Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-04-01
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER.
DOWNWARD STEPS OF RADIcALIsM.


he political events of the time which seem to us of
too evil augury to be allowed to pass unnotced or
uncondemned. We shall endeavor to execute our
purpose to-day
The first occurrence upon which we purpose to
comment is the recent decision Of the Legislature of
New Jersey by which it refused to consider the ques
ton that was legtmatey brought before it touching
the eligibility to the Gubenatorial chair in that State
of its present incumbent. The ground upon which
Gov PRIcL competitor claimed to contest his eligi-
bility was deemed to be found in that clause Of the
State Constitution which requires that the Governor
shall be resident of the State years next be-
fore his election unless he shall have been absent dur
ring that time on the public business Of the United
States or Of the State" 1t was maintained by JOEL
HAYWOOD, ESQ, the contestant, that though his
opponent, RoDMAN NJ. PRICE, Esq, had received
majority of votes in the recent canvass for Governor
in that State he was nevertheless rendered inegl-
BILE by reason Of his residence IN other States during
the q seven wears next before his election"
We have no disposition to examine into the
merits of this controversy; but since the Constitu-
ton Of New Jersey expressly declares that con-
tested elections for the office of Governor shall be
decided by the Legislature may venture to in
fer that the dominant party in the present Legsla
ture we're 50 ill-assured of Gov PRICES pretenslons
to eligibility that they preferred to shrk the con-
test which the organic law of the State imposed
upon them rather than to incur the risk of meet
ing it. Such course, to say the least, evlnces
rather the conscious strength of the majority of
numbers" than Of a good cause. Ii the Consttu-
, fnrt hn
Office Of Governor, it will ut, we suppose, be con-
tended that any is Gig bic Shat post who lacks
single one of the constitution equirement To const
tute valid election requires oy majority Of votes
but legal candidate well. Al unuuided arson can
no more be legally elected b. nt"rty Of votes than
by minority The number of that he may receive
can in no wise change the constitutional aspect OF the
question The thrown for illegal candidate are
exactly like many figures multiplied into nought the
product OF which is nought however large the multper
may be- And yet clear such reasoning must be to all
when viewed in the light law, there are not
wanting those among who pretend to ignore its cogen
oy They tell us that mere majores are OF themselves
competent to dispose of the constitutional mpedimens
which the organic law may to erect against the will
of these majores. Thus, upon this very topic of Gov.
Prices eligibility Philadelphia contemporary the Eve
ming Argus took occasion time ago to remark as
follows and the paragraph was also coped'by our
neghbor the Union" may presume it received the
sanction of the Government organ:
Though Rodman NJ. Price has 'unquestionably re-
ceyed majority of the votes cast, and thus been elect
cd Governor of the State by that highest and hottest of
all powers in Republic, the People, still Whggery, true
its hatred Of Republican principles, and adverse to
oognsng the rights of the majority is about to arrogate
to itself the right of questioning the wishes OF the people,
and thwarng il possible, their choice expressed at the
ballotbox. The question Of the ineigbit Of mr. Price has
been disposed Of and does not enter into the consideration
of any sensible this hm if indeed it has at any
period during the and the attempt to raise that
issue is but to conceal still more wicked and
malicious attack upon the Constitution of the State and
the will Of the People The citizens Of New Jersey, By
majority scarcely paraelled in the political history
Of that State have elected Mr. Price, and the sovereign
people will be the lion in the path of the Wing party
they attempt to interfere and defeat by their machna-
tons, the expressed will Of the majority The people,
honest in their purposes and nfexibe in their determ
nation to support the wesetted principles which lie az
the foundation of this republican form of government the
right majority chose their rulers is the power
in which have abiding faith and they will take
that the candidate who has received
majority Of the votes cast for Governor OF New Jersey
will take his seat OF the appointed time ana discharge
the duties of that Office"
Here it is maintained that majority of votes is alone
sufficient to validate election, all questions to the
legality of either candidates being studiousy
despsed and left of account, Inconsistent with
that highest and hottest of all powers in Repu bic
To refue such monsrous Interpolation in the doctrines
of Republcanism would be useless to indicate it is su-
cent to condemn it in the eyes of oil who retain any
spect for a liberty founded on law.
There is however another subject of kindred nature,
but of still alarming import upon which we design
more particularly to dwell, marking the prevalence
and supremacy in certain quarters Of opinions which,
they became general could not but result in the over
throw OF the most distinctive features which give charac
ter to our Government whether State National Our
readers have already been informed that the present
Democratic Legislature Of Rhode Island recently passed
resolution reversing and annuling the decree of the
Supreme Court in that State, rendered in 1914 against
Thomas Wilson Dorr for exciting rebellion against the
oyernmen Though is not likely that any of our read
ers who contemporary observers have forgotten the
events which sgnaIod that nsurrecton against law and
order yet it will perhaps enable the better to trace
the consistent progress of adicasm in that State if
hastily review the prominent incidents Of the rebellion in
which the Mr.. Dorr figured as ringleader
The State of Rhode Island retained until 1912 her
ionia charter which she had received from King Charles
H. in the fourteenth year of his reign AT the period Of
the revolution such changes and amendments intro
duced into the instrument the altered relations of the
people made necessary by this charter the right of su
frarc was vested every freebooter who possessed
perty in the sum of about $3.50 This restriction on the
popular suffrage long made the theme of indignant
denuncation by certain self-styled advocates of the
argest liberty for the largest number until in the year
1910 meeting of the 'reformers" was held to
concert for the extension of the right Of suffrage