The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1824-04-27


A. regards The uaxin that thr MAJORITY
should rule--tbls is as eNcepiiouai'e
IS almost any Other general Iulr,
and It Is As applicabrroaoy othfr as re-
puhlicm ko.rrumrut aud indeed 10 any
thing else rs to potitcs-lt uas never IN
tended 10 BE- understood absolutely, or 10
oprrale otherwise thauto give the majority
an equitable asccndauCy over the minority
10 sch matters 0l mere opinion, and vii
a. ar necessary to he, as can be ascertain
ed. onle BY the standard of public senti-
meut-bnt where conscience besIns, TITS
r. Aim ceaspa-It - often laudable iaf tie
minority II submit 10 the majority -efeh
here they are ovcrrulcG Ia Their conscieo-
tlous oplnens-but they are seldom under
any moral obligation TO do 81. Let me ask
" hy II should be- the established maxim that
the majority should rule : l. ii because of
superior wisdom No, must be the an
sWer; for the greatest part of the people,
even in this republican land, are Ike tie
rc,t OF mankind, comparatively fools and
madmen, who should thank God for the
privilege which they already possess, wih.
out coutending for powcr-~ho should
esteem themselves happy in being permit
ted 10 live amongst their supeliors on terms
Of general eqnalily-lt must candidly be
confessed thai the most desirable conse-
qucnre Of the establishment OF tbs maxim
would be enabling the majority Ia erailty
their wills, however arbitrary and lilesii.
maze Now, il should be rec0llected that
legislation Is not a business of will alto2c
ther-b but that IT involves considerations OF
policy, justice, interest, right aud duty land
that il requires wisdom and drlIberailon.-
But that would not be the most important
consequence to the community at large oi
the establishment Of this maxim. lndepen
dcnce aud energy would be paralyaed and
sink under the lnsidious republican, despo
tism. TO what purpose does man become
member Of 5ocUty: That lbs happiness
may be augmented and SECURED. What IS
the first condition on which lie becomes
member Of society ? That if hr IS dlsap
pointed, he may withdraw. Then IT ap
pear, that the friends OF this maxim have
forgotten IN their iuatuation for II, that 1t
may he construed 10 COulra,ene the first
condition upon which they become mem
bcrs of society, and the most important
natural right reserved Ivy them, namely, the
right Of denatun. Though the political
rights of a man do not embrace all human
rights, yet they embrace enough To sci such
bounds To the republican sovereignty and
independence of communities as give the
minority moral strength, putting ON pro
pei equality with ihe majority aud moral
rights, Justify iaS resistance to oppression
and injury, at least 50 far ds moving n yond
Their scope. il, as have shown above,
the lev have to manage the affairs Of GOV
ernment hrcanse OF superior fitness, they
are not always to submit to tine many for
the same reagpn-IaCts are amongst the
hest arguments aud most ot us know that
there have been occasions III which whole
nations, and even the whole world, have
been wrong, while individuals were right
| that truth has made its Way tire perseCH
ton and the application of this maxim to
! lhc glory and honor of God and maa..-.
/ The doctrine of free agency affords argu
meot against it, in its particular application
| To tie right ofmslruction. Every christian
who appreciate, this doctrine who recog
| ozes the system that teaches us 10 consider
creation as designed for the peculiar pur
poses fthe Creator, who believes thas tnan
IS the principal agent in pronlutinE those
! purposes that his Creator has made him
worthy 81 being entrusted " lth hecaScney,
which may affect himself aud all things
/ tsr, in time and eternity l say every
christian who IS Of this way of thinking,
must be sensible or the absurdity-to say
no worse--of circunscribng his represen
! tive, whose acts and powers are OF such
MINOR consequence, bya maxim like this
In palmer 4 more concise tpimS-Il God