The New Orleans Democrat. (New Orleans, La.) 1875-1876, 1875-12-22

abltpgatlDn III pollti'a ny our psoI'le aH'
the fofbearance OF all. proper resist
ance and agitation against the flagfan
Violation Of our old Republican princi
plrs and institutions. In other words
they have e~ndeavored 10 Pconcile ths
people by different teachers and differ
ent appliances 10 what they must know
an intelligent men 20 be open usurpa
tjon and gross destotiHm. on the plea
that tho buaipeRs ~ the city required
such s,tljmipHion. or reconciliation 4,
wrong. Men Of all sorts IN these times
naturally seak their personal and part,
interests, and II has suited those u
%mastnrship Vt the State since tile huinil
iatjnu and %ruinous work commenced %
what was called tho reconstruction 81
ttlc South. to try 10 find some plausible
means for convincing the people OF New
Orleans that their best chance Ut finding
prosperity Is IN quietly oonsentine
10 n loss of liberty. aud not only
tonsenting Ia II but IN being pctfcctl,
| satisfied without n. There arc ever
some honest and excellent cltiscns who
are not with the dominant party IN
politics aud who have 10 tolerance foi
| radiralism. who appear to- think that n
| steady. fearless assertion Of oiif funda-
mental political rights, both State and
| Municipal. by either peaceful and pro-
per popular movements, or In q
representative manner. will be OF
no sort of benefit. or injurious
to property or trade. All this
Ia hut one Of the mares " our oppo-
nenta. The merchants Of the city OF
| New Orleans must wako UP from this
| dclusion. They must arouse themselves
from such Il dream Of moral death.
Silence and innetion under such cir.
cumstaucus become fatal. We do not.
Of course. counsel any Incorporate pro
ceedings Of any kind. and cool heads.
conscientious convictions and calcuhA
tors Of loss or gain. seldom resort
"a merely violent ways. But
our commercial and industrial classes.
aud all our citizens Interested In any
property. must learn that an over-taxed
and enslavcd community eau Hetei' be
prosperous In business, and that all
human experience teaches this lesson.
Indeed. the wide, cardinal, unsurpass.
able difference between all those who
would endeavor to reconcile us oil by
visions of future wealth and activity. to
present thorough or partial unresiat-
ance. aud the DrMocRAr. Ia that they
would encourage expectations In the
face OF every fact that social or politi-
cal history ever yet taught. while W.
would advise. aternly and steadily. an
un%swcrving. undivided and uncom-
promising determination to struggle on,
not by quiet aud %ailence. but by pro
tcst. meeting and rcmonstrance. until ut
last tho Justice OF the fear Of our oppo-
nsnta. or. mayfair. the successful
power Of our friends, shall assure us an
honorable and manly triumph, both as
q matter of business and of personal
self respect, by enabling us TO occupy
permanently solid ground.
These thoughts have been inspired
this morning by the pcrusal we have
Just made OF the very clear aud able
message Of Mayor Leeds "a the City
Council on the subject Of the taxes. We
have read this paper with unfeigncd
satisfaction. The DEMOCRAT hopes.
and, unless We are much mistaken, the
people expect. that tho Council will
respond to the Mayor approvingly. by
acting IN conformity with his matured
advice. We further trust that the
people will indorsc at once the action
OF the Mayor aud Council by an i'm
posing demonstration. No matter what
further stops may be taken by the State
authoritics. tho whole country will thus
be made acquainted with u terrible
grievance, Of which II might otherwise
never hear, while the Mayor, the Coun-
ell. and the people will only have done
what tho most ordinary courage and
sense demanded of'them.
We certainly do not hesitate to com
mend the Mayors prudcntialapd praise
worthy recommendations to the Coup-
Gil to observe the strictest economy
amt The closest scrutiny Of every item
of expenditure. IL IL with regret that
we learn. what We accept az true, that
Mayor Leeds considers a suspension Of
the tax on tho public debt ~ absolutely
necessary to prevent the necessity Of
reputation. But his plain and brave
that the taxes for the
Police and Public Schools shall he with
held from attempted collection" until
thcy shall be placed under the control
Of the city authorities. so that the cx-
therefor can be reduced to
the point demanded by the present pow
erty OF the people. and their manage
ment conducted In accordance with the
views OF those bv whom they are sue
and for whose benefit they arc
Is surely based on the
highest principle Of political freedom
known either to the English or the
American law. II IL true. as il to
strengthen the proposition he has pre-
stated In his message, that the
or taxes as levied 'cann0t be
collected from an impoverished pco-
He. has stated that the capital
savings OF the people have been
irawn upon for taxes for years past.
Until what remains will not afford a
,asis on which to raise the rcvenue now
after In spcakinu nf fhis