Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1844-08-08

the wish Of the writer sent to tho Ma
'ional In,ellisencer, from which paper
we copy II:
Mrssrs. BLAIR s. RIvEs: am
ID mocrat ofiorty years standing, and,
~ such, hope YOU viii allow me space
IN your influential paper for few re-
masks s.sgested by your recent editorial
IN relation TO what is Familiarity called
the Dor controversy.
! must say have seen with grief-l
may say almost with constefnatiOn-the
line of Argument adopted by you and
few other promlren. Democratic journals
with respect to this subject. | canno,
but think il has been done without that
serious reflection the inporaRce Of the
/ principles involved impcrlously demands
/ II understand your views, AS contained
in The article, and if do not entirely
misapplohrnd their ultimate bearing,
lhey seem to me utterly Inconsistent
with all rational liberty, and wholly sub
versive OF that supremacy OF the laws
which 1t should he the first object OF
every Republican siernly to uphold
You argue that the ",naJorlly" in
every Republic must rule, and, IA le-
Ultimate consequence, that the people
(Ihat is, a majority of The people) have IA
right, whenever and however they choose
10 change their inrm Of government
Now this seems a very specioas state
men,, but Is II tue, Just, or wise A
Gjoriiy of the people have an inherent,
everlasting righ. To change their form Of
government, have they Then, what
prevents hundred members of Con
gress, or even fifty, from proclaining
thai the present Constitution OF the Uni
ted States IL unjust, tyrannical, aristo~
cratic, that greatest OF all sins, y and that
a new Constitution ought to be formed ?
What prevents them from saying this,
and then gong on to invite the people
to elect delegates to a National Con-
ven'ion- this convention from forming a
constitution, and issuing decree that
on certain day the people shall vote
on l's acceptance or non-arcep,ance !!
And if a majority, Chat competent word)
no matter Of whom composed or how OBJ
'alned, whether Of negroes, mullattoes,
women, or unnaturalIzed foreigners If
It receives more votes than one e-huT OF
the legal votes of the Union, this instru-
ment, thus originated, thus voted on,
thus confirmed, is to be hancefor,h our
form OF Government, the supreme law
Of the land. All the checks and bal
ances Of the present Constitution are TO
go for no'hn. all its wise aud benef.
cent provisions for IFS own amendment to
be of no avail all the machinery abou,
amendments being sanctioned by two.
thirds Of Congress and ,hrce-lounhs of
The States, are to be sc. at Daught. -
And why /? Because supposed (or,
even if we admit real majority, the alb
snrdity Is hardly less gIaring) majority
Of the sorervign people will it and who
shall gainsay Their right 10 90 as they
please
| canno. for the life -srf me, Messrs
Editors, see that you can deny that all
this must result from your prime piles
Admit once that Il majority can do any
thing they please, without reference tol
law or constitution, and all laws and all
constitutions may rs well be abolished ai
once. The truth, IN my mind, Is as clear
as the noon day SIM. and ~ dear +, my
heat asn devn,ed love In NV cou,,,y
can make It, that the people cannot do
any Hing except ~ conformity with the !
Law aud the Convention. A majority
cnauot make n new con.,itu,;op or ,ncr
an old ana .xcent occo,d,,, ,o ,,,v and
under ieuaI forms and lh;s law and
these legnI forms mus, be nrey;,r.l .lv or.
acted by the proper kinr n,wer
The g,aud fundamental .rrnr IN AMI
his d,srnss;,, - Iapd | -, nr;eycd =,
see i, so c,i,p.;v,Iv nrevalen, \ ,h, ~,
d,s,incIi.,n m - mazda h.iu.,, ,b. ..,, -,
will oC the na,,rrv ,,b,o i, c,,r,,,,;,v
w,h ,be I,v and who, o,,,ssd ,o ;,
Iu the i,rp.r case ih,v ,r, or co,rs,
I.u,I and hi,d,,, ), III. I,,.r ,,,,,,,
null and vo,J
I,;. .r,. ~ .
,,, " '"'''y S''"''' '''p',,""'e :"
~ '''' .'"'','J wa, '''
7,h,1, I., T. ,"|'po ."In'' w
s'.y '''' """ "','I,1"'y nIy u''
,',,I ''.'' i',I, ',''"0
,In ,'' to,'',", .',r "e ""l"' {"
~ f',"'"I W ''' - ,""' P"'v Wv"
Dnr men NAV have hecn r,rb, and /.
think thev noye ,s,o the ,h.,,ac, ,,;,,
that the constitution needed amendment :,
and | lh,uk In. Ch,,,er Marty oc,.d mn,
u,s,lv and unwisclv i, dalo,r;,a 90 L,nn
10 sccede 10 The uo,uI,r wish Bn ali
thus has norb,nr TO do with the urea,
pr,nc,nl, orsuh,nis.; IN, Ioys Tho