New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-01-23
THE RED flag.

tuition and the State CONSTITUTION, or 10 deprive tne
people, or any part of the people, of any OF those
rights which supposed to be guaranteed to them
by those Instruments I should like to know If they
have the authority to prohibit even Communal"
from holding public meetings. OF if they have the
right to interfere with the peaceful display Of the
red flag any more than the green flag, the orange
flag or the tri-coored flag Of stars and strpesi II
they have any such power authority or right
should like TO have its limitations aud applications
defined and to have the principles on which IT IA
based promulgated. for the information ana
guidance of those concerned.
The Federal Constitution prohibits the enactment
of any law "abndging the freedom of speech, or
the right of the people peaceaby to assemble" lhs
is an unqualified provision and admits of no oKcep-
ton. The State Constitution provides that no
law shall be passed to restrain or abridge the liberty
of speech and that every citizen may treeP
speak and publish his sentiments on all SUBJECTS
being responsible for the abuse of that right'-the
last clause having reference to libeous or treason
able language. 1t may seem superiluons to make
these quotations or to bring them forward IN sup
mort of a right which is supposed to be lrrev0caDe
and uncbangeable and involable under our poiticaI
system But when we that they are openly as
regarded by men whose main duty it is to defend
them under all circumstances, and against every
assault. whatever be the pretext on which II Is
made it does not seem unnecessary to keep the peo-
plo reminded of their existence.
The Legislature may empower, and has empow-
cred the police to regulate, and maintain order IN
public meetings and professions; but II never mas
given them the authority 60 prohibit or interfere
with any peaceable and orderly meeting OF any klhd
whatsoever The present charter authorizes the
Park Department to control and manage puDhc
parks and places but, with this limitation ts power
in the premises is at an end.
A certain number of unemployed workingmen-let
those call them Communists who know what the
word means-madc several unsuccessful attempts to
hold meetings in one or other of the public places
for the purpose of comforting among themselves.
and with the authorities. in regard to their
furnishing and miserable condition, and OF hnd-
ing some remedy therefor AT last they oD-
tanned permission to hold meeting in Tomp-
kins-sguare and TO march through certain streets.
But the permission was withdrawn the day before
that fixed for the meeting Numbers OF men, never
thelcss, gathered at the time appointed, many OF
whom knew nothing about the change OF pro-
gramme. Had half dozen policemen been stationed
at the entrances to the Park, probably not an in
diyidual would have attempted TO enter. or to
touch the forbidden ground. BIT no such simple.
direct and easy method of preventing the meeting
was taken; and it was only after several thousands
had gathered in the Park, and when as yet there
was no meeting organized, disorder and no sign
of any violation of the peace that the police. foot
and mounted, rushed upon them with drawn clubs
and with results that were too cruel and shocking
to be calmly thought of by anv humane man. 1t
was q horrible wrong that was perpetrated. II was
an outrage Oh decency aud human nature.
reached the place just after it had been cleared
bv these means. There were tens of thousands Of
wrctched people crowded in the adjacent streets.
never before saw such haggMd multitude or such
hcart-rendng spectacle wish that the editors OF the
city had accompanied mo in the rounds that made
in the vicinity of Tompkins-sqnare between 10 and
~ o'clock on the 18th Of January. There would have
been no further denial in the newspapers OF the fact
that there is appalling and widespread want and
suffering among the unemployed working classes of
this city. These poor wretches wished to make
display of themselves before heaven and earth.
They could be forbidden to do it, and they could
have their haggard heads smashed If they attempted
it,
But there were men who displayed red flags And
there were Communist" leaders at the back of the
mavementi And some of the wretches were them
selves Communists! Now. if these were the causes
of ofenseift is illegal to carry red flag, Or if 1t
is criminal to believe in Communism or To prOpa-
gate Communistic doctrines il is time that the facts
were proclaimed under such authority as may have
Police Commissioners and superintendent Matsell
are not the parties entitled TO exercise such author
ity.
" seems from THE TRIBUNE of to-day that the
police are now attempting to put stop to a so-caed
Communist" meeting which is to be held to-mor-
row. not in any public park place, bnt in build
ing known as the Assembly Rooms" First-ave.,
which is private property. The TRIBUNE narrates
the proceedings OF certain police captain in this
business and learn from other sources that he has
resortcd to menaces against the owners of the
building in question. In the name of American
Freedom has it come to this, that policeman
presume thus to interfere with popular rights and
the liberty OF opinion
should like to have these points settled IshOuld
like to know if 1t be in violation OF law to display
red flag or to be Communist" TO hold q Com
munist" meeting i'll the Assembly Roomsf IL is of
the utmost consequence that these questions should
be passed upon by the courts.
Whatever the red flag may have meant heretofore
in this city, il as though 1t would very soon
come to stand the symbol of the liberty Of speech
Let me end by INDUCING in an episode.
would not say that have all my life been look
ing Tor a hero. that have been much in want
of one as Byron was when he sat down to write
| Don Juan" But hero is always an interesting
spectacle to me and thought caught sight of
the other day, when reading the reports of the
Tompkins-square affair in THE TRIBUNE. The report
told of n young man who appeared with red flag at
| the head of a small body of miserables in the
| street When the police rushed upon the
crowd and scattered it, the young man
| wrapped the red flag around his body, where
| upon he arrested, taken TO Essex Police
| Station and there incarcerated. He unarmed ;
| he had made no harangue and he offered resist
| b,, ha ,r,tb hat ba