The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-10-08
THE INsoLENOE OF OFFICE.

The Board of School Directors ct their
meeting Wednesday evening, treated the clti-
zens of New Orleans with contempt According
to the customs of all free and repres entative
governments, and in pursuance OF right
specially guaranteed by the fundamental law,
the people of New Orleans in large numbers
assembled peacefully to demonstrate against
grievances Of the gravest character. These
were enumerated in measured and moderate
terms by the chairman and other honorable
representative men.
The nature of the assemblage, the intense
interest manifested, the very apparent symp-
toms of public indignation restrained only
| by self-respect and above all the carefully
expressed resolutions which were adopted,
| ought certainly to have commanded respect
and attention. For the use of those Of our
readers who have not preserved copies OF
those resolutions we present them anew as
follows:
RESOLVED, By the people of New Orleans in
Mass Meeting assembled, without reference to
party distinctions:
l. That the Board of City School Directors,
as at present constituted, violates the funda-
mental principle of the right Of represe nta-
ton, and justice to all-white and black
demands its reorganization.
| 2. That large majority of said board is
| incompetent and unfit morally and from the
lack of culture and education to hold the
/ high, honorable and responsible trust OF
managing the public schools of the city; and
for the many acts of INSTRUMENTATION, in
competency and gross immortality as charged,
deserves the opprobrium and condemnation
OF the people of both races in New Orleans,
and should be, and is hereby called upon by
the people to resign the trust which it has so
shamefully abused.
8. That nothing herein shall be so construed
as to imply any intent or disposition On the
part of the white people of New Orleans to
deny or refuse to the colored inhabitants any
of the benefits of the laws on education and
schools; but we believe it to be detrimental
to them and to the cause Of education and to
the peace and harmony Of the races, to force
! the mixture of races in schools, without the
justification of any benefit advantage or ne
cessity, against the sense and feeling OF an
entire community.
4. The other means failing to adjust the
school matter we declare our purpose to test
nationality of the school tax, which we have
good reason to believe to be unconstitutional,
as we know it to be unjust and oppressive.
5. That we are actuated in this matter by
no considerations of party-the question
rises far above politics, and involves the very
integrity of our social fabric-and we cor
daily invite the corporation of all good men
of ali parties in this movement, the sole pur-
pose Of which is the publication of our public
schools and their restoration to the respect
and confidence of the community.
That tho School Roar1 aa at prasnnt
constituted, is in violation Of the constitu-
ton of this State, which prohibits persons
from holding at the same time more than one
Office of profit or trust
Z. That committee of five be appointed to
make known to the School Board the wishes
of this meeting, and to take such other steps
as may be necessary to carry out its objects.
A committee was appointed by the chair
man in compliance with the wishes OF the
assembly, to present these resolutions to the
Board, and after delay of nearly week to
allow the Board to act in the premises of
their own accord and without further solicita-
ton or urgency, that committee at last ad-
dressed communication to the Board,
couched in terms entirely respectful, present
ing the going resolutions and requesting
the prompt attention of the Board to the
grievances and abuses therein complained Of
1t was no complaint of the committee that
they were called upon to consider, but the
formal and emphatic demands made by tie
people and expressed in their resolutions.
| To receive and refer the letter of the COM
mittee and reject the resolutions was an act of
supercilious, scornful and contemptuous 1nso-
lence to the committee, and nothing short of
an insult to the assembly of citizens repre-
sented by them. The members Of the COM
mittee were only the agents representing the
people of New Orleans and their letter only
the vehicle of communication of the griev-
ances as actually set forth by the people
themselves. They read but the superscrip-
ton of the letter from the people and ignore
its contents. They recognize the peoples
messengers but throw their message aside as
unworthy of notice.
Will the people be satisfied with the inso-
| lent refusal of the School Directors to notice
their appeal? We know that they will not.
| We must earnestly assure those directors,
who are destroying our public schools, that
the invitation which the people have extended
to them, to leave the positions which they
abuse for partisan, selfish, mercenary, per-
sonal and immoral purposes, is request
that comes from the hearts Of the masses of
the men, women and youths of this great city.
| They are only eighteen, but those who pro-
test against their action number more than a
| hundred Thousand adult men and women.
They have wronged an entire city in one OF
its dearest interests. Our people feel asgrievsd;
they have demonstrated; their renonstrance
is haughtly thrown aside.
! They have called on the directors to vacate
and make room for those who will do justice
to the important trust, but their call is
spurned with disdain and sneering contumely.
Do these men think they can defy the public
sentiment of this community?