Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-03-09
RIGHTS AND

A circular from an organization de.
voted to the Advancement Of lesisla.
ton OF Z certain class says:
Some people have talked about
freedom al though only the minor.
ity had any rights, but the major
ity has a right to the full aud free
enjoyment OF any policy which it
has adopted.
1t does moi matter at all in support
of what cause that doctrine is ad-
ranced, and very often mention of the
cause with which a doctrine ia asso-
ciatcd tends to divert attention from
the principle involved. Regardless Of
the particular object sought to be ae-
complished, the above sentence states
as the declaration Of a principle Of
human government and as such it 10
false and utterly mischievous. 1t Is
as false and as dangerous as is the
opposite doctrine that the majority
has no right in In case to impose
its will on the minority, a doctrine
which Would destroy every vestige Of
government and leave us in chaos.
We are apt, sometimes, to think of
laws, and especially constitutional laws,
as the origin Of human rights. obvi.
ously, they cannot be anything of the
sort. Before kings ruled, and par.
Gaments were convened and sconsti-
tutions were written, men Ia certain
rights. Those rights were inherent
and indestructible. They were not
always recognized, but they existed.
I'm SO far as constitutions have affect
ed them thay have merely given them
formal recognition and guaranteed
thNir free exercise.
The existence at basic human rixhtz.
and heir recognition, are peculiar to
no country. 1t happens that our gov
ernrnental forms are largely an Anglo
Saxon Inheritance, and IN history
the recognition 81 individual rights
which must not be t~ranssresssd dates
back at least to the days Of Alfred.
Three centuries later King John. rep
resenting the state. signed the Great
Charter which reaffirmed and szpand-
ed the doctrine Of personal rights. The
American Declaration Of Independence
declares that among the inalianable
rights possessed by human beings are
life, liberty and happiness. and to
secure these rights governments are
instituted among men" The federal
constitution embodics the same prin-
ciplc in different language. and our
own state constitution anp,ifies the
statement.
Our government is based on more
than a thousand years of specific rec
ignition of these rights sas sacred
things which rus not be infrinsed
upon. In all this there is no mention
of maiorities or minoritics. Individ-
ual rights are universal and inalien-
able, regardless of the power which
seeks to destroy them.
The majority has the power to en-
force'its will. and it is upon this pow
or that such statements Al that quoted
rest. But the exercise Of that power
By q majority may be as tyrannica1
and unriEhteous as if it we're exercised
by a single despot. II the individual
is assaulted or robbed he 10 wronsed
equally whether the act be committed
by one man or a mob. He has a right
to possess his property in peace, and
to go his way unnolestsd. no matter
how many covet his possession or de-
sire his personal injury.
The personal rights Of Americans
are not theirs because they are writ
ten in the constitution. They are In
the constitution because they exist,
and hecanse Americans recognize them
and have decreed that they shall be
respected.