Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1830-06-18
GOMGsMM s sIOMNRa
DEBATE ON THE TARIFF
HOUSE or .VT.ATTpES-ap,ilo 6
MR. MCDUFFIE'S SPEECH

CONCLUDED
The worry reverse OF all THE is the truth The ma.
jory which imposes these oppressive taxes upon the
people oil the South far from being re ponsibl, To
them, or to those who have any common ineres It or
common sympathy with them in relation to the m after
are responsible to the very who have BEEN for the
last ten years making the weIkn ring with their clam
ors Tor the imPosiiion Of these very burthens Yes
Sir those who lay the iron hand and
lawless taxation upon the people of the Southern States
not the representatives, OF those who paw the
or have any participation in it, but the Representatives
OF those VINO receive the bounty and put il in their
pockets.
Can there be gross, mons rous, and insulting
mo'kery, than to tell my oppressed and outraged con-
snens, thai their rights occurred by the principle
Of representative responsibility! II would be iust AZ
ra'ionalto talk about the responsibility Of Roman EN-
peror, 10 the PetorAn bands by whom hs was elevated
TO the throne, as security against puneting The sub
ter provinces Tor the purpose Of paying the stpula
ted donsives by which be had purchased the Empire
The very principle of representative responsibility
when the government is thus thrown from it, balance
becomes itself principle OF the most d. spo,ic yrannv
II would be far better Tor the Southern people so far as
ms tarf policy u cor cerned-and az God is my Judge
would pree rit-lhat the majority of Congress should
be rr.ponsibls 10 no earthly power, than that they
should he responsible to the very persons who have the
deepest "tefe'to all the people on earh-in the taxa
ton and oppression Of the Southern people Sir these
things cannot not be- II utterIy impossible Ina,
such state OF things be permitted 10 continue
in aIsnd where Observation-Disclosures lberty-is en-.
deared by so many glorious associations
am aware, MIR. Chairman, that the answer given
to all this will be, that il lie the right of the majority TO
govern, and the ,Iy OF the minority to submit There
IL no political principle undenabIy true in all the
cases 10 which il properly applies But il il subisct 70
twovery important limitations in our fcderafy
Of Government growing out Of the constitutional com
pact aud founded upon the principles of natural Justice
In the hfst place. majority cannot rghuuliy do any
thing not authorized by the constitutional ch,.r The
grea object Of written constitution is TO restrain
the majority IL is founded upon the idea that an m
checked majority is as dangerous unchecked nj.
nority l believe, when GU, loose from the moorings
OF an effective and real responsibility it s more So
But OF tina, hereafter.
In the second place, the right OF the majority N en-
vefn' In political system composed Of confeder rated
soverPignes and extending geographical
ron, having dlverHhed and conflicting interests, must
DE limited to thtse caeos where there il common in
ferest pervediDk The whole eonfederacy This is a mi
TALON growing out OF the very nature and object of tie
coniIag' even upon the exercise Of powers expressly
granted The submission Of intere which are essen.
TALLY adverse to The control OF a common government
necessarily involves the destruction OF one or the 9th
OF them. This is the foundation ofihe checks and hal
ances even consolidated governments and OF the par.
htion Of power, among distinct sovereigndes in thi,
eonfederacy. " 800
IL is contrary to the cleares principles Of natural
Jlsuee, mat the majori'y-merey because they have
the rowershould violate the rights and des,tov ,bs
separate aud peculiar interests Of the minority 'Tb
Wou'u MAKE power and right, synonymous terms. The
majority have no natural right, in any case to govern
the minority. u IL mere conventional right grow
Ing out o. necessity end convenience On the contra
,Ine ngh OF the minority TO the enjoyment Of life
hoety and property, without any unjust interference
on 'he part OF The majority is The most sacred Of III
natural rights Of man.
when The great sntogonisi interests Of society he
come arrayed against each other, particularly he
they are separated by distance, ard dstneuished bv
difference OF climate character and civil institution.
the great object Of the Government should undoub,
edy be, not 10 become the psrGzsn Of either Of ,bos
iness but TO lnteTpose its power, for the pvrpose
preventing The stronger from destroying the wesker-
instead however OF assuming this stifude-iDsead
restraining The mser interest from doing this act of In
justice srd oppre1ion-tbis Government degrades II
ser INTO The character Of psrzan Of the stronger in
"s'' EMO an lns'Toment OF 10 oppression. I'ssnDt