| Show SOME THOUGHTS goy if it be true that all just powers of government are derived from the consent of the governed does it follow as a logical sequence that any government which exercises exactly all the powers with which it is endowed by those who are poy craned thereby is an ideal of perfect government this is a question propounded by n correspond we are inclined ts answer it maxims respect government are all boore ro ore ariess faulty and paradoxical for instance the fathers of american independence were of the opinion that all just powers of government must be derived from the consent of the governed at first thought this seems like a truism but upon closer scrutiny we may ask for an explanation does this maxim mean that all just powers of government arc del ived from the consent of all the gov erea or colu tae consent of n majority of the governed over ned the author of the maxim leave us in doubt it may mean the one or the other although in this country preference would be given to tho lat ter elucidation i e that all just powers of government are derived from the consent of the majority nf the governed if we accept this construction the question of our correspondent will something like this la a U government which exercises exactly all the powers with which it is endowed bya of the governed an ideal of perfect govern meat in acarter to this tion we would reply ao 20 not Decess auly no human ment hs yet approached ideal perfection fec tion in republics and to a ce extent in c monarchies the majority are supposed to govern and sometimes governments founded upon the will of the majority haac been of un and purity however there arc manifold in atances in the history of nations which show that a ruling majority is capable of most enormous tyrannizes tyrannies tyr annies and despot iams isms an meled can form of government is only an expression of eat public opinion that ia all thousands of men in various ages who have been dependent upon the amilca of absolute princes for civil power and promotion in public service chave left abundant testimony of the uncertainty and instability af royal favor but thero has never been an eminent public character in the united states who could not alto equally overwhelming evi dence of the sheer caprice and alft of popular public opinion that opinion of the doritt whose will is the foundation olour government let A careful investigator go into any community in thia or any other country and upon accurate and enquiry he will find that very generally and the few exceptions he may find will only prove the rule the majority are not men and lofti est intelligence virtue cr ability and unfortunately such ia the eal ous envious or indifferent nature of the masses of men everywhere that superiority ia too often regarded with and even detestation it therefore follows hat a government of the people for the keople and by the people h iab more than a government of the majority tor the i 3 majority and by the majority can hardly rise above tho mediocrity at best K A g where the power of the majority is cited and absolute is and can be nothing more nor acsa than a copus lar despotism unless the power derived fron and wielded by tho majority is exercised with a supremely just regard fur the right leges and liberties of the minority if in carrying out a system of government wo were to adherer strictly and literally to tho principle that all just powers of government are derived from the consent of the governed that is if we should adopt the roasio that no power ot any given government could be justly exercised except by abo con jentof each and every individual citizen subject thereto then chaba would reign and wo might as well have no at all from what we have here said it will be seen somewhat how inari cate the problem of government really is no system thereof iu vi anted by man haa ever reached ideal perfection the theme howe ever is a fruitful interesting and profitable one and we shall pursue the topic further at some future time I 1 |
