Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1833-03-22

forms, whether in a majority Of the people. as in a mere
democracy, or in a majority Of their Representatives, with
out a Constitution, or WITH a Constitution, to be interpret
ed s,he will of the majority, the result would be the
same; two hostile interests would inevitably be created
ny the achon oil the Government, TO be followed by hos
uIe legislation, and that by faction, corruption, anarchy,
and dcspolisin.
The great and solemn question hero presented itself
Is there any remedy for ihese evils, on the decision of
which depends the question, whether the people can 90.
vern themselves, which has been 80 often asked with so
much sceplicism and doubt?-There is a remedy, and but
one, the effects OF which, whatever may he the form, il
TO organize society in reference TO this conflict Of interests,
which springs out OF the action OF government. and which
can oniy he done by giving to each part the right of self
projections; which, In a word, instead OF considering
tho community of twenty-l four a single community,
having a common interest, and to be governed by the
single will OF an entire majority, shall, upon ali oues
IONS tending 10 bring the parts into conflict, the thir.
'ern against eleven, take the will, not of the twenty. four
"a a UNIV, but that OF the thirteen and that of the eleven
separately, the majority OF each governing the parts, and
Were 'h'y concur, gove' ming the whole, and where they
ulsagree, ariesting the action of the government. his
I've "ou" eau The concurring, as distinct from the abso.
'u' "SJ"'y' ~ would not be, as was generally suppos.
"a a minority governing a majority. In either way. The
nuH'oer would be the same, whether taken as the ahso-
iue' or as the concurring majority. Thus. the majority oc
u thil'een ~ seven, aud OF the eleven six, and the two to-
gether make thirteen, which is the majority of twenty.
Iour' But though the number is The same, the mode of
cunning IL essentially different; the one representing the
nIongeSl interest, and the other the weaker interests of
,he community. The first mistake was. i'm sunposing ,h,,
wy government OF The absolute majority is the govern
men ~ uhls people-lhat beau ideal OF a perfect govern-
ment' which had been 50 enthusiastically entertained ia
W. age 10y ue generous and patriotic, where civil.
TT t q ana hoerly had made the smallest p, ogress.-
could oe no greater error; the government oc Tho
PcoPe Is "e government OF the whole community OF the
~" -lour-the sell government OF all the parts TOO
perfect u % reduced 10 practice in the present or any mas,
"S ~ human society The government OF the absolute
",''Jo'''y instead OF The government OF the peopl.. ia bu,
ne government OF The strongest interests. and, when not
"A"cieh'y checked, Is the most tyInnnical Al, d oppres.
SiVe that can he devised. Between this ideal per fec ion
~ V"e sue am despotism on the other, none other can
be devised but the, which considers society. in reisr.non
10 us pdrlS, u IL diff rpnIlV anctad h. A. -.
Vernnehi' and which takes the sense of each part seSa.
rateIy, and thereby the sense of ,ba "a bota ia ~
already illustrated. """
, neSe p,inclp es, as he had already stated, are not af-
Iec'eu oy The number OF which the ommunity NAV bs
composed anu are just as applable to one Of 10 millions
'ne number winch compOSes ours, as of the small coun,n
MY OF twehty-four which have supposed for the mr..
~ ~, = W ,uus.r"uon' ana are not less applicable to the TWEEN
the tweh'y-lour individuals. There is, indeed. n distinc.
between a large and a small community. moi aGectipr
~, Nv PinrlPie' ont the violence of the action. In the former,
'"e similarity oil the Interests of all the parts, will limit the
IMPRESSION rom me hostile action OF the parts, in a great
u,egree, TO the fiscal action of the government mareIy
W =" me large community, spreading over a country of
~" a. extern, ana having a grea: diversity of interests ,yi,L
ninereht Kinds OF labOur, capital, and production. the con.
net ana oppression will extend, not only TO a nouopoIv Of
b fv "Pp'oPIiauons' o" the part OF the stronger interests
ou' VIII ehd IN unequal taxes, and a general conllict he
tween the entire interests OF conflicting sections. vb;oG
~ !; ~" ,To arrested oy me most powerful checks, will terminate
u me most oppressive tyranny that can be concoivoJ w
IN INC destruction OF the community itself
III we turn our attention from these supnose1 aso .I
unvc IL 'oonr government, and its actual opet,tion yo
=" ~ III " pr'c'lcal confirmation of the truth, of what L.s
oech stated, not only of the oppressive operation or ,ha ~"
OF an absolute majority, but also a striking and -;
lul illustrations, IN the formation of our system, of Tho 80
'pie u te CohCurrlng majority, as distinct from the abso.
nue. "hich he had asserted to be the only means of eff.
Guessing the abuse OF power, and, of course. the
ol'y sonu foundation OF constitutional liberty. Thai omr
soseInneh,, 'or many years, has been gradually verping
10 consolidation, that the Constitution has GRADUALLY he's
= dead letter, and that all restrictions upon the power oI
government have been virtually removed, so as nrac,ic,I.
~ 10 convert the General Government into a Coraron|n,
an absolute majority, without check or Imita,ion an
operation. 00'er'eu It's
It's not necessary to trace the commencement anil rr,
progress oil the causes which have nroduced 9,Lis
cLom'SSo, "n wi system; IL Is sufficient to state tina, the
SnS"se has taken place within the last few wears. What
mas been the result! Precisely that which migh, b. ="
zen anticipated the growth Of faction, corruption. anar.
chy, ahu' IL not despotsm itself, its near apnrosrh ,s ,;,
nesSeu II lhe provisions OF this bill. And from VIII, bau.
t"cse consequences sprung? We have keen invoIved in
w W al " Z nave been at peace with the whole world.
i" Z nave Oeeh visited with no national CALAMITY. Our
people nave been advancing in observation-disclosures and 7
" " 80 NV " . great ana alarming DIS has been the advance
w. pG,,'e'I eoIruPuon' the morals and virtue of the com.
W VIM dt large; nave been advancing in improvement
y" nat ne would again repeat, is the cause No othar
can De assigned but departure from the fundamental nrin.
cPIes oil The Constitution, which has conver,ed ne
Vernment into the will of an absolute and irrasnns.I
and which, by the laws which must inryi,abiD
III an sueh inaJorities, have placed in conflict the
= "a ere II the country, by a system of hostile Ie.
glsia'lon; by an oppressive and UNEQUAL imnosition oT 80
eS' oy unequal and profuse appropriations, and by render.
'HH NN ChAlIt ldUOlT ~ CdDlaI n fLa .o,I -.
10 the stronger. ~ "e'es
Tins Is the cause and these the fruits ,yb;ob
Vet'ed Tie Government into a mere instrument of ,aLinu
money from one portion OF the community In ne givan -,
"uouHeT, ana which has rallied around il a treat a 7rowar
lu', ana neicenary corps of Office holders, ofice-seeLors
III eNPec'dh's' destitute OF principle and patriotism. and
VINO nave no standard of morals or politics but tho Nh" ~
the Execuive-thc will OF him who has tho 1870 VIZ %
Oh ne IOdves and hshes. He held il imbossible Cr o.,
Ia look at The theoretical illustration of fine nrincinJ,
Vi 'e absolute majority in the cases which he had sun.
poseu, ana not be struck with the practical illustration in
'ue ac'l'' operation Of our Government. Under every
circumstance, the majority will ever have its 4 ,nericayy
System (he meant nothing offensive TO Sena,orS
out Tie real meaning of the American system il ha,
system Oh PIuhueF winch the strongest interest has ever
M"Beu, ana VIII ever wage, against the weaker. wbere
Wv '@uer u not armed with some efficient and constitu.
.'o,a' 0"eoA 10 arrest lts action. Nothing but such check
on the part oil The weaker interest can arrest il. mero ~
limitations are wholly insufficient WLa,oUa.
interest OBTAINS possession of the Government viii Cro,r
l.e nature OF 'hlhgs, be IN favour of the poyer and against
the limitations imposed by the constitution. and will %
sort 10 every device that can be imagined 10 remove these
IN 'ne contrary, The opposite interest; that
winch he had designated as the stockholdinp Interest. to
those on whom the system opeTates yy;lI 20
slst the abuse OF powers and contend for the Iimitabons
Anu " Is on NAT point then, that the contest betVecn
delegated and the reserved powers will be yaped. HIT
III ums contest, as 'he Interests in possession of the Go.
are organiZed aud armed by all its ard
patronage, the opposite interest, if not in like manner mr..
ganlZed and possessed OF a power to protect tbemseIve.
under the provisions Of the Constitution. will ne "a ireyi
taoIy crushed as would be a band of unoreanized nil.
va "heh opposed by a veteran and trained corps of regu
IdFS' Let IT never be forgotten, that poyer csn onI,S p
opposed ny power, organization by organization. and on
this theory stands our beautiful federal system NJ cover
rhent NO Tree system was ever farther removed t,or,
we PTInc'PIe Wat the absolute majority, without check mr.
nIll'auon' ought to govern. To understand what our 90.