New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-06-19
4 LETTER FROM GOV. UJHAzY.

n
oLNos CREEK, NEAR SAN ANTONIO Texas, June u 1868,
To he Hon. TIADDEus STEVENS House Of Representatives.,
rs
SIR: In addressing this letter to you, am,
perhaps bold than becoming 10 as have not
the honor of your acquaintance Therefore beg your
pardon If am devatmg from the rule which usually oh
tans in this respects and offer nay that we have
reached time when IL becomes the duty Of citizen not
10 remain silent but, owing to the emergency, to speak
his mind though his in doing may be at var-
ance with custom. Lately we have offered to the world
the shameful spectacle OF not being abewhle yet the
freest people the eartn obedience To unanswerabe
chief officer though his power was vested in the nation
by Constitution. IL is the time To reflect on this
Of this Republic. Setting aside for the present
the moral and political depravity OF some men who con
au,I Wv p NM b ecA The technical course OF the
failure OF Impeachment viii not speak OF those indi-
ydua Senators whose behavior will be forever con-
demned in history, because II Is Impossible tRat wise
legislation D1Ori, prevent immoral acts We must
therefore scrutle those constitutional perogatves ana
laws which enable minortes TO eheekmate muorles OF
political bodies. In my opinion, the failure OF the i'm
parchment Is consequence OF our constitutional clauses
establishing twothirds majority for the passage OF
Inenf before the Senate. To the veto power ana
its remedy viii tb not SdysE aS Sf IN dndsF
republican form Of government. 10 admit that
more Of hbeTy;s blood pnisang through his heart
than the millions Of people represented III Congress ana
to invest the Executive with the autOcc power 10 stop
Ing save an old,fashoned political article brought to
this continent from Monarchlcal Europe But come
back the failure OF impeachment and It's cause.-The
requirement Of twO-thirds vote. Differences OF opinion
be established by any organization OF society," there
fore IL becomes inevitably necessary that the viii OF the
minority should be the ruling power ON the opinion and
will OF the majority based every free association. and
especially Republican institutions. NOW,
whether this will and this opinion be spoken
Nv one vote or by a million OF votes,
1t matters not its resolves must be- IN each case equally
binding There can be in this connection such
as "A Siulnle majority An Overwhelming
majority even unanimy Just as liable To error as
majority divided only by vote. This lies in the n
perfection OF human nature POstiyeness save In the
mathematical yerities nowhere TO De tound III TINS
world and political action therefore, IL not to he fixed
by wise unwise augmentation but by the last meas
To which it Is lable-Soely and purely the VIII OF
majority OF the people II this plain simple majority be
Lot recognized the ruling power but be surrendered to
other condition. then human society Is conyllSed
in those very foundations ON which 1t ought to
stand To lay down "a principle that only majority
of twOthrds is conclusive lawful majority is 10 lsly
S cap he equal 70 three nor three to four The idea
on which the twohird clause is founded is devoid OF
Logical principle for II is entirely arbitrary 20 sup
pose that wOthrds may express an uufallng minority
rs IL would be TO say that 99Ooths are this very unflng
majority When one leaves the plain notion Of majority
itself there logical limit ut which to stop To elevate
only two-third majority 10 the standard OF yalldtytO
make lawful effect is simply to surrender the life Of
nation claiming liberty TO the will, and TO the
capices minority We have the proof OF this before
erected for the execution of law but abused by him for
fine obstruction OF the sanei IL il not minority OF
10 AGAINST s5representing a minority Of the people
against the majority OF milOnsl Are We not through
lie agency OF an absurd nonprncple, the humble ser
wants Of an unprincipled minOrityi Andrew Johnson
was elected by majority Of the people; but now who
keeps him In office minority. Is this not fagrant
contradiction How long is tins absurdity to prevail IN
a Republic based on the will Of the people 1t
must finally pass away. as have done many
other barbados built by arist0erats, autocrats,
and privileged min0rtes, 10 Obstruct the prog
ress OF people struggling for liberty. We owe
II ourselves and postery 10 end this dangerous
political anomaly. The remedy 10 within the reach Of our
people Let go wo.k ut once, ana 10y an amendment
TO the Constitution cancel forever the false doctrine OF
raj nm Nou and noble associates
In principle, the Republican men worthy of this
task. entreat you 10 open war upon this public nuis-
anee and restore the majority Its original rights IL
IL only plain. unpretendng citizen who makes this APP
peal you-one who prefers to be poor settler the
Wild yet free praires than 10 enjoy comfort In his native
land, without liberty. am confident that you will not
look after the whence the voice, but con-
skier mi her its meaning Trusting that you may live
long, aud be- the venerable Nesor Of the Amer
lean Congress- and happily survive the doomed reign of
remain truly and most respectfully yours
I t....dl rH.l.I .l.H -.f.- IADIsLNUs UJnAzY,
Late OF Hungary !