The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1869-03-03
TIE CITY CHARTER DEFEATED.

The new city charter, contrived by few
persons incorrectly supposed to represent the
Property Holders Association, was yesterday
indefinitely postponed in the House. This
disposes of the question for the session, and
probably puts it permanently at rest. as the
projectors, we presume, will not make Sec
ond attempt of the kind after the thorough
discussion of the subject has exposed the evils
of the scheme Let US do justice to the Leg
islature for this manifestation of even tardy
willingness to defer to the public opinion OF
the great city which, heretofore, it has as
sumed to govern without the slightest regard
to the wishes and interests of its inhabitants.
In duly estimating the strength of the public
opinion of New Orleans in opposition to the
effort of few men to usurp the control OF our
municipal affairs, the members of the Legis-
lature have, doubtless, had recourse to the
columns of the CRESCENT, the only paper In
the city that accurately expressed and
represented the feelings OF the COM
munity on this point the only paper
that interposed its voice against scheme
which. if consummated, would have changed
our municipal system into an irresponsible
oligarchy. Alone among the city press the
CRESCENT protested against this hagltlous
project, whilst every other journal, yielding
to influences which it is not necessary to
recount, not only supported it, but actually
attempted to impose their assertions on the
| Legislature as correct exposition of public
| opinion which could not have sanctioned the
measure without stultifying itself, and con-
demning all of its previous expressions IN
opposition to legislative usurpation and inter-
ference in our city affairs. Alone among the
| journals of New Orleans the CRESCENT re-
sisted and denounced this audacious assault
on the rights of the people. Alone among
| the journals of New Orleans the CRESCENT
| took position in defense of the right of the
| people of this community to control their
own local affairs. Alone among the
| journals of New Orleans the CRESCENT
exposed the monstrous proposition to
concentrate the executive and Legislative
| functions of the government in the hands OF
a few men, necessarily to be selected from a
single class and to be invested with extraor-
binary and almost despotic powers. Alone
among the press of the city the CRESCENT
took up the cause of the people, when popu-
| lar rights were threatened with destruction at
| the hands of q combination composed of
usurping Legislature, and of persons who
cunningly pretended to represent the public
opinion of the city. Against such combina-
tons and such attempts the CRESCENT will
always protest. If it has not found it neces-
sary to expose the intrigues which have char
acterized this controversy, it has been because
il believed that the measure could be defeated
! without recourse to such revelations; but
had the situation required the exposure to be
made the CRESCENT would certainly have done
its duty to the public, to the extent of the
information that might have come into its
possession.
We repeat that the Legislature has done at
least one good thing, in declining to cap
the climax of its usurpations by forcing this
abominable continuance on the people of New
Orleans and that, if it has been enabled to
form correct judgment of public opinion
in regard to the projected measure, the Cries.
CENT alone has furnished the means and the
evidence. Other journals may pirate as they
will of their regard for the "people," but
their easy compliance with this demand to
engage in warfare on the dearest rights of
the people, will be very apt to shake popular
confidence in their protestations.