The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1857-04-16
THE MAJORITY.

on the hOSOluLS sovereignty Vi tuc MA
iority. In the United States it is pre-
ponderant and irresistible. The MAORI
ty power is acquiesced in and preferred,
ON the correctly assumed ground that the
voice of the many is likelier to be right
than the voice of the fe0. Here lies the
chief difference between Democracy
and Monarchy or Aristocracy. In the
United States the majority exercises the
governing power from presumed superior
The preference of ma
jority rule is based upon still another
principle, viz ): that the interests and de-
sires of the majority are paramount to the
interests and desires Of a minority, and
that it is the governed that originate the
governing power; hence their policy
must be in consononce with the pubic
veal, for they would not invoke upon
themselves the evils of fagitious legisla-
ton. In this country there is no perma-
nent division between parties; the ma
iority at one election have no assurance
that they will not be the minority at the
next. This ever-changing tide - this
constant incorporation Of new features or
attributes into the governing power
causes its identity to be ever varying. It
is from this arises our versatile and ca
PRECIOUS legislation. as the antiquated
statutes in the archives of every State in
the Union attests. There is no country
in the world where laws are SO inconsid
erately enacted or SO unceremoniously
repealed. The secret is explained above.
The legislative, executive and judicial
privileges of majority extend no further
than those of an absolute monarch. A
King has no right to issue an edict in vio-
lation of the immutable principles Of right.
neither have the majority. The minority
have no right to obey a heinous law pass
ed by the majority. The minority, in
disobeying, do not contest the right OF
the majority to rule, but only their right
to enact as laws that which is contrary
to " Right, Reason, or Nature"
The majority have no right to pass an
unyust lava law which cruelty oppresses
any portion of the goFerned-and when
such law is passed, it is, or should be.
invalid, because it originates in no au-
thority, and, moreover, its enforcement
would be criminal.
Unlimited power is to be feared. whe-
ther in an Aristocracy, Monarchy. Oh
Majority. Tyranny does not lose its
detestable features by agglomeration.-
The nullifying power of the minority, in
respect to villainous enactments. is the
only check on the tyranny of the ma
jority.
TIE tyranny Of the majority has rare.
ly or never been exercised in this coun'
try, SO far as our knowledge extends
though such thing is possible, for the
/ majority must be regarded as one person
whose feelings and interests are in antag
onism to another, being called minority
So all that is necessary to make the tyr
amy Of the majority exemplify itself is tt
bring in proper opposition these tw,
forces, and tyranny may be manifested a
virulent as shames the history of Mere
or Caligula.
The infamous fugitive slave law wa
not majority. but minority act. coupled
with the aristocratic force of our Govern
ment as found in the Senate of the Uni
ted States, whose members are not elect
ed by, or directly responsible to, the ma
jority for their acts; hence it has eve
remained dead and unregarded lette
upon the statute books of the nation
The Treasury, with the Army and Nav,
and Presidential cooperation, have fail
ed to enforce it. The recent decision Q
the Supreme Court in the Dred Scot
case is not majority act. Five of tn
Judges-constituting majority of th
Court-are shareholders. and in fact rep
resent but 347, 900 persons out of NOR
than twenty millions.
/ But, that the majority (strictly speak
ing) have not, as yet. encroached upo
the rights of the minority to an exten
that would justify revolution. is no guar
antee for the future. Suppose that
Passmore Williamson should see fit t
exercise his duty to God and man in th
face of an overwhelming majority, an
be thrown into prison--to whom woul
he apply for redress To Public Opin
ion? 1t constitutes the majority. 7
this Legislature ? It represents and obey
the majority. To the Executive? It
appointed by the majority. and dare ne
outstep its wishes. To the Army? ]
is majority under arms. To Jury
It is buta portion of the majority, an
must succumb to its desires. Nor is th
Constitution sure guarantee. fer in th
hands of reckless judges its wise and be
nehcent provisions may at any time b
construed into instruments of torture
So where is his remedy? Where are tn