Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1849-06-06

ueCiueu, NOT according 10 lug Iuies Vi JUS
.ice and the rights Of The minor party, but
by the superior force Of an interested and
overbearing majority."s
But even in those matters not falling
directly under the Constitution, whence is
derived to the majority the right TO govern
absolutely All good government is right.
Iy supposed TO be founded on the a0iH of
God. And The will OF God is the great
rule of right, What, therefore, is against
the will OF God is ,crong. Now is not a
majority as much bound by the will Of
God. as the auhole of people? Aud the
whole are assuredIy bound by it! This
no ono can deny. The majority, then,
no more than the whole, have a right to
do wrong. Blu, what is that, which ma
jority are bound loconsider avrong? Any
thing, it. may be answered, against The
revealed will of God, or at variance with
the natural principles of justice, which are
nothing but the unreveaLed will Of God.
Among these. may certainly be classed
injustice to others. II is wrong, "to do unto
othsrs as you ,couldno they should do unto
you." The majority, therefore, have no
right 10 take away privileges, that belong
of right 10 others. They have no right TO
deprive the minority advantages, which
as members oflhe same community, under
the operation Of equal laws, they are
fairly entitled to. On the contrary, when
holding The reins Of power they are bound
in justice and in reason 10 protect the weak
er in their rights and privileges. This is
the foundation principle of every well or.
ganized government. Men would never
have associated themselves into political
bodies, had they not supposed, they would,
by the union, be better protected than
without it. The strong can always take
care of themselves. The very object of
government, as stated. is TO project the
weak!
Admit the contrary Of the doctrine
above maintained, TO be true and '7e.
ductio ad absurdom" will follow. IF the
majority have the right 10 rule absolutely,
what is to become of the minority? We
all know the aggressive influence Of power
over the human mind-how it hoIds!-
and how it grasps! 1t seeks always to
acquire, and never yields, except when
forced 10 yield. No concessions in fauor Of
liberty haue euer been made by despotic
po,cer except from force or fear. We ap-
peal to history in proof Of this assertion.
The great magma cdrta, and The celebrated
Bill Of Rights, the boasted guarantees OF
English liberty, were, as we know, exlored
from the hands of arbitrary power. Our
own independence was plucked from the
iron cleuches of despotisn SO, of all
other charter rights Of which history makes
mention.
II is not in the nature Of power to yield
or TO be liberal, where prerosative is con.
cerned. On the contrary, it is one of the
inherent qualities of despo'sm to accumu-
late aud 10 eucroach. And it is never
content without active rule. Ii labors per-
peluaIIy to extend its inhueace oulwardly.
Power is not SWEEP unless exercised. Hence
the maxim is certainly true, .'Ihat where
The majority rules 'oithout restriction The
minorify istae subject"
Now this would be not only absurd but
INDUSTRIOUS! Imagine the minds OF the
multitude inhamed opon some agitating
subject add TO this. The increased ma
lignily of party spiril-and what bounds
can be assigned TO The heated action Of the
dominant party? Let history answer the
question. The result has nearly always
been, prescription ofpoliticaI rights, con6s-
fsca'ion ofproperly and even death. These
are almost the sure consequences of ma
jority gouernment-than which. there is no
doctrine in the whole catalogue OF gov.
ernmental powers, more dangerous and
fatal; and certainly, none, with less foun-
da,ion in reason.
And where is the justice of the thing?
Men entering into political union, agree to
give up part Of their natural rights, That
they may be better secured in the lemain.
ing portion. And the union once formed,
two fold obligation arises between all
the parties associated First, an oblga.
lion 10 cease TO exercise that portion Of
their natural rights surrendered to the
Union; and secondly. au obligation to
lorbear asking greater surrender Of rights
from their co-leaguers, than they them.
selves have made. There must. in this
particular, be perfect mutually between
the parties in order to form a fair union.
Now wheuIany number Of he co leaguers
assume to themselves more than their
righI(uI share Of power, they take from the
remaining portion a part Of their proper
rights and powers. This is manifest.
Hence the very first principle Of political
association will he violated. The mutu>
ality, that naturally subsisls between the
parties will be destroyed. The govern.
mental compact, be it lacit, implied or ex-
press. will be broken, ahd all just obliga-
lion to obedience will he at an end.
When, therefore, the majority 10 a Slate
or nation, infringe the rights of minority,
they transcend their righlful powers and
if the in nfr,ngemsnt affect materially the lib
critics Of the minority The moral and politi.
cal bonds that unite the parties are virtually
disoiucd.
These are fundamental notions on The
subject Of political powers, which, we be.
lieve, will not be controverted.
The majority, theN being restricted in
their right to govern, even beyond con-
stitulional checks, are just as much bound
practically to restrain themselves within
hi. r;oL,C,I l;,,o;,o ~ oso sr,l:,,:l,.I.