Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1833-03-13

the twenty -four as unit. but that Of the thirteen
and that Of the eleven separately. the majority OF
each governing the parts, and, where they con-
cur, governing the whole, and where they disa'
gree, arresting the action of the Government
This, he would call the concurrng, as dist'ncS
from the absolute majority. 1t would not De- as
was generally supposed, minority governing,
majority. In either wav, the number wouid De
the same, whether taken as the a5solute,or as the
concurring majority. Thus. the majority OF the
thirteen is seven, and Of the eleven SIX, and the
two together make thirteen, which is the MAORI
~ of twenty.four. But though the number IS
the same, the mode of counting IS essentially
different; the one representing the strongest IN
terest, and the other, the weaker interests Of the
community. The first mistake was, in supPosIns
that the government of an absolute majority Is
the government Of this PeOpls-that beau ideal oil
a government, which had been 50 enthusiastically
entertained IN every age, by the generous and pa
triotic, where civilization and liberty had made
the smallest progress. There could be no great
er error: the government OF the people Is the
government Of the whole communicate
the twenty four-the self government OF
all the parts-too perfect to be reduced TO prac.
tice in the present, or any past OF human So
ciety. The government! Of the absolute MAORI
w
but the government of the strongest interests,
and, when not efficiently checked, is the most
tyrannlcal and oppressive that can be devised. -
Between this ideal perfection on one side. and
despotism on the other; none other can be divs'
ed but that which considers society, in reference
to its parts, as differently affected by the action
of the Government, and which takes the sense
of each part separately, and thereby the sense oil
the whole in the manner already illustrated
These principles, as he had already stated, are
not affected by the number of which a cOmmuni-
ty may be composed, and are just as applicable
to one OF thirteen millions, the number which
composes ours, as of the small community Of
twenty:four, which have supposed, for the pur-
pose Of.illustratlon; aud are not less applicable
to the twenty four States united in one commu-
nifty, than to the case OF the twenty four indvdu-
ais. There is, indeed. a distinction between a
large and small community, not affecting the
principle, but the violence of the action. In the
iorner. the similarity of the interests OF all the
parts. will limit the oppression from the hostile
action of the parts, in degreeto the fiscal action
of the government merely; but in the community
spreading over country of great extent, and ha-
wing great diversity of interests, with different
kinds of labor, capital, and production, the con-
flict and oppression will extend, not only to
monopoly Of the appropriations. on the
part Of the stronger interests but will end in un-
equal taxes, and general conflict between the
entire interests Of conflicting sections; which, if
not arrested by the mnst powerful checks will
terminate IN the most oppressive tyranny that can
be conceived, or in the destruction of the COM
munity itself
If we turn our attention from these supposed
cases, and direct il to our government and its ac-
tual operation, we will find a practical confiTma-
ton of the truth OF what has been stated, not
ly Of the oppressive opperaton of the system of
an absolute majority. but also a striking and
beautiful illustration, in the formation OF our sys-
TEN, of the principle of the coneurr'ng majority,
as distinct from the absolute, which he had as
serted to be the only means Of efficiently check
ing the abuse al power, and, of course, the only
solid foundation of constitutional liberty. That
our government, tor many years, has been grad
ualy verging to consolidation, that the constItu.
ton has gradually become dead letter, and
that all restrictions upon the power OF govern
meut have been virtually removed. 80 as practi.
cally to convert the General Government into
government Of an absolute majority, without
check or limitation, cannot be denied by any
one who has impartially observed its operation.
1t is not necessary to trace the commencement
and gradual progress Of the causes which have
produced tins change in our system; it is sufficient
to state that the change has taken place within
the last few years. What has been the result?
The growth of faction, corruption, anarchy, and,
ifno, despotism itself, Its near approach. as Wit
messed in the provisions Of this bill. And from
what have these consequences sprung! We
have been involved in no war. We have been
at peace with all the world. We have been Wis.,
tied with no national calamity. Our people have
been advancing in general intelligence, and,
will add, as great and alarming as has been the
advance of political corruption. the morals and
virtue of the community at large have been ad.
vancing in improvement. What. he would
again repeat, is the causel No other can be as.
signed but departure from the fundamental
principles Of the Constitution, which has CONVEX
ted the Government INTO the will OF an absolute
and irresponsible majority, and which, BY the
laws which must inevitably govern, in all such
majorties, have placed in conflict The great inter
ests Of the country, BY system Of hostile legsla
ton; BY an oppressive and unequal imposition Of
tayes. nv unenuaI and nrofuse annronria tione and