Full Idea
All citizens ought to have the right to choose their representatives by election. The only exception concerns those whose condition is so base that they are considered to have no will of their own.
Gist of Idea
All citizens (apart from the very humble poor) should choose their representatives
Source
Baron de Montesquieu (The Spirit of the Laws (rev. 1757) [1748], 11.06)
Book Reference
Montesquieu,Baron de: 'Selected Political Writings', ed/tr. Richter,Melvin [Hackett 1990], p.185
A Reaction
This is an amazingly liberal view of the franchise for its time (though he may not be including women), but with a rather breathtaking coda! It may be hard for us now to grasp the very humble state of an illiterate peasant.