Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1861-1862, 1862-01-10
Government Of the Numerical m.Io,,r

Governments OF the Numerical Majority.
The hs'Ory Of she world is Sled With ovidepoes of III
utter fuuy Of al Efforts to OrgAuzs governments upon
the PHneipe Of the absolute right Of the msjory 10
govern All sCsa U,opian essays at gov rumeut have.
proved 70 De sal failures. Even Il the instructions Ct
experiences we're wanting, the and constitution o.
man af'rd abundant cause from which we might presl
cate the want Of success that must alive vs. attend all such
beless fabrics Of government as b. We their origin in
tie expectation that these numbers men With un1m
ei powers will so atnipis:er il as 20 dispense its beue
h's and impose its ourthens vito evenhanded justice
throughout the entire BODY Of soei ETY..
The expectation itself IS found in utter ignorance
Of mans nature, and Of want regard for the laws
Saich govern his eoaddst ne failure Of all such gov
ernments bat the result Ohe action ofthese VS. upon
tn conduct Of men, Of uAeA they cannot dvest them
selves which nAsrs n their very nature ard which are
A. Constant as uuSsu and a. certain in their operation
those which govern the rlaterial world That AL mer
feel more intensely uhati YER coaeerns them dirsc.
than that slcA concerns then irdirec.ly through
e'aer' Il irlism which al admit Il results from the
Preinni-a % the indiydrll or selfish feelings Of
nAn fAurs over h;s sympsr1stc or social sirsctors
TIE operation Of this lss Of FANS nature i Tot Only
necessary to promote ,ho ve re oS indiytrsl- bu: in
20 snail degree contributes 20 the preserve iCan OF 40
sey Itself; because men e ne sane int, res H. aud
concern for the aF,i-s ,F Others a. ior t,eir osu
STATE OF the uost Universal distraction aui confusion
would AZ once supeivS=s ar the active virtues Of III
crafty, Of generosity AID Of oeuevOeuee soul5 have
De discouraged as ems erdungerrg the good order
ray, the very sGis.s e bot Of government aid OF 81
ciety
The principle lf the aw which leads rlan 70 regard
that which 5c1s hin dircc ly rather than tia, which
sf'cis hio ndredy through others nay be cal, I'd the
principle Of sroys. The Influence Of this priu :ipe
although pSoiu etye Of the most balcul effects in ex-
optional na' dual instances Is uAde Tie means in Il
hands o. On plsent Power Of leading ner 10 practice
The vs,u's Of onesy sincerity and truth thereby min
ericg 20 ae symmetry and beauty the good order and
h,p,asss Ct ,ocety How this happy results sccomPlsh
Cd viii 20. % sma.,er Of d.us !isc VERY to one who
viii oss,ow R,tle reelection upon the subject The fan
OF imposed upon him the necessity OF labor by the
s~eat o. bis brow the price Of bis existence. This
noes 6y Of labor has led him gage in the various
ara trades and svocs,ous Of life ard these II their
turn have superoduesd the necessity Of uumberess ties
AID enStgcmsa,s IL mutu,liy binding him TO- and
meeting hin With biz, fellow These various
trlcs and ecgigensn:s % asc,ssitais dspeod upon
the ~ ual good hta and confidence replsed BY one
nan in other; and therefore all men fud that their
material interests pronos = by the observance Of the
iitues OF honesty, sincerity and ruth.
whea thus considered the commonplace provsr5
hl. honesty the - pO'y, bas a us,uAl impor, aud
meaning Bu- Wills, this l,~ o. mans nature, in
clrd,ucs w.h which mankind geaerllly exhibit a strong
propensity to appropriate themselves more Of the Oh
fsc,s Of desire than justly baooss them T. in their
individual aud private transactions one with another
so r modified aad restrained BY counteryaing feel.
ing Of mitua and reciprocal ssEiuteres which enables
them 70 dc1ver thai their national welfare IS best pro-
noted by their observance Of the virtues OF truth Of
honesty and Of m0rL rectitute yct it must be OBJ
served tha, tbs result Of rs OPERATION far otherwise
When applied to srgs numbers Of men in the aggregate
Of society who possess the political power of tia;
ei.ty with no sufficient opposing restraint uooa their
co.dlct II sush a society a disposition will az 0uce
b. manifested b. each and BY al Of IL members, az
lprouriaie 70 themselves either by fraud BY violence
more Of the obi sc o. dssre thal justly beloag them
Ia such society, slo the saPyems ultimate authority
called sovereignty, being in maj GRITTY OF is members
ire 70 acquire the powers Of and to appropriate
himself the ho0ors prOis, aud enOuments of Govern
neat will be manifested more or less forebly in each
and every menb1r But every ore cannot At tic
SANE tne obtain for hnsels these obsc.s Of desire
combination and concert OF asticn become necessary
Hsacs parties are formed and hsuc, discipline aud
party machinery Recognised AID adopted a. means
uece cary the attainment and continued pos
ss.gou Of the hoqos profits, aud emouments Of office
In such a government h may be expected that its
bsue6s aad is bgdsns Wl DO uuequaly imposed This
Is bu The Legitimate result Of the operation Of that a-
Ogman's nature which leads him to promote bis own
maseriL welfare to n, disregard Of and ohenuu,s
TO The prldce Of that Of his negbbor when applied
the aeou Of the maj,rite5 exercising the powers Ct
government; and hence the exclusion Of the minority
iron all participation in the benefits Of government and
the imposition Of the burdens Of unequal and urlst
sion upon them. II IN 5leh society, the manners,
the habits the ea7on re Institutions and interests
mora social and religions diverse, and il the sepa-
ration betEeen them Is marked by geographical lae'
aud p,re lary II one spscles Of property, which
by reason Of il pseuBiAry value Is mAie mainly to con
tribats ia 70 tn support Of tbs goVsrnment
exits almoE entirely 10 the section aud 70 a very
in+yl6lnt degree ia the other sIstion and Il the
section in which this property chiefly s1sss is the ms
Coiy eiOn OF sha, society and H that property Is
ned oy minority in that ujnOrity section, IL
b, co-6dsaty expected that the parties in the So
III assume geographical or sectional character