Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1844-07-26
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The following comments from the New ork
Journtl Of Commerce. on the notions which are
sad to prevail in Philadelphia in relation to the
powers Of the civil ana municipal government. are
deserving the consideration Of those, if any there
be among us, who entertain such hcrosy It Is
paper inclined to lOcofoco!sn in other things.
"The mob princip'e is deeply imbelde,; in the
minds of large portion Of population. 1t is
not likely soon to be eradicated. The crowd which
resisted the military in Southwark defend their con-
duct on the ground that the officers did not act
wisely, and that therefore the people had riglt to
take the matter into their own hands. They do not
acknowledge themselves TO have been a mob -
Thoy claim that they acted as the sovereign peo-
plc and that 1t was proper for ther to set aside
the legal authorities and direct aflirs as an un1r-
ganized democracy. We hear these principles op
emily and we may say generally advocated in South
wark. They are principles "hich subvert all good
government They would leave man secure in
the protection which he derives from civil ilisttu
tons. Adopt the principle that the people have a
right at any time to do as they please, without re-
gard to the established methods of conducting af-
fairs, and our government organizations a mock
cry. And yet this principle was avowcd by the
Southwark popuace and was acted on, and is yet
most loudly and even angri!y defended by thou
sands in our SIT Gets. 1t has received no rebukc in
the settlement of affairs at this crisis. 1t is felt to
! be triumphant.
If our social organization does not bind tho ma
jo'ity as well as tue minority, (un'ess it is regularly
changed,} it is worth nothing. If the majority are
to set aside the constituted authorities, whenever
!, they do not happen to relish the proceedings of
I those authorities, our system cannot be relied on
/ for day-and The sooner the plain truth is told in
respect 10 it the better If the tloOps which came
bravely forward to defend district, are to be con
troed, not by settled system, ana by established
arrangements, but by the Immediate dctatiOn of
the excited crowd and ifthey to De abused for not
doing just what the crowd at any moment directs,
this condition under which they act should be made
no secret. The military can decide whether they
are disDosed to peril themselves in defence of their
neighbors such humlliating terms.
! There IRE mutitudes among US who if we may
judge from their conversation have not the primary
ideas of regular and permanent government. They
cannet be reasoned with. They begin and end
with the assumption that when the mass of the
people act there is 10 wrong, and can be no ap-
peal. Whoever doubts in respect to the prevalence
of such sentiments would do well to minrle for half
a day with the crowd in Queen street. He may
learn where lies the difficulty in giving to our COM
munity well secured peace" Phil. Gaz.
! Here then we have the principle which makes
mobocracy strong in Philadelphia. 1t is precisel,
the principle of the Dorr treason in Rhode Island
with which Mr.. Van Buren,, Judge vandcrpool,
Major Dayizac, and their friends so culpably sym
: pathized. Philadelphia exhibits the inevitable
working OF the principle, that the majority are the
rulers, without reference to the constitution. This
fatal error most be exterminated from our SOIL or
our boast Of the constitution and the laws" must
be abandoned forever The doctrine on both sides
is, that the majority are the rulers But on one
side 1t Is contended that the majority is be
certalned and is to govern, according to the com
pact written out, called constitution. In these
compacts it is provided that at certain specified in
tervlls, the majority shall be ascertined by the
ballot, and that each result shall stand as the order
Of the minority until epealed by another election
At these elections the majority select from their
own number, their agents to administer the gov
ernnent in the exercise of such powers as by the
Constitution are placed in the hands Of the MAORI
ty, In this manner, John Tyler elected Vice
President Of the United States and by the provi-
dence OF God and the provisions OF the Constltu-
ton, succeeded to the Presidency. The majority
elected him and committed to him for four years
the executive administration of the country. At
the end Of threesmonths from the time of entering
upon the duties Of his office there was no; one man
4 in four, perhaps not one in ten, who wOuld have
t voted for him. Tire majority at any rate was
:, Overwhelmingly against him. No new election
was TO take plce for four years; and whatswas the
. anti Tyler party TO do? The Dorrto principle
G says they were 10 take arms, march to Washington,
dlspace John Tyler, and put Michael Walsh, or
S some other chieitain of the mob, in the chair of
state telling him III all probability that the will OF
S the majority was, that the Constitution should no
longer control the Executive, but that the will und
pleasure Of their appointee should be his gIide--
TO this result does the new doctrine tend, and to
e this result would it Immediately bring our happy
s country. The majority would be ascertained on
e the field of battle, and de Constitution would be
e the will of the strongest The men we have nam
If ed, and the Democratic leaders very extensively,
If with the Evening Post and most of the Democratic
z newspapers, have been sowing these seeds and
e now they see the harvest 1t is harvest OF blood
1t and desolation. If these rank weeds of political
= falsehood are permitted TO grow, the end will be,
e the establishment OF an absolute monarchy over u.s.
d governing, not by the will and in the name of n
: peaceable and happy majority, but by the loud
voice OF an arstocracy of cannon and democracy
n of nuskets. Nothing is more simple or more Ger
1t tain than this process The people" still stand
e out in Southwark, the governors of the municpali-
e ty. As a commonwealth in the State house of
h Wharton Market, with cannon and all the imple-