New-York tribune., 1875-02-23
DANGERS OF A REPUBLIC.
LECTURE RY PROF. W. q. SUMNER.

DIS REGARD OF THE RIGHTS Of AAN'NAAAN0-
EXCLUSION OF MEN OF TIE HIGHEST GRADE
FROM OFFICE
80, AZ occ,srnx1t CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUSE.l
Nrw-UAv,sS. Conn. Feb. 6.-Following out the
.asa of the duties of the opposition party in govern
roont as illustrated by the British Parliament, IN
his lecture 10 the Yale graduates on Monday, Prof
W. G. Sumner applied the same principles to the
American Congress and explained the failure of the
opposition here to perform it's proper function. Be
low is traced the hne of thought:
In this country. especially since the the opposl
non Democratic party has never had s activity fully
developed In many the opposition might be
called she point of reaction, by analogy with natural
philosophy Every action must have its corresponding
reaction, and the opposition is the holdoaeg against
which legislation takes place. In the workings oil TIE
English Constitution II performs the most important
functions. This Is why progress In England has oeen
,eormatory not revolutionary l: has given the prog
ress Of constitutional liberty in England the character
of a continual succession Of compromises There has
never been any eleareut horoughgoiDa revolutionary
legislation IN England One often thinks 1t would have
been better had been complete and consistent
and it hOs;ley criticised succession Of make
shifts. Every step has issued from . parliamentary
battle. The Irish Church legislation and land legisla
tion, IL, look at them theoretically, were most mper
feet but they the result of what could be gained
h the way progress by conservative action not Tevo-
nionary change. The opposition party with us has not
had this highly developed ought to be
IN every constitutional government We have drfted
toward a democracy. say democracy for this
son This function belongs 20 constitutional govern
ment. not to d democracy all, because a democracy
based arst the idea Of equality aud secondly on
the rule Of numerical majority of these political
equals SO democracy wants this numerical majority
to have its without control That ia tse. mis-
fhief OF democracy ii tends to be as arbitrary as
other Ocracy 1t borrows the theory OF the JITe
dirtno monarchy and transfers it to the democracy
1t thinks that minority has only constitutional
right that obey. This that the minority
submit TO Whatever the majority may take
and Can have redress. That is the democratic
lseeTy and snder that theory the minority would at
once drop down and submit. We have, OF course,
minories legislative assemblies, and In some
eases they try In their constitutional way. But
they have not thoroughly understood and denan ded
their constitutional right, and 1t will be again in our
system when The opposition learns TO periOrm better Its
constitutional functions When tie minority Is very
small then the danger at its naxmum. The majority
sweeps over the minority With recklessDess that is
dangerous civil liberty.
TIE PREVIOUS QUESTION.
The most perniciOus invention ever made 70 accom-
pnsh this purpose that of the previous question.
o. used tho House OF representatives. They 40
BOT have the previous question in the Senate. The
origin Of this in the fact that debate went
on long there such foods Of talk that the pre-
yous ques ion introduced 10 talking and get
10 a vote. But whenever the majority has been very
overw ming as it has been with for the last Is
years desired TO be criticised 1t desired to
have its own way, arbitTariy tyranncaly. and It has
emplo7ed the previous question 20 stop the mouths Of
the minority, simply TO Restrain debate but 70 pre-
vent il. q use word "tyrannically" In its old
chronological namely, the spirit Of tyrant who
s impatient restr4inL The most remarkable instance
OF the previous question, which viii
be regarded future history, during the re-
construction legislation. This legislation was com
phcaied consisting Of two three acts, and pushed
through Congress with the leGst possible debate
and IN some cases without any A caucus Of'the mem
bers OF the majority meets in private session, and
there decides what the party will pursue in the
open mouse. The tendency OF the is bad, its
downward and is becoming worse and worse
Whatever voting s done Is in secret The majority OF
the caucus carries with the minority il course so
msiority Of the majority forces it's action on the
whole house, and an act passes act OF house
majority. They GO into the house put the previous
question on, debate is cut OF, even the amendments
that can be made limited, the measure comes
70 q vote and Is pushed through. That Is the ma
eninery by which tho rights OF .the minority are
crushed out Thus the constitutional duty Of the
opposiion has been made impossible and their coastu
tOnal right OF criticism has been taken away from
them. 1t Is Of the mschievOus things under
Constitution. IL brings the question whether We
are really constitutional republic n democracy.
That the real antthesis TO b. marked The hope Of
our liberty success, and prosperity lies the side Of
constitutional republic. II would be better 70 have the
foods Of than step the constitutional organ
Of criticism. We have that. Take the recOnsrue
ton measures instance OF necessity. The most
fanatical majority could have passed those acts
there had been full and open criticism. The
Democratic minority IN that Congress was feeble,
but II they could have exercised theireconsttutona
function 0; criticism they would have restrained the
fanaticm Of the majority. The Democratic party, the
through has failed in late II it's duty the
opposition There has been proper criticism of the
administration from that source for instance. the
finances take the country papers through. They have
enlightened the people at ali that question, bat
probably the real trouble is that they heterodox
she Republicans on that point. Now this evn Of wholly
suppressng the minority the objective point OF minor
ity representation proposed It's object Is 10
full ana far representation OF the minority in egsa
ton. This would be constitutional 1t would be o
grand gam for constitutional government but the
democrats GD the genealogical sense OF the world op
pose DO In full cOnsistenee with their theory
people say but the democrats are per-
fecy consistent with their point of vew because their
theory that the majority ought TO rue without cheek
and the minority ought TO obey Bot the theory OF
minority representation is to get check upon the
majority. Therefore 1t is hostile the theory Of the
democracy There a true eonfhct here between the
radicals and which must fought cut
THE CONTROL OF INTERESTS.
Te constitutional republic is open 10 another very
ssous menace and that is from the control OF inter
es, Gt pitifu word as n IL used, but must take
= here in its popular The popular fear In this
ountry is Of despOtsm the part OF the Executive
IA singular that fear has prevailed but 1t Is not
great formerly Radicals have always been afraid
at they would have klug 10 rule over them. rhey
car a military despOt Of some KIND or other. 1t has
tely been renewed in the talk about Cesarlsm This
ofouuded fear shuts real danger. which