New Orleans Republican., 1876-01-01
Wr1.L THE MAYoR RHsTGN7

Dy 6Arua1U0ut " udA0 IL oAS SS-S-A@-
checks, and thereupon the monarch ap-
points successor to the unpopular pre-
mier.
Mayor Leeds has stiglnaized the tax
upon property to pay interest on the
public debt as a gross usurpation, and
violation of the great American principle
of self-government, and palpably uncon-
stitudonal. He says the suspension OF
| the interest sis demanded as well In the
| interest of the creditor as of the citizen. "
He says the taxes for the public schools
and police should be withheld until their
control shall be conceded TO the city au-
thorities. He then applies these doctrines
by reminding the Administrators that they
are the representatives of the people, and
admonishes them that if they levy these
taxes, either by their Gown option" or
''the demands of the law" they will be held
responsible by ''courts and the people.
Then followed the Magma Charta meeting
at the Runnymede of st. Patrick, the
barons there declaring
That the people of New Orleans, in mass
meeting assembled, do hereby lndorse and
approve the wise, patriotic and statesman
like message of Hon. G. j. Leeds, Mayor, to
the City Council on December 81, 1875. and
we demand of our representatives in the City
Council that they carry out the recon-
mendations of the Mayor, and that they
suspend the levying and collection OF the
interest tax until thorough investigation,
be had of the whole debt, and that they re-
fuse to levy, collect or pay over any school
tax, police tax, park tax or drainage tax
ur I'll the local self-government is restored,
and the police, schools, park and drainage
are remitted to the control OF the City
Council chosen by the people of New Or
leans, irrespective of party, to administer
their own local affairs.
1t was further
Resolred, That if the City Council adopt
the suggestions embodied in the Mayors
message, we hereby pledge them our un-
qualified support, let the consequences be
what they may.
Thus adjured by the Mayor and thus
guaranteed the unqualified support of
the citizens of New Orleans in mass meet
ing assembled, what did it become these
''chosen repres entatives" of the tax pay
ing people to do? Every consideration
dictated compliance with the commands
of their chief and the requisition Of the
Runnymeders.
Posterity will be aghast at the action Of
these representatives lohhoh ta1Gtion.
Contemporaneous criticism will utter its
contemptuous pish! and pshaw! at such
pusillanimous representatives. Whatl
Win they not give up salaries and per-
quisites, pay and patronage and lay down
the robes of Office for principle? Will
they not pay the fines or endure the i'm
prisonment, which might follow? Will
these timid representatives hesitate be-
cause their bondsmen may be COM
PEELED to put up any official de-
fault Do they regard those estim-
able spinsters who pound upon the
closed doors of the treasury with impa-
tient parasols, as harpies come to seize
their perfdious souls, for default upon
the semi-annual coupons? For some cause
or other the Administrators have decided
to refuse the appeal Of his honor, and to
ignore the command of their constituents,
in mass meeting assembled. Possibly,
it may be because if they had done SC
their duties might be performed by sub
stitute Administrators, in which case, the
people, in mass meeting assembled, would
have been no better of, while the Admin.
istrators might have been decidedly worse
off.
We may imagine some such scene as
the following:
Enter deputation from the people O.
New Orleans, in mass meeting assembled
Introduction and chairs.
Spokesman-''G Gentlemen Administra
tors, I am instructed to inform yoI
that the people, your constituents
have had under consideration the re
eommendation Of the Mayor, ant
have instructed me to say that yoJ
should, in their opinion, compl.
with his suggestions. In that event, the.
authorize us to pledge their support, le
the consequences be what they may
Spokesman Of the Administrator
"Gentlemen, we have heard the com
nunication addressed to US ON behalf Q
the people, our constituents, and we be
leave respectfully to refer you to on
municipal attorney, who win instruct 20
of our decision and the reasons on whic
it has been based Good morning, ger
tlemen."
Deputation is compelled to withdraw
The two attorneys are locked into roor
where the noise Of their confis
IS heard as the hum Of two rival cotto
gins. Attorney for the people at ial
rushes forth very red and very indiguan
and the deputation for the people Of Ne
Orleans in mass meeting assembled 80 .
in solemn disgust
: Ouf obligations as journal would rend,
it sacred duty to withhold the argumer
among the Administrators themselve
, even If We had heard it ANY way, eac
) Administrator seems to have received q
commands Of the people with his Angs
ii his ears, ana like Nelson, could not s
the pBopriety Of the proposal The A
. ministEatofs, then, refuse to respect q
recommendation Of the Mayor. or to OBJ
the commands Of the people in ma
meeting assembled, and yet they live. !