Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1849-06-06
FOR THE ADVERTISER.
No. Nv.
What is the viii of the People j.?

Ii is often said, "uor populi, cor Del"
the voice of the people is the voice of God.
This is lhe favorile maxim Of demagogues,
though they are all the while making
efforts 10 lead the people with theirSown
views. Ii is, we fear, only piece ofchi.
canery on their part. Will thespeople allow
themselves to be hood .winked by such
shallow attempts at fauery? If the adage
be not true, demagogues, by persuadins
The people that it is, are misleading them
to their own injury, under The pretext that
they are leading themselves. Now this is
the worst species of deception. tnot only
cheats, but il dupes. This is scarcely
pardonable in The good friends! Of the
people.
We do not believe the maxim to be true,
in a general way. If the minds Of the
people were properly enlightened, and
their voice, The calm ntIerance of their
unbiased Judgment, we would have much
faith in the saying; for then there might
be wisdom 10 multitude Of counselors
but unintormed as our communities often
mus, be on The important subjects, of The
day, and controlled frequently by design
ing men. it would be dangerous maxim
10 he relied on practically. As one of The
people. we do not wish it fully carried out
10 practice. We will mol disguise our true
sentiments. lfthe maxim be brought into
general application, The people will be
often made to work injury 10 themselves,
when The sober action Of The wise and the
prudent might avoid it. While the people.
therefore, should claim the right to have
their will carried out in all matters clearly
working to the general good, let them
beware of those, who in outward show OF
friendship profess 10 defer absolutely to
what they consider the aoiV Of the people.
If we do not suspect the patriotism Of such
men. we will be obliged to call 10 question
their ,eisdom.
But before acting on the maxim, even
when it is to be taken as true, it is uecessa-
ry 10 find out first, What is The will of The
people? Demagosues ofen fancy they
are defering 10 it. when in reality they are
not. Let US inquire into the matter.
We have seen that the people, politi-
cally speaking, are they, who exercise The
privilege oflhe Ballol-Box. The voice or
will Of the people will be, then, The free
aud clearly expressed wish Of those, who
righllully enjoy The elective franchise. A
few newspaper articles, therefore, or par.
lial neighborhood meetings, protesting to
represenrlhe 10il Of The people, lay claim
TO authority to which they are not justly
entitled. No representative agen, is au.
thorized 10 act upon such informal, irres
ponsible indications Of public opinion. A
fair expression of the will Of the people is
to be obtained. only through. the Ballot
Box, or by primary meetings held gene.
rally in every District or community.
But here serious difficulty arises. Shal
the will of the numerical majority be al.
ways considered the ,Oiu Of the people !?
To many, it may seem paradoxical to nn-
swer this question in The negative for The
righ, Of The majority to govern absolutely
is generally considered to be the essence
Of the Democratic creed. 90 reply to this
we have only to say, if i, be democratic,
it ia not Republican, nor is il consistent
with rational liberty. We will not discuss
in this place, the practical question, whelh'
er or uol the Representatives of the people,
are bound 10 carry out the will of the ma.
jori,y, clearly expressed; lha, will be
touched on hereafier;-but we now 20
further back, and deny that the majority
have the right TO make their will the abso,
ute rule Of action in a community.
In the first place, as TO The changing o
any part Of our Constitutions. the people
in their wisdom, have expressly boune
themselves no, to be governed by bare
majority. Thus far, then, in relation L
some Of The most important matters touch
ing our liberties, the majority are restricted
-and rightly restricted; for it is the sen,
timept OF mankind, as expressed in al
we'll regulated governments, that The righu
Of society are not safe 10 the hands Of ma
jorilies; that, in governments, the strong
should not always be allowed 10 prescribe
the rule Of action 10 the weak; that NIGH
is not always right. II is the experienc,
ofhistory,lhal in nearly all governments par
taking Of freedom, measures are too ofleI