ection for moderately long periods. Hence we notice a marked
departure from the practice of the state constitutions in term of office
and mode of election. In every state the governor was elected either by
the legislature or directly by the voters, usually for one year and
nowhere for as long a period as four years.[106] With only two
exceptions[107] the members of the upper legislative chamber were
directly elected by the qualified voters, generally for one year and in
no state for as long a term as six years.[108]

The desire of the Convention to secure to the President and United
States Senators more freedom from popular control than was enjoyed by
the corresponding state officials is most clearly seen in the mode of
election prescribed.[109] They adopted what Madison called "the policy
of refining popular appointments by successive filtrations." They
provided that the President should be chosen by an electoral college,
the members of which were not required to be elected by the people.
This, it was thought, would guard against the choice of a mere popular
favorite and ensure the election of a President acceptable to the
conservative and well-to-do classes. It was taken for granted that the
indirect method would enable the minority to control the choice. For a
like reason they provided that United States senators should be chosen
by the legislatures instead of by the people of the several states.

The system as originally adopted did not contemplate, and made no
provision for the selection of candidates in advance of a popular
election. But this is not surprising when we reflect that it was the
very thing they were trying to prevent. They intended that the electoral
college should be such in fact as well as in name, that it should have
and exercise the power of independent choice instead of merely
registering a popular selection already made as if has come in practice
to do. They recognized very clearly that there was a distinct line of
cleavage separating the rich from the poor. They believed with Hamilton
that in this respect "all communities divide themselves into the few and
the many,"[110] that the latter will tend to combine for the purpose of
obtaining control of the government; and having secured it, will pass
laws for their own advantage. This, they believed, was the chief danger
of democracy--a danger so real and imminent that it behooved the few to
organize and bring about, if possible, such changes in the