Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1900-10-19

w..lch the democrats base all their ar
guments is the statement which oc-
ours in our own Declaration of indie
pendence that Governments derive
their just power from the consent OF
the governed" The average man
admits this at once. The next step
in the s%yllogism IS the proposition
that THE United States propose to
enforce a government upon a people
who are unwilling to be governed
The conclusion is that such a govern
ment is unjust. II one admits the
first two propositions the conclusion
must follow. AS a matter OF fact the
conclusion is false and the fallacy
lies in the first statement. The state
ment is true in general but it does not
apply to special cases. There is IN
axiom in political science which says
that the first function OF government
is to promote the most good TO the
most people. That this is true nc
one can deny. Upon this truth rests
the reputation of the statement that
all just governments derive their
power from the consent OF the gov
erned."
This is true when the many are
ruled for the benefit OF the few: it is
false. absolutely false. when the few
cause the government to be admin
istered in such a way as to oppose
the welfare OF the many. This seems
at first sight a mere bubble but we
will explain our meaning by a few
examples. AS an example Of the first
statement we can quote II W '
lutionary war. \ large number Of
persons were being ruled for the ben
eft of a few in England. That the
assertion holds true here requires NJ
On the other hand we would quote
4 case in which the axiom does not
hold and we defy any one to prove
otherwise. In 1881 Inc legislature OF
\ortn Carolina found that certain tar
if laws imposed for the United States
we're not to their advantage. Their
of the matter was simple
enough. They proposed to nullify the
avs and if the government of the
United States d.. not like their action
North Carolina talked of seeding.
What happened? President Jackson
Ca democrat by the way promptly
crushed the notion that North Caro-
ina could take any such action. Here
a case where the governed did
not consent to be governed. But
was a hardship for them was a
great advantage for the majority of
the union and hence the minority was
obliged to yield. History unanimous
ly declares that Jackson's suppress
sion of 'Nulliicatlon' was one of the
most splendid achievements of his
The war of the south is another
example. No n can say that they
were willing to be governed. 1t there
living who can deny that the
northern states were justified in en-
forcing our sovereignty upon them?
Any number of examples might be
quoted but it is hoped that those men
toned will illustrate the point.
The only person who could explain
the meaning intended by the state
ment that governments derive their
Just power from the consent Of the
governed. is the author. Thomas JEFF
Let us see what interpreted
ton he puts upon 1t.
In 1903 the United States purchased
the Louisiana territory from France.
What was Mr.. Jefferson's idea about
the consent of the governed here? 1t
amounted simply to this. - is
better that a few thousand persons
now scattered throughout the territory
should suffer than the progress and
of a great nation embody-
ing millions of people should be
baked" Perhaps some one will say
"Oh those people were only too glad
be annexed and they consented
readily enough" Let him read the
remonstrance sent in to congress by
the inhabitants whom Jefferson
brought into the United States with
out a thought as to their consent.
A few quotations from this docu-
ment show the feeling of the people
then residing in the Louisiana dis
trict.
"A governor is to be placed over us
whom we have not chosen, whom we
do not even know, who may be ignor'
ant of our language, uniformed Of
our institutions, and who may have nc
connection with u country, or inter
est in it's welfare" Il
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