the taxpayers. The law showingly 
centred her entire confidence in the Kiezers ; but she, 
nevertheless, reserved a share in the election for the 
Government. As has already been said, of the 13 mem- 
bers composing the Colonial States, 4 were elected by 
the Governor. But even these members, in the perform- 
ance of their duties and the exercise of their rights, 
were fully and in every respect the representatives of 
the inhabitants, bound by the same oath, and independ- 
ent members of the representative body. They were not 
in any way considered to be members of ox for the Gov- 
ernment. Their right to vote was free and unfettered, 
and they were by no means obliged to submit to the 
views of the Government. I can here testify that during 
the 1 1 years I had the honour of membership of the 
Colonial States, the Government, since the introduction 
