Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-10-29

TO use il in thut sense. Iiis idea dlubiss, i, tbn,
the principle which the right Of the majority rests
Is that the right To- prescribe the law depends on the
power Of applying the sanction, and that this mower
necessarily resides in a majority. II soft ripht
fellows power, IL is necessary 20 look back TO the
other proposition also Ii right follows mower 10
As nature has made all equal we ought to look 10
a'l--not 10 men alone, bnt also to wo,non ,,J
children 1t IL difficult to reason on this sort of
abstraction. lie would suppose the case Of n
communty--it communities could exist in a state
OF nature;- the two sexes ,ank in the propor-
ton Of ID TO ~; adj To these the dccrcpii und
place by the side Of the ladies' few children
ana the MATURITY Is complete. Is power there? Is
not power tobe found in the physical strength, the
stli and intropidty which be found in a state
OF nature and which Will frequently be found un OYER
match TOR numbers. the clements OF which are more
ieeo.c' Here then strength in the hands Of the mi
nor'ty Here gentlemen may find power in the mi
horfy TO rule miaoty. III that very law OF nature
Ia which they refer for the right OF the minority 10
control the fc". This is the manifest absurdiy To
which the reasoning of the gentlemen who advocate
The extended principle Of suffrage from the lazy of
nature, inettably leads them. But the idea may be
carried stu further WHY are not paupers be ad
united TO the polls, Why are not women anu,
chilir'm' l. there any law OF nature which fixes the
precise age for the maturity of Intellect, which pro-
'dcs that The faculties shall be fire. precisely at FL
wears ofage: So Tar from this b'in! the else, the
human constitution natures in different climates at
different periods. Under the line il is ripe at s.
Mhiie IN the latitude of 60 il Is not mature befor 30
1herc Is no lay which provides that one particular
age, the development OF the faculty Of election shall
take place.
But there Is still further objection the course
OF reasoning which gentlemen disposed to aauit
In order tn get Mt the principle concndcd for we are
compelled TO 20 back state oftngs prior TO all
history. and which probably never had existence
Inc original equality which is supposed exists only
the imagination. We have no Knowledge OF IMAM
KIND PRIOR to that history Of him which is presented
an The Bible We are there informed the, Adam was
the hrst man, ond thai the very fiat which brouc ht
va ~. ArLfa H..
her husband. And Cain was the first born OF man
and ut what period of his life could he be said to be
;lic equal ofhs parents' Not surely while he was
the object their care,Gnd the dependent upon her
bounty.
The wry ADVOCATES Of tins doctrine abandon il,
because they cannot but perceive tat Is irnnossbl
~ practical government to push II to it's fair Results
IL iTce whites alone are TO give the measure of po
cal power upon what principle II that anv ono in
vidnn IS deprived of his share in that power Polii
cat power, IN established government depends ON the
right OF sulfrageif this right b" abrdp 3D. IL is ellen,
That the supposed equality is destroyed and that IN
effect the minority ia some election district may have
the sole power OF choosing their representative
llcnce the principle which is commended for us cor
rect with reference TO the state at LARGE may be g.
probably Will be abandoned IN particular parts Of A.
4he cardinal error III our reasoning The subject
consists IN the ondeavor &c deduce from state of
nature analogcS for tic regulation of a stale of sc-
ETY. statc which prcSupposes that nature with all
her rights, and all her laws, has been shaken oil.
Ihc subject Is not perhaps worth The labor which
aus occh bestowed upon ~, bur ~ nerllunS be
Useful IN enabling fs to understood c true principles
upon which this question We should be care.
:ul not To bcwIlder ourselves with theoretical priu-
cipies There are M fact no original Fundamental
principles IF government at all The principle of one
government do not apply to anothcr--nOr vl the
sumo princip!csappy to the same government al dit
iercnt times and under different circumstances. la
Turkey { government is lodged in one man, in En-.
land II consists OF three branches, the democratic
arstocratc and unonaIchic, and IN the republics of
rhe United States We profess at least 10 have gov.
cTnmcnt of the people alone Neither in Turkey, nor
in England does the majority role and yet would bu
strange say, hat for this there gnvern
Incut at ala III those countricS. The principles oi
government arc such only those who make it.
choose Ia adopt and TO appyto themselves. Govern
mGnts free, otherwise, only in proper
ton as he people have been consulted IN forming hrm
aud tic rulers strictly and directly responsible
for the execution of the peoples viii 1t matters
what form they assume, nor who arc the immediate
dcpositOrcs of political power Ii may suit their pur-
poses it suited the people of Rome to invest
all authority in dictator, and If the people choose
this form of govenment-f their interest and safety
require that they shall submit To it, wiIlt original
principle is there which renders it ilegiiimatc' Ii
she majority possess all power they possess power to
surrender their power. And If it is either Just
wise that they should do So it is still their gov
eminent, and inpugn its Legitimacy
1t Is true, as a general rule, that in free govern
mcn,s. power should be given to the majority; and
why' The rule is founded on the idea Of identity
of interest in a the members Of the body poliic ana
the presumption naturally arises, that the great
humber possess the greater interest. But tic rule
does not apply in state of things which the great
interest ut stake belongs to minority In all
is purely question Justice aud eXpedeucy, what
rule shall be adopted. II has been his object to
show that there no original principles which
bind us-that we free TO choose, and are under no
obligations pIiori, TO adopt one rule or anOther.
And it now remains for us TO enquire what rule
ought to adopt IN the existing state Of things. We
contend that the basis OF alton, COMPOUNDED
OF population and taxation, Is the true rule. What ore
&c clements OF society! Property and persons. Docs
tnc history of mankind present an example of s.
clpl immunity consisting only OF mon, women, anl
chil!fcn, without property? Nay, was there ever
societyto whose formation property originally enter
ed, aud In which the laws providing for It's security
had ceased to be respected which did not iumc-
dIately fall prey to violence? We must always
Connect persons and property together. Property
half Of the compound some little respect must
be paid TO it in the rol1,ions Of that cOmpouHl.--
It society canno cNlst Nllhnnt moncY W propsny,