National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-04-11
The Simple Propesition.

The Senate of the United States is sup
posed by the public to be the highest rep
resentatiye body in this country. That
has been its character. Naturally, there
fore, and by reason of its position, the
people may look to see it shown in their
purest phases the governing principles
of the Republic. Certainly it may be
expected to illustrate in its actions those
cardinal ideas that make the existence of
a republican form ofgovernment possible.
| Foremost of these up to the present
time has been the proposition that the
| majority shall rule. This fundamental
| doctrine has been of universal applica-
ton, and the momentit is overthrown and
the reverse proposition becomes general
law the integrity of the agreement ex-
isting among the people, as defined in the
Constitution and by universal acceptance,
| falls to the ground and the Nation ceases
to exist. If the will of the majority is
not accepted as the fat, then every cleo
ton in the land, from that for village
constable to that for the highest office of
President, is mere mockery and farce
| the election as the expression OF the Will
| of the people becomes of no avail, and
hence the ideas and principles upon
| which the election was conceived
and predieated are entirely defeated,
and the people no longer govern
themselves, but are subject to the govern
ment of the power able to wrest the fruits
of victory from them Their ballots may
as well have been thrown into the fire as
put into the ballot-boX, for any good they
have done them. A higher authority has
set itself over them, not by right, perhaps,
but by the arbitrary exercise of its power /;
and the election, carrying with it in its
simplest or most complex forms all the
rights upon which the Nation rests, is
made thing of rejection and contempt.
Now the Democratic Senators stand in
this attitude precisely. Without an ex-
cuse that bears the semblance of reason
to any but blind partisans, they propose
that the minority, as represented by them
in the highest legislative body in the
land, shall thwart the rity-shall to
all intents and purposes control it.
Stripped of all verbiage, this is the fair
proposition; and, for the purpose of max
ing it distinct and clear, we suggest that
some Republican Senator offer resolu-
ton in effect as follows:
Whereas the theory that the majority shall rule
has become obsolete thing, and an unnecessary
burden upon the rights of the minority: Therefore
ResolUed, That, as Senators of the United States,
fully aware of the dignity of positions and the
importance of the duties resting upon us, and of
the great value of our example before the country
we pledge ourselves individually upon our votes
to use such means we may and can to defeat this
false and ridiculous assumption of the majority:
and
ReSolUed, That hereafter, in the instances of ma
tional State, municipal and all other elections we
pledge ourselves to the proposition that the
voice of the minority shall be recognized as the
rightful decree; and
ResoLUed, That, by the process of reductio ad Gb
Surdarm if the minority rules there will be no oc-
casion for election therefore we announce as
inherent in the supreme right to decide who are
and who are not entitled to the victory in any case
of political contest.
We believe the Democratic Senators
will vote "aye" upon the questions thus
raised.