The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-10-21

concede. They are divided among themselves.
and too busily engaged In the cndeavor 70
them leisure or. opportunity to attend to polit-
ical canvaes. Nor ~ the attempt worth the
Pa s.s The :" heesSeo n sg bbSsc
voters ! have endeavored t. indicate tn
points OF assault. The Democracy nave onlyto
make sure oi tho Legislature to reap The entire
am n not 10, Of iiat select number TINT suppose
tho liberties ol the people To be- snfcr with
country population. do not subscribe To- the
sentiment that cities are ulcers of the hoty
politig. appeal 20 history and 10 experience
In our own country, corruption has often pol.
Mted Legislation. The banking interest. canal
jobbers, railroud corporations, and adventurcrs
too numerous to name, have cNrrtcd u most
hnleiul and malignant influence oyer egisln.
lures public officers, and even in the nails oi
Congress. But IN all these cases of notorious
pollution. the average rcpresentntiN" OF rural
constituency was never marked By ms superior
virtue. The revolutions OF Congress during the
last fifteen years Of infamous history have nj
ways exhibited as great venality in the country
member us in his iDetropOhtan ussociite.
Wheneyer i was propos,g,d to place lace, c9rrHpl
il WAS with special reference to the peculiar
weakness Of the men living 10 rural districts.
remember ~ the Legislnture 2l N1W ior ~ IN
1860. several vetocs OF city railroad bills were
overriddcn by tho Senate aud Assembly. AT
whose instance this WA done. remain IN bliss,
iul ignorance. II was done 10y the purchased
votes of country members: and the III reput. OF
the ioul deed defeated the nomination OF Mr..
seward for President II the cities did notelcct
saints TO represent them. neither did the rural
counties make choice OF angels COunties Ike
franklin. St. Lawrence. Herkimer. Essex,
Gencsee, Chuutauuuu. and CaiLruugus, hui
representatives in each House whose record
and reputation uro fragrant TO THIS Jay sen
utors and Assen'yincD ailke. coming from the
most rustic ties. were noted Tor
rApHcity. and could not be- outdont IN their
calerness Tor q bride. Tweed bonsted of his
power over his fellow Senators. that thirty oil
them did his bidding. In his puimy days Ol
absolute dominion. he always placed MS chiei
reliance upon men from the remote corners OF
al nil
grass of their farms voted 10 place thus city OF
New York IN his hands as his property to pill
lagu 10y the millions. But tho people OF TINS
city thus devoted, challenged his RUE and
finally overthrow him. beyond the power oil re-
The history of all countries afrorls the most
abundant testimony that freedom has always
had Its stronghold IA cities. during the Middle
sparsely- populated districts OF Europe. The
tlllers Of the soil were scrls. The cltics origl-
mated every movement Tor liberty. The barons
VINO knew no law but that OF forco were HIS
checked by the Tree bur1h.rs OF commercial
ind manufacturing towns, me Hansectlc
League and the cities Of Holland afford us
bright examples. -
England followed in similar career. Tho
Norman conquest obllterated the statutes and
institutions by which the Saxons had sought to
fence about their Government. William tue
Conqupror substituted the ieudnl system Tor
the laws OF Edward the COnfessor. Only hered-
itury lords, great barOns ana nigh dlgnlturics
Of the Church and evil courts were ccunseliors
Of the King. the people were crushed under
Two centuries had almost passed when King
Henry Ill. having repeatedly violated the grcut
charter. his people rose IN arms aga INST MIN.
A parliament Of DurOna WIS Mold; but by thc
aid OF the King Of France lts action was set
aside. The Pope issued a Bull. De Montiou
tore IL in pieces Rnd resolved to commit his
cause to the English people. parliament WIS
convoked that comprised 200 clergy. two
knights from each shire. aud two representa-
tives from every city or borough. TINS was the
beginning OF representative government The
King might no longer violate sQlsnn charters :
hencetotb the common law 81 Enslanu pro
yided that no man might be deprived OF NE.
liberty. or property, save 10y tue Juisnfnt vl
his peers, or by due process OF law In tne
towns ANA knights uf the shire were estab-
lishcd ~ the House OF Commons. When Henry
~. took the crown tue whole power OF orlgi;,
Mating money bills WIS poss-sacd by them. ana
has remained without successiul question ever
since SO steadily has the English Government
advanced in this direction that It has been de-
nominated the crowned republic do not pro-
pose to signify preferences Tor British over
American institutions. ! h"ye r.ted Tue .asi
Ia show the truth OF what nave asserted.
There have been glorious trlumphs achieved
for liberty in England. But every such achieve
uent, 80 glorious ia coming ages. VI winch We.
too. aro reaping the benefit. Was secured by tue
burshcr- OF tho large townh anu cites Ihe
rural ana agricultural districts were always
There is no oecnsion to assert that the Ameri-
can cities are different Their people are as
fond Oi liberty a. any part OF our population.
In every uprising against tho civil authority
the cities contribute the militia 10 uphold the
Government. When contributions Rre required
Tor noble and patriotic purposes the inhabitants
of the large cities arc the iirst and principal
persons TO meet tho call. They. more than all
others. are directly aud vitality concerned in
good government, and are the first TO notice any
violence 10 the social polity.
The people OF New York have nothing to fear
from rendering justice 10 their great metropolis
Not only Is she hon1rably entitled o. her full
shnre W representation and influence In the
Legislature OF the stat, but She may be relied
upon 10 exercise her power for the h' 81 good vi
the whole community. She has no rival sym
pathv or interest to make her disloval Upon
her prosperity 80 much Ii dependent. that our
fellow citaens Of the state cannot AFFORD 10 PER
prtuate any injustice 10 her, We ask us c.ti-
1rns. hy the means At our disposal the ballot
box that the lnws OF our state shall operate
equally everywhere. and that representation IN
our public councils shall be- equal and equitable
in every region OF our grent commonwealth
A. members of the great DCmocrtic party W.
are pledged 10 this. and We prOpo-, a. the work
81 the present political camyaign 10 place n
Democratic majority In the Legislature to tbs
end that through ts agency the counties OF New
York and Kings shall Obtanthoir lawful nppor-
tionment ana great wrong wiped from the
statute book. i. A. C.