New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-11-28
SPEECH OF MAYOR WOOD,

and created much merrineut by giving byperboliesi |
reasons why they should be accepted. \
SPEECH OF MAYOR WOOD.
r,rrs.sno Woop took the platf",.I N, after three
cheers. lie had come to say q lew plain words, IN
Intelligent lsnguage-a little common sense. we
were all American citizens, without distinction GIN
reference 10 political priyieges-Iich and poor atke
He regretted any attempt ~ continue distinctive ma
tonal preudices, for be bad always held that num-
once merging Vie citizenship, merged bic na'lonsy
Once eitiseIn, he was an American, ana IL was DE
duty to COP orm TO our laws 10 sustain our Oovern-
men and his right to cricse the acts OF onr rollers
In my Judgment, Mr.. Wood continued, when Gov.
ernme ut exceeds Its legitimate functions, when u
goe further than 20 protect property ana preserve
life and the public peace, 1t exceeds, certainly nn1er
. republican form, what il legitimaely delegated 10
,it IApplausel As il Il the best government that
governs the least, go rs u the best government
which leaves "A man the absolute control oil ms
social existence, HIS nahenable Ights, 20 icng Us ne
does not encroRch upon the rights OF another
man, But when Government Steps IN, ennef ny
the action of the Executive or Legislature IN 'hc
construction of statutes aud attempts 10 dictate 10
Won or me what arrangement shall govern our 40
nestle household, how we shall worship zoo, wna'
we shall wear eat, drink, and how we SNAIL observe
the Sabbath hold that II is no Government, bus
desnoti.m of che most tyranica and odious chaIac-
ter. lApplsase.l My friends, you have not oeen
permiied 10 thus exercise the right to when nave
referred Legislation, the power wbich III .n,s
country creates the law hss directed thai there eha
be supervision, direction held over ts aoiless0
social arrangement They have attempted to con-
troll the morality OF the community. Ibey nave at
tempted by legislation TO direct that man shall STEP
"a the instrument Of law, between the felow-erea-
Iture and the Creator. They have attempted, by
compulsory law, TO direct how and IN what
manner YOU snall settle your account with
Heaven. These men, who accidentally happen
10 have control of the Legislature OF the State,
reflect through these statutes their peculiar tyran-
meal doctrines, and they have attempted TO make
every other citizen, whatever may be lns opinions,
habits or doctrines conform to their own narrow
and selfish doctrines. What party has done this
We have party in this country based upon phi
losophy, theory with reference TO COINCIDENCE, en-
tireIy antsgonstie TO the duties Of Government,
which consist Of three things-the preservation Of
life, property, and public order and when they go
beyond these into special egslatioD for the protee-
ton Of exclusive traffic morality, human and per-
sonal rights say they go beyond the true functions
OF Legislation; il becomes despotism, tyranny but,
nv friends in the State of New-York we have been
served in other WAYS. Unlike the cities OF the
German Confederation, We have been deprived OF
our rights here-unlike the free city Of Hamburg we
have no municipal rights whatever. Were You to
make question rs 10 the acts To which j have re-
ferred, Won would reject them unanimously. We
find in this legislature anagonstic snd entirely
different from u.s. making lawt which they take good
care shall not lie in operation over Themselves. We
ind we have not the right TO tax ourselves " itout
fr,t receiving permission from Albany. We have
been deprived Of the control OF our Police, Of
building our own CouT-HOu-es laying out our
own parks, regulating the observance OF the
Sabba,hday, OF the rights Of those dealing 10 liquor,
sprituous or malt. We have been thus deprived by
legislation which in ny opinion Is Gu Sc no' onIy
to this dty, but 10 the State ard country. Al-
plause.l BY friends, the day Of deliyerance II at
hand lCbcerr.l A down-tTedden people like our
selves Will no; long lie silent and quiet under OPP
preston Of tins character, and believe
this city, and Of this State, will ss.in
restore TO ne these rights, restore power 10 ,he
government and chief naRistfaey OF TINS ',y
tcheersi, restore 10 the Regpie OF inJ
right 20 make al laws which pertain 70 Their social
indueenoes, peculiar TO the pritdplos wishes inter,
esis and rights Of the people governed. lApplasse
have for wing these rights Will he restored
have authority for saying tbai The day i Iapidiy
coIoing-before uoKt Spring, l thiuk-when ti.e
Legislature will restore 20 the Mayor oi New-ioit
the right 10 govern the City II NewloIk. theers.
Aud II i; shall be my good fortune to he reeeried TO
that Office, can only any 70 YOU that II those Duties
dsyolye upon me- il have the power 10 control any
OF those social and domestic regulations, sm for the
largesi liberty consistent with the safety OF the coin
munity. I afn opposed b. diciaiiug 10 any Insn
whether he shall drink water, lager beer or rum
Applause sm opposed to compelling any 70 20
to ehnreh GA Sunday II they choose 70 - any wheIe
else. Applsuse. l am opposed 10 imposing ~
unjust and oreIou- taxation upon any nan because
he hspre, % sell Nm article Which 10 iaiscLeyo1 IN
itself. / AN opposed to regulating by Law he
quantity a what man shall drlnk or wear.
lApflause.l viii let mans safely hereafter
depend upon iim with biz God. Questions which
rest In a man. own hest leave him. Bopesoe.
able orderly sober violate none OF The rules 81 the
and Government Is iinbie 10 oiet yoa
with all your inslensble rights. Ny irends, have
rsfar,eI ion rarty which GenOmr ate The Aboliiion
r,rty~a party which has brought THE country upon
Inc verge Of ruin aud distinctions party hat Ia
pretipita,ed civil war upon ar, which, IL we can
survive IL is than any other nation IN modern
or ancient history, hal been able t. do under similar
circunstsnces-s party that has endevored 10 bring
tho black slave TO compete with The " bite labor o.
the North that bss no sympathy Tor the pcCi white
man, but viii grind him down, aud II they can
induce him TO work 70, ity cent day will 40 that
Yet these men have hearts, not for you, but hearts
for the negro Of the Sonh. That's true, and sv-
plsuss.l And tell you here thst 10 Long Ne tia,
party rules this country, there no peace Tor this
country They sre not only in favor OF prosecu-
ton of this war; but they ia favor Of perpeua-
tion prolongstion OF this war, they io- thi,
war 40 long "a there il dollar Of public money 10
be expended in which they may participate. They
will prosecute it 70 long ~ there is droP Of South
ern blood TO lie she'd provided they are removed
from the scene Of danger. lApplsuse. they will
get the Irish aud Germans to m their regiments 10
" defend the country" under tho idea that they /
themselves will remain at home, aud divide the plum
der Wbic, Is being ushoue' lHPPiause ara laugh
ter Ifthat party gets possession OF your City Gov.
vernment God help YOU! Voice.. "Heyer."l They
have driven this Union 10 destruction. They have con-
querei all the Strcnghods of the North, and they
are now battling against the citadel Of the Umpire
City. When thtt falls 70 VA all repeat, God help
us Ny friends 9 New.York falls under Abolition
rule Instead Of the rrls under which YOU no@ Ia. |
bOr you will feel them with ton Thousand times
greater severity. II Trey get possession Of this |
Democratic City of Now-lors as they have long
had possession Of the Empire State of Hew-fork
IL they sre doing that which wrngs $780, .oOp