Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1843-03-30


The uppnsi,n parties. II, the primary m"rtnisS.
ran pr'vrnl the voting "f persons not property
qualifcd. Tho meetings Tir The choice W
Delegates and Tor lhr final adoption ur rcicc.
,inn oi the work nf Ne" rupScOnnn. must b"
rondmird uuicr s0iac Ered rnles which nrr
as binding mon The m'goriiy as upon the
minoriiJ tf the vulrs uf oil the towns
amnuul"d Ia majority of the whole. hnt II
portion nl them were MT pnled ~ cnrphnnc"
with ,hc law, H'y mus' 5r rJeci,dl and 80
lh" constitution wmli fail, llIongh lhcrc was
n mnjori'y 'nr j.. SucI, Inns been The usage
ui ,!s,s aua al u'hcr free countries, from The
rbrhe,t pcrlud 20 ihr prrscn, moment. The
parties among the people, whether minorIrs
nr mlinftirs. rsn decide nohing by mrTc
trce nf br.g parties. The minority on one
,,dp, sud The minority on the other, mHst b."
~ majority asccrlalncd IN the mole deSIgnh.
lrG by The Inc. Then the minority is bound.
because The rule established by as HcrHfS, 50
provided. In other words, because It dgrSed
Ia b. huund rhtougl its lawful agents. For
constitution thus esi8b!ishrd. ! would fighi,
even though | dlslikcd its provisions aud
voted against II, bccaHse II !, safer aud better
10 support nil constitutions legally made, than
~ allow ihcn 10 be tranp"d upon because
they do not square with our individual opu-
Ions.
IL The above mode of proceeding. you per
rrIye that the parties nmnug the people, are
but parties. l,ik" parties IN count, they
must try their dlsp spu,"s hy rules OF law, before
] dlcs and jurors appointed by The lac, and
,jVl hy ,ip p,rlrS
i.t mr now rndoavor TO show the orb
irary, unj ~ and yrannca mode Of proceed.
Irg adopted ~ forming the peoples conSliru.
1 A. . LA,
II is downright |, rlnny Of the worst churac.
er.
In the first place, we fnd pnriy among
The people dcsrous of an extension Of sui
lra.e. aud patty against II. They are not
Judges under oath, or Legislators under OATH
bound 10 proceed according TO ceran rules
hui parties influenced by opposite interests
and oppnsllc feelings. They are parties li,-
ing nuder n republican government, which Is
II representative government. This reprcsen.
tiliv" government is guaranteed 10 ~ by the
constitution of the United States. ii Is mo-
pure Dm0cr0cy, IN which al the power l.
~ lh" people aud 10 br exercised by the poo.
plea government IN which the laws are IA
h" changed by the people themselves bu,
hy their representatives "a government. M
which no law can be of any bindlug force
upon any one, unless II has been enacted by
the Legislature. Tins u the g"vcrnmeu, wc
have o%rred Ia 1--we under and ms d!DHC. II
niue tcnihs of The people should meet aud re-
peal a Jaw. 1t would continue still to be- law
1f uinr-rcnihS should enact n new law. it
would rot bud even those who made II. Tho
people Of Tins country, as people, possess
40 power whatever except To appoint lllclr
rulers. The people de-gucdly wrhhC ID This
pnnC from themselves aud vested II IN rep
rcs"niatlvcs, IN order 10 guard against tho
sudden and dangerous impulses 10 wh!ch
large masses are alwny+ subject.
!n Tia" case under consideration, n portion
ol The ?cnplc assumed urnn IA, mscIvrs th'
task ut changing our whole form Of govern
mcnt - of converting strictly representative
government. under winch the people are gov.
rrncd by fixed and stable laws. lh" result OF
the Crhbrruii0n Of men uud'r oath. into a
pure Drmncrncy-w ilh"ut any rule but The
will and passions of lh' multitude. They
procccdcd, III The face nf the plnincst laws
10 drcidr that new form al government was
necessary Ia settle the qrrsIlon-who The
legal people shpuld he hat kind of govern
m"nt they should hereafter 1--we und"r--and
!" carry that government INTO effect by force
Of arm. They constitute themselves The
Judges IN their own case-to make their own
inw---io decide their own rules of proceeding
behind The back of the Other pariy--to pro
nouncc judgment against them without n
hcnrIng-and then proceed 10 enforce thar
execution at the point OF the bayonct
iIrd the minority ever assent To such n gov
crnm"ut as this: VIII they ever submit to-
At? ! do not stop To inquire whether the
constitution thus formed Is u good ono, or q
bad one. deny the power to form any con
A, thau
the power To make n good constitution, with
oat any sauctlon from the laws, they possess
the power ro make a bad one. Once admIl
the right of one portion of the people to act
directly upon the rights of another, without
the intervention of Judges and Legislators
bound by ia, ir onlhs !" proceed according 10
fixed rules aud you abolish all law and all
government. The party in possession of ia"
most fcrnt military ;orcc, will always dc.
clare themselves The majority. A few monird
men. under ihi, doctrine, will always be able
To influence a sufficient number Of the more
needy. To give at least the appearance of u
palunty. II portion oi the people possess
the power TO establish u constitution III this
mndr, and lo De ihclr own Judges of thcI:
own rualnri'y. they surely possess the power
Ia enact any law they may choose, ~ the
same canner. They may nm"nd their own
constitution by providing that all the eXpcu-
ses of the war aud all future taxes shall be
imposed upon the turner's. That class of mcn
were their most determined opponents, and
they will be their first vcilms. indeed,
cierc Is this power /" end T? It's power III
u portion Of the people To assemble in one
town, ar in many iowns-makc a constitution
--drclare those who voted iof IT To have been
inajorIty-and then TO enforce il at the
point of The bayonet. Th. Is the power
which they cloIw. There - 10 need Of meet
Snys IN all The towns. The old laws required
,taat, but the sovereign people can pruvld"
lai n inajnriy can meet IN any town ,ha,
sufts then sovereign pleasure, because all
power Is IN them. Remember that our farm
Iug population Is not increasing onr
manufacturing population Is and that this
/, confined TO a small part Of the State easily
assembled aud easily excited. do not know
iha, any such design exists. This is not the
.qup-iinn. ,Dues not the admission Of ihi-
Iriur,ple give them The potcer? Are you
tor lhr sake ofs party OF any sort or kind
,nIliIng 10 establish such principle?
haze sad I,iat this principle Of the power
nj q maj 'fIty. ~ expoundcd by these new
lights, T. wholly ia,!tacricnble, and that no
government can "Xlsi Indcr II. The peoples
q