The Madisonian. (Canton, Miss.) 1850-1855, 1850-04-25

ntA''otiOn VI poWetS-a great sectional
Jespotlsm. am aware that much is
said about the rights Of maiorities, and
that many politicians speak Of MAJOR.
ties as subjects do Of their monarchs-
as though they could do no wrong .-
But majorities may be wrong as well
as minoritles, and msionties have no
other rights than snch as they derive
from the constitution. Minorities have
the same rights, derived from the same
source. Allout tmaiorities forthe prac.
.tical purpose Of Legislation are constr,
ttatinnal najdtities, AID MT mere maio.
'rities in numbers. Aud this is the
browning beauty and excellence 10 our
systems of free governments; that is,
that ours are governments of cOnstitu
tions aud laws, and notoOf men--no,
not even ofsmajorities Of free men,
All are In .subordination to law, and all
have the protection of the law. mihori-
ties as we'll as najOrities, While the
guarantees of the constitution are res>
! pectcd, minority has the same protec-
ton in life, liberty, and property as if
they we're majority. The law does
and ought to act alike upon every ci-
tiZeR..a.,q ID @ar. ,lsai s~,.,.
Mr.. Chairman, I would warn our
friends here to be cautious in relation
to the claims set up for mere numbers,
without proper regard to the constitu>
ton. The idea is full of danger, as
vas illustrated IN the horrors Of the
Reign Of Terror in France, whfch was
simply the reign of an unchecked ma,
liority., Inthese days Of progress, there
is danger that therlghts If miuorities
may be lost sight Of, in the assumption
of majprities; and that the greatest
good of the greatest number may be,
come the rule Of action, without refer
ence to the law or consultation. This
is the language Of demagognes. The
langua ;e of the constitution is, the
greatest good to the greatest number
without injustice to any, and in subor'
dination to the constitution This is
what we ask Of you, and this is what
you refuse to US. For the purpose Of
illustrating the claims of the South, /
viii suppose a.case Of three men who
have been acting as partners for ten
years, and at the end of that time, they
meet together to arrange their business
and divide their profits, when, to the as
tonishment Of one Of the three, he finds
that the other { wo have united against
him, and determined to take all the
profits to themselves, though he had
given his time, his labor and his money
to the firm, as faithfully as either Of his
partners: would you expect the third
man, who had been thus treated, to re-
main III the firm, and more especially
when he was told that, for the future,
he would be expected tolabor as usual,
and To- contribute his money, but must
expect no better treatment This is
a case precisely analogous to the situa-
ton Of the southern States. They
Jointly, with their CO states, have acqui-
red territory by contributions of blood
and treasure, and now they are to be
excluded from those territories, and are
not. for the future, to expect any bets
ter treatment; for | understand that
hereafter the policy Of the North is To
be, that The whole power of this govA
ernment is to be exercised against the
institution Of slavery; in other words,
the South and her institution are to be
put underthe ban Of the empire and we
are TO be made the hewers Of wood and
drawers Of water. We are expected
to share all the burdens Of government,
while we are to be permitted none of
its benefits. Do you expect proud
and chivalrous people to submit totreat-
ment like this If you do, you will
be disappointed.
By way Of illustration, I will reverse
the case, and suppose the South to assume
the ground that hereafter no free Stale
should enler this Union. and that all the
territory acquired should be slave territory,
and that the whole power Of the govern
ment shouldh he exerted for the extension Of
slavery, aud that the free States should be
put under the ban, and that the whole inAu-
ence Of this government should be brought
TO. bear against the free States and their in
stitutions. You would think US mad if we
were to assume such position. But it Isl
q bad rule that won't work both ways, and
l defy any man on earth to show one good
reason why our pretension would not have
the same Foundation in right, as yours,
We are equals under the constitution,
and in every other respect. The coustitu-
tion says, "ihe citizens Of each State shall
be entitled to alIibe privileges and immu-
mites Of the citizens Of the several States."I
u you would submit 10 such treatment.
you ought to be kicked out Of the Union,
as unworthy TO remain, in it. The same
may be said in relation to the South, only
] can assure you, she will not wait TO be
kicked out. Many here, and elsewhere,
appear 10 have a holy horror Of the tnstilu-
- IS Al.. @t =. II A..sk ~ Aa Z, Am honrdI