The Durham daily globe. (Durham, N.C.) 1889-1894, 1893-10-18
THE RIGHTS OF MINoRITIEs.

49, NRS4ohSo A4Sf
forward under a wise system of check
and balances. The different department
v and powers are co-ordinated but distinct
a The preponderance of one power work
damage to all. The mechanism of tn
heavens furnish a figure. The cart
" moves in it's orbit under two force
equally balanced. The centripetal tend
to pull 1t towards the sun. The centri
fugal tends to throw it off upon the tan
gent. The undue force of either would
work calamity. But balanced between
the two it moves steadily forward. Sc
with all the various powers of our gov
eminent; they are balanced with check:
to the undue exercise Of force.
, AS a general thing the maxim tina
"majorities rule" is right and proper in 6
republican form of government; but there
ought to be some check to the power to
rule. In a vote of the whole people it is
clear that the majority must rule; yet
this is not an infallible expression of
right, for the multitude often does evil
But such vote is generally for men, and
only in an implied sense for principles,
and being original or primal, can only
express itself by a majority. But in a
representative body of the people, as a
legislature or congress, the minority may
represent the majority of the people and
may find it necessary to check the undue
exercise Of force by the majority of such
body in order to prevent hurtful legisla.
ton.
And this ought to be so, for it may be
assumed that majorities act more from
impulse, and without sufficient reasoning.
thaa minorities do. AS witness, the readi
ness of the majority to pass the act to re-
peal the Sherman law, even upon the day
it was offered, if there had been no min
GRITTY to stop it. And the exercise of this
very power by the minority prevented
the passage Of the celebrated force bilI'
a few years ago.
1t is clear then that a minority ought
to have certain rights, not simply to de-
bate so long as a majority may determine,
but so long as it p~leases, or can hold out
to talk or stand or sit, for it alone has the
right to determine when its arguments
are exhausted.
Neither is it necessary hat a proposed
measure shall reach a vote. MANY a bill |
has died aborning," and many more
ought so to die. How often does a bill
go to committee and is never afterwards
technically heard of. And a minority
reaches the same end, only in a different
way.
Where then ought this check, as the
power of a minority, to be lodged?
Clearly, in the senate branch of the con-
gress. This is the last place, strictly
speaking, of passages; and such body
ought to be small, comparatively, and
more careful and conservative
And such the senate is supposed to be.
The question then is, ought the mi
nority to have the power absolutely to
prevent a vote? No, and could not have.
II 1t is large and respectable 1--WE mean in
ooth influence and members), then it de.
serves power in ratio of that fact. If it
small it can at the proper time be over.
by the great majority. dow? By
endurance. There is a majority of the
senate sufficient sufficient to pass the re
zeal bill upon a vote. Why do they not
it: Simply because they cannot hold
heir W men to the line of battle.
Then, of course, this weakens the powers
II debate on the side Of the majority
And this shows that there exists q neccs
tty Tor something else, What is it?
Compromise. Compromise shows on the
'art OF the majority a recognition of the j
righteousness of the cause which the
minority represents, and a partial blend
ng OF the two great principles which
ach contended for .
And this ought to be so, else hur1ful :
7gislation will frequently result. The 1
herman law itself, which is now the an q
!e OF discord, was created by a majority,
'hich is the very thing a majority is now
rying to repeal unconditionally. Would
not have been better if that majority
ad listened to the arguments of the min
rity at the time of passage?
1t is at this point-the W of a min
rity-Whcre a check ought to be force
to prevent unwise legislation. The
'nate has reached a critical point. 1t
al better be careful how it puts all power
TO the hands Of the multitude.
y NEW JERSEY man Eas invented a