Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-03-18

the majority OF Wills OF Of opinions, you have the G,
act {: poncnt Of the majority of physical power
aud actitus violence seeing the physical supcriorit
thus practically evinced is represscd The superiority
Of wills thus indicates the superiority of physical pc"
md hence the great truth in republican government
lat there is less violence to he feared and less rrc
ally exhibited ;han III amy other form OF government,
tse Ill that government the superiority OF PHI steal pow
" cvnced by the superiority Of voices or wills so thu
however turbulent or lco,is,a spirit might exist howe'
or rcmorseess relentless it might he that violence an
rcsisc is be raught with fatal consequences
that faction and will restrain it from any tumuuary maj
iestat'cn But the right OF the majority to rule may
evinccd by other considerations independent OF thcs
which have already submitted.
! Now il Is es,etia in i'll governments rightly admins
tered that these should be the greatest ,,anabc amour
of virtue the greatest attanble quantity OF knowledge
and the greatest a,tanabe amount of wisdom. Io
need the greatest amount of knowledge, to ascertain III
the wants Of the people as government Is instituted
comply with those wants on need the greatest anloun
of virtue to devise proper and appropriate means I,
supply those wants, the peculiarly apporioaatc means
"a distinguished from the vicious means You nee.
wisdom comprehcndins extended view of all thes,
subjects aud combination of appropriate means to til,
comprehensive purposcs to he accomplished,
There is another consideration to my mind worthy OF
some weight in this discussion Every government must
have its laws, characterized either by its ml!ess and
moderation risor You will fnd in one country tn,
laws rigorous III another lenent and mild. In com
Try where the execution OF the laws depend upon the
assent and approval Of the people where the suciiol
Of the laws depends upon the peop. YOU must iniuse
INTO you: laws the spirit that the pcoI approve, whch
er rigorous or mild, ii you expect them TO render o
their sanction of tkese lava. The faithful execution OF
your law depends upon the support of the public mind
the contormance of the popular will to tn" spirit OF
those laws Can You expect the pcop.e To come Tor
ward with alacry and execute those laws If they arc
repusnant and hostile to their of proprley
that they o., yinally would not have enacted '.i"t NJ"
1t Is then the true policy Of government to!sc INTO
its laws of whatever description they may be- the SPIN;
WHEN is possessed by the people and this be done
in no other than that ofallowing tho majority OF
voices to prevail in Your legislative councils.
But this right OF the majority to prevail net only evil
dence by the physical necessity which have already mon
onca but by moral necessity The right nianli"Si!y ex
lists either in minority majority. II must exist Ill
some number short OF the total number that Is Obvious
it therefore exists either in the minority or the majority
Now if it does not exist III he majority. IN what MINOR
ltv does il subsst What number shall prevail if III,
majority shall mott Shall it be minority But w''a'
relation shall that minority bear 10 the total number
Ii YOU can suggest any number cay third iourtl
or one fifth Of the toa number. then ask, what ri
bun shall definitely establish this NUMBER Stall th'
r:.,nber itself decide it, Ii in third why not in
tenth che hunlrch hu; onc' If this right 10 pre-
vail exists in the minority, desire to know what pro
portion that minority shail bear TO the whole number
define and establish rs rule There ia person L
do it, Another argument in support of this MA
iorty NAV be dcduced from the total absence q
The right in the minority The total absence @
right in the minority to rule. Is ar argument con
vncive of the right Of the majority, Since the RICH
exists somewhere Ii the right exists in the mnorit,
wienc. Is it derived 1t cannot be derived from t!s
majority because that is discarded in the very suppo
sition If it is derived from the minority must he b,
virtue OF soe excellence possessed By that minority
but accoriin, 70 the argument which have aireda.
employed ths minority is destitute Of the grand essen
i,a!s nee. ss.r for the establishment and sbsequen
adm Illustration Of the government They are destitute
If the physical power 10 enforce it they arc destitute
of the proper Judgment adapt its form and structure
10 the ends for which it is created They posses II
an inferior degree that essential virtue - which av
alluded They possess in inferior cgrec that essen
,ial knowledge ans; wisdom to which | have a!iadc.
Vow. with minority thus defined and undeiined-wit
the minorr thus characterize "a destitute Of the g!e'
essentials OF the original structure a subsequent !
apement ri government but which pertain to and inner
to the majority. with absence Of these assen!a
qualities how can i. be maintained by any reasonab!
man. that the minority is superior or even equal ii
/ rights with tie majority 10 rule
I Thus far nave argued from the reasons have sub
mt,ed in favor Of the right Of majority to raie derl
wing the considerations have advanced, from the IL .r
nal or domestic nature of governments. But there ar
other considerations, derived from external or iaterna
tionai relations which greatly corroborae and ior
the law Of nations, from time mmemorial goyernmcn
ha been understood to be the exponent OF the views
the community that the act of every government bind
and is obligatory every individual under that govern
ment In the contemplation of the laws OF nations ev
ery individual however humble is party 10 the ac.s
his government Now, let Us suppose for Instant
that our government should be organized and const
led that the minority shall be the organ OF the govern
ment. with reference to foreign nations. We VIII the
have thi- state of things. minority in power and
,,,t nf
exponent and sole organ OF the government III rcSar
10 other nations. well IS in regard to tue domcstc con
Germs. Suppose the government - constituted sou'
give some offence uEbrage To other nations, 10 No
not see TINT We might be involved IL war, "ith tn
ayowed and known hostility TO il OF the majority Of tn
people who are deprived of power. And thus the III
nori,y might involve the whole State in war. nciudn
of course the grca; majority, when that majority ma
have been hostile 10 the very act which involved thei
in this war; with all il. dreadful consequences. GOV
crnmcnt thus constituted in the hands OF minor.t,
NIGH not onv involve us in drefa and caanous w
with foreign governments, but also incur EVIL oo5a
tons in the form OF treaties and IN other form comma
between governments, which would be binding oprTe'
syelv on the majority of their own commuiif. an
Il hi, would he lust as solemn and obligatory upon III
people and the majority if they wer" provisions II
serted in vour organic law because we are compelled
observe the obligation of treaties. If the malorit
should undertake TO absolvc themselves from oblStor
thus imposed bv treaty. they would necessarily nvoS
themselves in bloody because violation oil treat
would be Just cause of war. Now, believe that q
Of these considerations which have drawn from d'
nestle and foreign relations may exist and do exist wit
multiplied force in q federal form OF government a
ser; tina, in federal form of government, all these a
;umen;s which | lave submitted apply with redonbls
force II the power OF your government is IN the ant
Of minority that minority may bind you neck and hee
in yo federal relations that ia ii their acts are IN Al
cordance Il; the form and structure OF federal govern
mcn,. In oae form of government the Legislative pow
or Of the State thu. in the hands OF minority may Z
n almost ans act. bat in our federal form OF government
this minori,v do every act though they may L
seriously detrimental to the majority OF. o: powe
within State shall take occasion in the subsequcr
part OF remarks, carry out this argument der
we'd from our federal relations. For the present d'
sire to proceed with some other arguments
= have cadcavorcd thus far to s;l ut an argument
favor of the right of majority to rule. These ar5'
ments are of ubq~i:ary excellence and would demon
sra,e that in all countries and Chimes they should recev
the sanction and approval of the government and I'll
people to be applied practical sense These reason
which have adluced have been practically recognize
in orr American form of government They have bee
e .pila,cay consecratcd IA tho American doctrines
government and h. assertion is evidenced by ;he 80.
solemn records of our history. beg leave very rei
20 refer IN some Of the documentary repositories vi tai