The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-06-06
S. c.
Saturday Morning. June 8. 1874.
Cumulative Voting . Measure OF
Right and Peace.


works grievous wrong, to oonfound
the numerical majority, as ascertained
by the ordinary forms of suffrage, with
the entire people. In his "Disquisi-
ton on Government" Mr.. Calhoun
developed beautiful scheme of con-
current or constitutional majorities,
which should approximate the direct
representation of interests, as the nu-
uericsl majority aees that OF numbers.
It was his design by this process to Sc.
cure the rights of minorities. The
right of suffrage, pure and simple,
would produce one result: aided by q
prope: organism, it would produce an
other. The two would embrace the
whole community. viewed both as to
numbers and interests. By these two
independent methods of expression,
the real opinions and feelings, wants
and rights of the whole people could
be ascertained, and each have just rep
resentation. It is no part Of his
scheme to get at direct expression by
vote of the minority as such. In his
day. as now. the majority carried such
weight as to include the whole, and to
be popularity regarded as identical
with it. It swallowed all the rights.
powers and immunities of the whole
people. In the following passage, he
tersely states how far suffrage, as
usually exercised, and only reaching
the result OF numerical majority.
falls short of completeness and JUS
tioe. "If the numerjca! majority" he
says. 'ewere really the people, and if to
take its sense truly were to take the
sense OF the people truly, govern
ment 30 constituted would be true
and perfect model of popular consti-
tutional government, and every de-
parture from it would detract from its
excsHerce. But, as such is not the
caae-as the numerical minority, in-
stead IF being the people. IL only
rortion Of .hem-such q government,
instead Of being true and perfect
model of the peoples government
that is, people self.governed-is but
the government of part over part
the major over the minor portion"
The inoompleteness and injustice
thus clearly pointed out, and which
Mr.. Calhoun proposed to remedy by
his ingenious plan, exist in greatly
aggravated force in South Carolina to-
day. There is not an intelligent think
ing man in tho State who will not
freely admit it. Its evils are 30 great,
its despotism 80 crushing, that it is i'm
possible to get minority representa-
tion IL the Legislature strong enough
to exert even wholesome check upon
the majority. It has. accordingly, be-
come reckless. It has assumed to be,
as it is practically. irresponsible. It
is unnecessary to point out the dan
gers to wAyh. under this state of
things. We are rapidly tending. Intel
ligent Republicans see aud lament it.
The Republican press in it's calm and
more luoid moments has urged the me-
oessity and advantage to its party, in q
party point of view, of better repre-
sentation of the conservative element.
The necessity and advantage OF it to
the State. and to those great interests
which have we'll nigh been ruined,
need not be insisted upon. We think
there can be no difference OF opinion
upon that point. Two important
questions remain to be settled: First,
whether the party which has the over
whelming, and, as we have seen, self
destructive voting power, will consent
to any arrangement which will give
representation to the minority; and,
second. how shall it be secured?
The plan Of proportional representa-
ton by cumulative voting is recon-
mended 10y considerations OF fairness
and justice, who's demands it meets.
It seems to be more direct, moro
simple. aud perhaps is u more eilica-
cions remedy for the evils of the
numerical minority than tho scheme