"What is most essential to the integrity of a republic is that its citizens be well and truly informed." John Adams
It is with this in mind that the many of the Founders and Framers, taking their own generation as the model for the nation limited the franchise to those who had the education and the investment in society to take their vote very seriously, who were willing to challenge their representatives in government, and who were willing to serve themselves "for a rightful period."
It is with this in mind that the Framers placed within the Constitution the means to amend it by both legislative action and by convention.
It was their hope, their faith, that with time education would be available to all and that opportunity would afford to all the means to invest in society.
Today half (or more often many more than) do not vote. Most of those voting have only the most superficial understanding of the workings of the Constitutions, Federal and State, and the process by which we are governed. They know virtually nothing of those who represent them or who want to represent them. Complex issues are boiled down into sound bites and sloganeering replaces debate.
Modern media (and unlimited monies to fuel it) has made truth the first casualty in most political contests.