Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1858-03-19
Es- At the late Lecompton meeti,p in

Tammany Hall, ex-senator Dix, John
Van Buren,, Aaron Vicarious Nj. Pisgah
Brown and others endorsed the declaration
that all attempts to limit the power of
majorities are nugatory and absurd. In
other words-if State Convention frame
a constitution, and provides, in that Con-
stitution, that it shall not be altered except
in certain way, and a majority of the
people ratify that Constitution, the re-
striction is all CANNON, and the instru-
ment may be violated without the slightest
regard, by the majority, for its own acts.
Such lawless and anarohical doctrines are
but the knell Of tho Union, and they who
preach them, the worst enemies Of free
government. And VIC ask again, if such
doctrines prevail, where is the security for
the federal constitution---the principle is
universally binding, or it is false in the
broadcast sense and even il there were a
legitimate distinction, who is SO silly as to
believe that the distinction can be explain
ed to the masses, or that rabble, taught
BY demagogues, will regard such distinct
ion, even if understood
Why is it that this doctrine, now claim
ed as coeval with the government, has
never before been enunciated? Because
Iocofoco policy never before so entangled
the party in the meshes of its folly as to
make the doctrine essential to their ex-
tricatfon. That this is so, is apparant from
the fact, that the locofocos have been in
the habit of urging, with more truth than
usually characteristics the party, that con-
situations are made to protect minorities-
majorities being competent to take care Of
themselves. But it may be answered, that
no question has arisen to call forth such
an enunciation. This is not so. The
Dorr rebellion was case in which the
necessity for it. if true, was pressing and
tho ground then taken, was that revolution
was the rightful remedy, and not that a
majority could, legally disregard the re-
strictions imposed by organic law, In
Kentucky, too, the old Constitution re.
quired that a majority of all the legal
Voters-not of those voting-shou1d vote
two years, successfully for Convention
TO alter it, before such Convention could
be legally convened. For years, the at
tempt was made to call such Convention
and though a majority of those voting
more than once, declared for it, yet it never
entered the heads Of that-then-la
abiding people to avow and act upon tn.
subvcrsive doctrine now set up as the es
sential element of free government. They
considered the restriction as a salutary
means by which to ascertain the fixed and
matured will of the majority; and mo
ments reflection will satisfy any reasona
bic man that such restrictions are intended
mainly, to guard against hasty and excited
action, and not as tyranical letters upor
che power ofma jorities. They are designed
to give majorities time to think, and tc
secure permanencc to government Just a,
bills are required to be read three times
in Legislative bodies, to prevent hasty and
ill-adviscd legislation. And it is relig.
ious observance of such restrictions that
draws the distinction between well ordered
popular government and mobocracy
Butwhen il is proclaimed that bare major
ities-madc up, as they must ever be, Of
the corrupt and ignorant-sre omnipotent
they will construe the doctrine in its
broadcast sense, and anarchy must be the
consequence. A power once conceded, is
hard to recall, and an uHprincipTed party
can do more, in one day, by such couces-
sion, to ruin the government, than wisdom
can counteract in an age.