The New Orleans Democrat. (New Orleans, La.) 1875-1876, 1875-12-28

and form a community without
having class OF rights, a
class OF privileges, and with which the
higher organization has no possible
concernment, and with which, IL it in
terferes, 1t acts as a despot simply and
alone. Now, fellow citizens, when those
communities form State, the State be-
comes the greatest power-it is obliged
to lay the taxes and must as well con
duct the affairs Of the State. The State
in the preservation of these privi-
leges and = in the discretion in
the use of its power challenges
the attention Of mankind. The abuse of
that has led to the fatal error of suppos-
ing that smaller communities have no
rights which the State Is obliged to re-
spect. Now. fellow-citizens, a greater
or more fatal mistake for your liberties
could never be made, and every histori-
cal writer upon this great subject
every political essayest, have noted that
mistake. A definition Of the doe
trine of local self govern
ment at this juncture may be
Of interest to you. What we mean by
that great doctrine for which we are
now contending before the country and
tive--and / ask you to note the words
that the positive natural or primedial
right Is one which belongs to each Of
us. That natural primedial right which
belongs to us is not derived from any
other power, but inheres in com
munity. Those rights which inhere
in Ii are to manage, control and di-
rect all those interests which belong
peculiarly to it, and with which the
State has no natural connection in the
discharge Of it's proper functions. II
you take that definition now, fellow
citizens, OF that great doctrine about
which we are assembled this evening,
you will see it is matter Of paramount
Importance to us to defend il. You
will understand why II was that our
ter and its members taken prison
ers and carried out by force OF arms,
and 1t was this blow struck at the
liberties OF the people that made them
come to the front in the great city OF
New York and raise their voices in
protest against it; it was simply because
It threatened "a right Of paramount i'm
portance to the people OF your country.
Now, fellow citizens, have referred to
the Magma Charter; have shown you
these two rights, the right Of local
self government came together before
the world In their birth, twin
stars Of equal magnitude. When King
John was compelled to surrender to the
people, use the word surrender y
and I mean it too-to surrender to the
people what had always belonged to
them, he didn't give them right he
he surrendered to them their natural
right, positive right, their primedial
right, right which belonged to them,
equal with the right Of life, liberty
and property, which belongs TO you,
fellow-citizens. After that great
Charter the English people had nc
further trouble with the question. II
YOU will take the trouble to examine the
laws in the time Of Charles I; ii you
will examine further the great Bill Of
Rights-the Magma Charter--you will
find there depicted, there laid down the
rights OF communities. come now, fell
low citizens, to u subject OF more in
terest to you, in which is involved
that great principle OF local self-gov-
ernment, the right to manage your
own affairs without interference the
right to be represented In everything
that concerns them directly. IT was
that great principle that led to that
great struggle for American independ-
ence. And, fellow citizens, this right
the right OF local elf-government-
forms a very part Of the Government
of this great country. Thomas Jeifer-
son said that he would see these repre-
sentatives under IL safe government
that as soon us they were created
had great responsibilities. Your liber-
ties, fellow citizens, are safe in them
they are positively safe in this doe
trine of local self government. / can
say TO you, beyond the possibility
Of doubt, we have in this defini-
ton the very idea Of the rights OF
local self-government. Now, then, we
come to matter OF peculiar interest to
the city of New Orleans; rights OF just
as much interest to New Orleans Us
any Of the other individual rights.
Very well, you go into the Legislature
you send your delegates; your dele
gates from Shreveport, from Monroe,
from all parts Of the State Of Louisiana,
when they collect their taxes from the
city OF New Orleans. Isn't it perfectly
plain that the voice Of the city of New
Orleans is lost and that those matters
which belong to her peculiarly just
as much as your lands belong
to you, just as much as any matter per
tanning to you is largely lost. 1t has nc
representation mean exactly what
say.their rights are lost, they are unrep-
resented in that body. Now l think
that proposition is too plain for discus.
sion; state this to show you that all
those privileges are lost. You have nc
representation Of the great class OF youl
rights, rights of the greatest importance
to YOU and to your children after you.
But, fellow-citizens, for long time
there has been encroaching on those
rights which belong to the people alone
It is only nine hundred years since the
people Of England exacted that right
from King Jonn. Will the epeople be in
duced to lay down those principles that
YOU will be called upon again to fight
for? / mean what / say. Why, fel
low citizens, the blood OF those no
bic martyrs who fell on the
14th Of September, tell you in earnest
truth that don't appeal to, yon for any
but one purpose appeal to you fol
the purpose OF argument. The blood O
those men is hardly dry upon the walks
before the city government is ready tt
surrender the very principles for which
they died. now thank you for thu
kind attention which you have giveI
me. I know have trespassed greatl.
upon your attention, but the irnportanc,
Of the subject must be my apology.
After music by the band, Mr.. Ray
mond introduced to the audience Judg
J. s. Whitaker, who spoke at SOM
length on the enormity and injustice 0
the Metropolitan Police, park AM
drainage taxes, and Of the necessity o