The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-10-11

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was thus each moment increasing, Deconiuel
entered the room, and passed slowly through
| the crowd of his fellows up to the great chat
where his place was. The Ancients took thei
seats beside him the rest mostly remained
| standing by their Seats the better tc
catch sight of their Deans countenance, and
read off from his furrowed brow the full sens,
of his weighty and eloquent speech. TIL,
whole number present was sixty persons.
AS soon as Deconinck saw the attention OF
his fellows directed upon himself, with an en-
phatic gesture of his band he thus spoke:
My brethren give heed to my words, fol
the enemies of our freedom, the enemies of on,
prosperity, are forging letters for our feet
Tho magistrates and Liiyards have hattered
| the foreigner who is become orr master, by re-
| ceiving him with extraordinary pomp; they
have pressed us into their service for the cree
ton of their scaffoldings and arches, and now
they require that We should make good the cos
of their scandalous prodigality from the fruits
Of our honest labor; demand which is an in
| fringement alike on the liberi les of our city
and on the rights of our company. Under.
| stand me well, my brethren, aud, endeavor
with me to penetrate the future; if for this
once we submit to an arbitrary imposition, our
liberty will soon be trampled under foot This
is the first experiment, the first pressure of the
yoke that is hereafter to sit heavy upon our
necks. The unfaithful Lilyards, who leave
their Count, our lawful lord, in foreign
prison, that they may the better be able to gain
the mastery over US, have long fattened upon
the sweat of our brows. Long did the psople
serve them,-se them as beasts of burden,
and with signs and groans. To you, men of
Bruges, my fellow-citzens, was it first given
to receive the heavenly beam, the light of
freedom you were the first to break the chains
OF slavery; you rose mp against your tyrants
like men, and never again shall you bow your
necks under the yoke of despotism. At present
our prosperity is the envy, our greatness is the
admiration, of all the people of the earth is
it not then our bounden duty to preserve for
ourselves,-to hand down to our children, those
liberties which our fathers won for us, and
which made US what we aref Yes, it is our
duty, and a sacred one! and whose forgets it
Is q caitif undeserving the name of man, q
slave worthy only of contemptw
But here one of the masters present, by name
Brakels, who had already twice filed the Office
of Dean, rose from bis seat, and interrupted
Deconinck's speech with these words:
You are always talking of slavery aud of
our rights; but who tells us that the worship
full magistrates intend to infringe upon them I?
Is it not better to pay eight greats than to
break the peace of the cityf For it is easy to
see that If we resist, we shall not get off with
out bieodshed. Many of us will have to bury
n child or brother-and oil for eight groats |!
II We were to take your word for every thing
the Clothworkers would have their good. days'
in hand oftener than their shuttles but hone
that our masters will be too wise to follow your
advice on this OCCASION"
This speech caused the greatest excitement
among all present. Some, though but few.
made 1t apparent by their gestures that thew
thought with Brakels; but by far the greater
number disapproved of the sentiments he had
expressed.
Deconinck had narrowly watched the conn
tenances of his brethren, and had told over
the number of those upon whose support be
could reckon. Having speedily convinced him
self that the party of his adversary was but
small, he replied:
q 1t stands written expressly in our laws
that no new burden can be laid upon the peo-
pie without their own consent This freedom
has been purchased at very costly price and
no person, be he who ho may, has the power
not look far forward, eight greats, paid once
for all, are no great matter; and certainly it is
not for eight greats sake that 1 would urge
you to resistance; but the liberties, which are
our bulwark against the despotism CT the Lii
lyards,-shall we allow them to be broken
down. No; that were at once most base
and most improvdent. Know brethren.
that liberty is a tender plant, which, if Won
break but single branch from off it, soon
fades and dies; if we allow the Lilyards to
clip our tree, We shall soon have no longer
power to defend its withered trunk. Once fer
all, whoever has mans heart in his bosom
does not pay the eight greats! Whoever feels
true Claward blood in his veins, let him lift
his 'good-day, and strike for the peoples rights!
But let the vote determine; what have said
is my opinion, not my command"
10 these words tho master who had already
spoken on the opposite sido rejoined: