The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1849-08-04
AN ADDR Ess.

A
., q abolish the IHsiils,l iOHy u SlarsTy {,
To,vcly: Gsl;sersd a, the Count House ia
R.,I;,stOn on tAs an Of june. 1919, tbsine
o..s,y Cssrt dayo Ly JOHs coIrSAs.
P,,,ov CrIzF~s: Il is the good fortune
IA peculiar privilege Of the people Of our
.onI,ry that they have ii lsrgely in theii
go 10 follow The dictates Of their own
80, Ia whatever concerns the ordina-
= o,;v,,e transactions OF individuals. this
r,nipeptly true. The sphere Of indi,
r5u.I discretion as appeFtaining to private
sn,erouse, is only limited BY the necessity
~ Gseiminslisg between those objects OF
o,,,u;t that are lawful, and those that ar,
M 40. In relation 10 matters Of public
roey 100. the liberty Of attempting to su
P.rnsuoe change upon the existing state Of
iS;ns. Is wi,hou. material restraint. except
soCI IS the law prescribes the manner in
inch and the time when the attempt shall
!. made; while the liberty Of efecting an
.c,u.l change is subject TO the Necessary
condition Of enlisting q majority of the
peOpIe in its support.
This is the great principle governing in
every social organisation wherever men
meet together upon the footing Of equality.
and mus always be recognised as the PRE-.
v.rLss PRscIPLE in q republican govern.
msnt; yir: hat the majority shall gOrern
lis true there is no infallible guaranty,
ina. the majority will always be actuated
BY the spirit Of truth, the love Of justice, or
even By the dictates Of a wise policy. But
over all these partial insecurities, and not
outstanding This liability to error and
abuse, there's this that is consoling; that
By the universal recognition Of this Princi-
RE, the way is kept constantly open for
reform. There is then a chance that truth,
though oyerthrown and trampled under foot,
nav vet be re-esiablished; that justice
though violated may yet be yindicsted; and
that policy though mistaken may yet be re-
directed; in aid OF all which is the vantage
ground which right naturally possesses over
wrong, viz: the moral sense in man, which
though a. times peryeTse and recreant will
Ultimately yield an impression to the steady
force Of imniuisble truth and Of eternal
Jsiice.
Another great fact, which every one must
have observed. who has at all investigated
tie origin Of the evenbs WITCH have marked
the course OF human prestess, snd which
sugments tie value Of this principle in the
eyes Of republicans is this; thar nearly all
reforms which have tended to improve the
condition Of men socially or politically,
have sprung directly and Immediately from
Inc great mass Of the people,--in a word,
thar tue law Of human progress has seldom
been the diclstiOn OF polentstes, or Of those
VINO have been born the heirs Of power anc
Of elevated position. Perhaps an excep-
Loo TO this general assertion OF dispaTage-
menI OF the esteemed great Of the earth.
should be made in the case Of Alfred the
Great, and Edward the First OF England,
and Peer The Great Of Russia, and a few
O.ber selfsseri6cing spirits, who in their
Gay and generation diligently and probably
served their species.
The practical advantages Of recognising
Inc maxim "Ihst the majority shall govern"
ere 70 be seen BY contrasting the social and
political reforms Of Europe with those OF
OCr country. In the former country they
have been arrived at through internal con.
WILSON'S, very often throug IN carnage and
slaughter; and mainly because Of the ig-
nOrsnce OF the principle, or the denial Of
he night, that the majority shall rule. This
o. course grew naturally out Of the genius
o. her sJciety and the structure OF her po
l'acal systems, which raised up a titled
AHs'Ocrscy, with whom resided nearly all
power and political privilege by right Of
inheritance. The action Of government
naHng almost etirely to the beneftof such
S Oy The mere Circumstance Of their birth
happened 10 be the accidental musings OF
"a 0dIoOs system Of legitimacy. Born the
oeli' Of power and Of elevated position the
s's'oer'cy very soon, and very naturally
w. ios' all sympathy Tor the mass OF the
r@oPle; and al the same time that they con-
'e''eo NE government into an engine OF
O2P'es'on, they diverted the recuperative
energies inherent in society, from their natu
u endeney TO elevate the great mass oil
% people, and bent them to the selfish
purpose Of their own exclusive aggrandise-
%'n- VI course this state OF things was
Asss peculiarly grateful to those who
we're the special benefciaries Of il: and
1ele'Ofe Ihe aristocracy constantly en-
''''O'eo 10 PeTPetuale it. The conse-
HOence was that whenever there was energy
a1o virtue enough alive in the great body
ne people to attempt a political innoya-
uOn' OF a social reform, an antagonistic
Ssen' tenacious Of its existence, must be
"''hroWn by force, before a new order of
lungs could be introduced. The existing
vac o. affalrs was always diligently kept
lu''n'csl to change. The adherents Of
~ salecedent state Of society. or OF pre-
..'Ang system OF politics, not recognising
~ sss' law Of equality, and consequently
@ l'ght Of the innovstors, II they were a
"'OnH 70 govern, never succumbed, or
i've place unless compelled by force
...nce social and political progress in the
u0ls'chIes Of the old world, has been
T Ta,ted BY strife, BY luminosity, and by
0'ooozhed.
E,. .Ie history Of social progress and Of po-
D.s Ssl Snanse in this country, contains no
ees mus written in blood. Because all
s,O Osnlse as radical principle of our gov
c;s, -eI, and o prevailing sentiment of so.
soS ,; ''1s night OF the majority to govern.
4. I'e DUTY Of the minority 10 scquiesce,"
:. changes Of our political economy al.
Sals thus kent rag,,l.. ~