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

majority ought rule. There are tvo Lini .yae
j"H,ss nelei majority OF Interest," well as u
the principle, mean by that term, those ,vh, -.
Drought INTO the socalcompact the greatest nmo,n, ~.
interest there eouid be no difference between par,;os
III they are ready To admit that those who hryr. -,
greatest stake mao the governne ouoLt of ,;h,
exercise me greatest share of control in i,s aars
mere Is al occ an end OF all Discussion I'm. tInt H.
NOT te majority to which the gentlemen refer. - -
not 10 the greater urere 4, but To tho yroa,o. -
oefs 'hat thcy wish 10 give the control n m,v no,
! oe more curious than profitable to examine the
grounds OH which this pretensiop rests. -
IL Is remarkable fact that this ripht of ,ho ,,;
NY TO RUE Is assumed as pos,ulate II is NO, oniv
asserted without proof, but without even an o,to,nt
q. p'o1l OF 'na proof lie had waited. II is assu-
'neu that there IS an absolute, Inherent and nd.
.tueloie right IN tic majority exercise perfct cor
over the minority, and all the arguments of thu
Sen''emen res, upon this assumption. Upon what
aoes TINS novel axiom rest? Whence is IL ,orvol,
there be TINS absolute and original rpbt in Tho mo.
l"rhy' from what source does it sprng, 7, mus, n,
Hri.su euner nom agreement between those who
ale The subjects of government, or from some o,ba
source independent Of government and n,os -,
FROM what agreemont is tire right derived, Is !, n
DC found III any clause of our constitution, That; !,
tI '{ sou,Ge 10 which we can look; and ieit be
"hu mere there Is at ouce end of oil
Sy II the right Of the majority be recognized in Tic
C"S'"n'on, whence tie necessity to make arv
annge' AN inc purposes which the gentlemen dc,
sred TO effect by Change already answered rbore
Is no occasion tn uinend the constitution so 10
troduce the white basis of representation if il is ~
Il all,
compact in which it is provided or recognizn3, III
question Is supertiuous one. ''0
Ii Then this right is not Conventional ri,h, no.,
uemen must look to some other source to sSeme,I;m
prior to- and independent of the Cons,;,n,; .,ts
mat prior source. they have in fact referred G 49,
doc rlne lsannounccd founded in necessity g. ,o,,
-. uiu 'ot ieno 10 deny the fact that all men ale
naturally tree or naturally equal but he did dom th
existence OF any absolute inherent rigb in tho 49,;
rlty, derived from nature, TO bind the minort -, -
e"se' WIN MS explanation, he would proceed IN
q IN ,f
cplo whch makes the minority stbec, To tho ro;,;,
IN w!St codc OF nature we look for is Pcrbnn,
u Tie subject be eNaained minutcly il will he FOUR,
'iiat mere Is but single right derived from Nature
ana mat is, the right possessed hy all tho crc,turo,
OF God 10 use the powers derived from Nature. IN
sNch mode as may hast promote their own bapp
ness II not so, the laws OF nature are but uooiiv
poc!ce ny her crcatures for throughout her
hound!e5s range, tho law of force is fonnd 10 r,>
! tue Only rule OF action The hon DESTROYS the ox-
the OK drives the lamb fTon the rick prass np ,l>
lamb assais the animal that is weak and ,,ora ,,i
than Itself. The rule runs throuob all tic
gradalons of Efe-iueror str, myth yields IN that
Wcn superior until finally the devours us all.
put II u DC indeed law of nature, that a majority
nave right to rule 10 what coseQu nee will il leada
al are by nature equal; each has his rights which
are equal TO INC rights Of his fell Among these
IshlS dssuredIy are those of opinion and of action
put the right OF a majority to controu implies a
ug"i 10 impose restraints. And thus in effect only
ono 'sss thai majority of all the creatures of God,
r may oe found without amy rig hts at all.
~ 6y the law OF nature u majority has the roht 10
lue' now 10 mat majority to be northumberland
imagine, If such casc be possible that the Wild men
on tue forest are eonGregating 1r the first time To
form society Each man bring, his rights with him,
ana among them, IS the right to say whether tho ma
J'.y snail rule Or not II he says the majority shall
hot rule where do you get from The law of nature the
authority to compel him? 0
Dat Suppose the principle should be adopted bv
hna, vaI' inc majority should rule the minority
~" Wa, you pTocccd 10 ascertain Tho p,n;ori,rs
now VIII ne votes be gwen, who shall apno;nt 10
,,'a now VIII tue result be announced9 These
o,'.lns necessarily imply some order and arrange
mon "hich are Inconsistent with state of noturS
Da' AGAIN. Within what limits is the priuciplo
10 oe applied! WIN you take the whole world ~
only part of it, o'' :"
II you take the Whole then ,,yo ,o;II;o,,;- s
gcs Who range the American wilds, aud subsist ON
the Elk and tho Butflloe, VIII have rirIt 10 dictate
uWS 10 one million Of Savages nhabiting the Asia,
10 i.hIl1J' Two million Wlo gain their sIbsis,enca
Dy the bow and arrow, may prohibit the one nI;n
nom obtaining Their subsistence from the ocean Which,
surrounds , hem Is there any natural power vested
ma majority by which i; thus cruelty ard minis,
", Destroy Cyeiy particle OF right in a nninori,v5
Snpp2Ss you do not take all the world. but op,v .
par, Then you aci upon the idea that the world q
divided INTO separate communities, and that vei,
idea throws behind you every notion of n s,a,o -,
nature winch must have been shaken Off before tIoea
coi9iaHgit Z, could have been formed.
pu. = azure gives rigl, if it be strongly i'm
pressed on the human mind, that it is irresistibIv
maue nc rue OF our conduct, and we are unable 70
ecP''' 'ro' u IN what does II consist Consists l.
n iHtic hunocrsY Is 1t there that VIC must look
lOi ue HSht OF The majority to rulo5 If so
why 40 we select part only of the cornmun,ys
numbers give the right, how dare any man
unGortake to apply the principle exclusively To-
Tu'es. Why not count women and children IN
inc cnum'rationr If by law of nature the msiori-
~ * 20 govern, IN what part of that law arc ~ -
LOOK Tor the discrimination as to agc or sex, IT,
principle assumed Is, that all are by nature em1ol md
snciy u docs not consist with gaIlarry of the nro
sent ddy to deny Int the ladies' are nj oosf oa,,oI
TO ouFsclyes There is another consequence alec
wch must result from the adopt on of tho principle
Inc ola ana lnfrn who entirely dependent ON the
bounty OF others must be allowed the same ripht as
INC most useful and the most profitable member of the
Comnonweaith. He would adopt no principle which
h1 could not push through to i,sIogidnate results
L sKc hc whole scope ticn Of Ito poposiiion and
what DO you do, You take men md ,ro,oo, al ~. y,
Il be necessary for your purpose, place children by
their tides, in order 20 make up a majority. -
AgaIn, u nunlboIs arc ~ gnyern. and nnlnr =. H.