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

th. proposition suppose the great ba,tle 10 DO fought,
far principle concerned The struggle between
persona and things the forced and unnatural an:as".
nism ofmen and property mus. here DC determined
anticipate this the point Of attack however from no
eosciousncss of the Instability If the principle ad-
vanced nor from any conception Of the necessity or pro-
priey Of opposition 10 the grounds taken. but from
the fact that here has BEEN heretofore the point oil at
tack both in this body aud in The former convention
This course, firmly believe. adopted rs tn" "lpn-
sition to the republican doctrine If The naJorics not
from any belief or its greater weakness but from the
hope that ii would be less offensive than dlrcct DENIAL
ofour equality.
But from whatever reasons it has been chosen TIE
favored position for assault those reason are without
foundation. For the doctrine Of the rights OF minority
to govern is plainly demonstrate a any political
problem whatever while the dcaia OF II IA as certainly
destructive of our common equality. in effect, the
most distinct contradiction and equally offensive. But
let us for moment examine The reasoning upon which
! this right of the majority rests
Ii is clear that there must exist somewhere right TO
govern for society association - not more Clearly
and certainly a law Of mans nature than laws res'i-
ations the result Of such ASSOCIATION. Tie right to
make these laws regulations must exist in
or SIT Z" men, lay divine appointment Or II mist exist
in the people governed. That there exists a GiviEe
right Ia the government al man has been long and -
successfully reiurd that il will he enntrndcd for by
nonc The doctrine indeed not only calls for reply,
but is unworthy Of consideration. Then, il Is 10
govern himself i 10 De- lord Of his ,!es.iucs, The
riyh. SUE, government, not having been granted hy
the express fiat oi the Onnipoent, must bc accomps
nird lay and ba.e upon the superstition 81 hi. native
and aggregate honesty. aud capacity for self COVERT.
ulent To deny these capacities 10 NAH nj once t"
deny hi right 10 self government lr surely natura!
right cam with ans moprcty. be affirmed u exist in The
absec. Of the requisite qualifications Tor IL exercise
uc! proposition were tho merest Ioekcrv. not only
Of elves but of Maker. Governments, th,le
fore. ritullv exist by the Consent vi the "ye'
ed and not otherwise. That must M fairly
rendered aud neither the result OF force fraud No
governments, can bc rg htiuliv created without M coli
sent. thus freely given either expressly implicitly
nor it right fully con; niue To exist when that
sent has been deliberately Withdrawn The al-ca:cc al
renders Ike government HI usrIatiu, Wrongful ant
Legitimate, eginmcy which 10 prescription ~
lapse ii time can cure The aim and oirr' of all gov
ernnrniS should be- and il of the people .e. the hap,
pine-s the governed" If ii not - >"clcty would
he evil. aud governments curse "ri Whenever II
shall happen that lcgitimatcly formed government
shall clearly fail sulcrvc the ends for which alone
crcatcdi it must OF necessity III the same time.
lose the appro baton , of the governed and
with the ,ss of that appreciation must cease the gov
crnmcnt which rests upon it and the necessity OF q
leformation of the government become established and
apparent, consent being a necessary I" tie cont :acc
of government 10 > creation. Iii contenicd fur
ther that the right To firm and reform their gov
srnme,, !. no, ov 'S Mans md Dr.11ii n M, RI Il
but tlit IL IS continuous Hlu nus
right of man cannot BE- tollcd lost ~ n"nuser iof
the maxim ,dium hmpns occurrt rgi will apply
with ten fold force to the sovereignty OF the people
the people and their rights never die Nor can this
right Vi the people be forfeited Tor to none are Inc,
responsible save To God and themselves, aud the for
feiture would of necessity nnre 10 their own bcieiit
in the total absence of party entitled 10 receive It,
Neither the people acnatc or SURRENDER this right
, Where enters into associations ar conr.rts al
government he does with the r0n cd object ut pr"
tl,,. ..l,In l.
promise of obedience il upon consideration tka, tn,
government ab-crvcs the cd for which 1t Is designed
il i. given upon NJ implied il not express condition. that
hi, happiness ie promoted and as MAJ, Object aiit
aim in this world is hi. own happiness ri possible co
Joined to the arpiness Of his fellow II follows that h.
will choose that Of government which III N orn
ion will most clearly promote that object. H. there
fore the condition br broken the obligation become,
void if the consideration fails the promise stands IN
supported ",udc pact and tn" pe"plc are freed from
their Obligations of obedience, and may vel! in lr
suit of their Happiness form new government. ms
upon the cearcst reasoning, would be the result wen
if government n compact between the governors
and the grandchildren n king aud his SUBJECTS
But such is not the fact. Government l., IN truth,
compact of the people with each other, acting in THEN
original individual, sovereign capacity. Those VIII,
are called on To exercise sovereign power not con
tracing party but simply the agents If the rc"pl.
to carry into effect the agreement which they ha,'
i, made anon. and with themselves, IT, therefore th!s
agency be withdrawn they have right To complain
they hold it no, Of right but b. sulierancc viii ont
even the right to notice to quit IT, therefore the Off
GERS Of government have right I" complain, wh'
shall object to the resumption OF power! There arc
none lief: to do so but the people themselves ii GOV
erment is regarded n conIIac: between sovereign
individual it is clear that those who formed the com
pact CAN ut any time rcscind it, Ii be regarded
voluntary rule Of action the dispensing p'wcr Is still
more apparent, and continuous. In word the >ovcr
eisn contracting parties form the ,"rvrlSnei arc the
subject upon which il acts the only parties having
ntcre., or rights. indeed the sole party. The form al
government should, therefore, always conform 20 THEN
| will.
That tho people have tho same right to administer
their government, under their constitution, that the,
have TO form or reform thcm may hc established hy
the same reasoning. But this right 10 administer ,nv-
eminent differs from the right TO create, in ths-iha
the latter right is has been contenced, IncstTuc
table while the former is subject ta the will OF the
sovcreigns, and may bc transferred OF aicnacd tc
those in whose hands it may seem safest All govern
ments, therefore, from absolute dictator to simple
democracy may be righu ard Legitimate, II based OF
the free and deliberate consent OF the governed IL
deny them this RICH, of transfer, delegation. wol'
DESTROY their first great rig; of choosing their
form Of governmcnt-would, OF necessity, reduce al
governments to one forn-that Of simple democracy
The proprlcty OF such alienation shall hotGisc';SS,
least here.
Thcu, let it be conceded as proved that the soyer
e.n people have ndistructabc right - alter or
form their government anda right to administer IT,
unalicnated. but men are so constituted mat tfc.
cannot, by possibility, at all times agree, either ii
Judgment feeling desires or interests. ltfollows tia
in the formation of government, unanimous con,cn
can be obtained forl-ndccd, such result
. be expected Then comes what sec, cla>hin;
! opinions, antagonisc interests and warning feelings
y and their consequent rcSult-ma ories and minori
tics, and their struggle for asccncncy. This struggle
to may natural enough but 10 every gcn,i
inc republican, certainly. unreasonable aud unjust
! The offspring of pride, egotsm. ANA unjust ant
i Time disriSt of the side, and nat
ura and earnest effort Of humanity and main
e tain It's rights of equality and manhood or the other
: the war OF the great principles of progression ant
: rtrogadc in country that teens with the evidence
G Of man capacties-in age that bcstrewn thic
with the struggles and triumph, ii humanity, am
n laden with rich hopes for the future But. !.twcyc
unreasonable and unjust this struggle may seem TO us
If in the midst of il. and il must lc met. 'Th
t. doctrine of the rights of maoritcs seems TO me St
plain, automatic much Tie fusion Of intuition
is that really find it Ear less fruitful of argument thai
propositions less plain and simple. Ii physical fore
/. is to be regarded TIE foundation of rights, the
upon every principle of correct reasoning tie MAORI
il ~ Of those in whom have recognised the right 0
sovereignty and their natural followers must be re
g gared as the depository of that force 1t may be- ant
intact is impossible to determine where the physic
. force for any given time may reside. Bat is il moi
safe rule say that it resides with The majority Bu
if this would not be safe conclusions how n Ich les