The New York herald., 1877-10-30
/, necessary ro.renchmsn,s and economies are most

likely TO be secured
THE CONSTITUTIONAL AxESpnExrs.
The matter which, lar this municipality Is con-
ccrncd rs to-day oil the greatest importance, Is tho
constitutional amendments or ra,nsr se osa ohI Ley ~
slature shall bc chosen By those citizens only VINO
pay $500 OF property or yearly rent oi $zoo
hopc this proposed alteration OF the constitston
will be condemned by the people. VIII nos
enter here INTO an examination OF the a!gu-
mcnts by which this measure Is recommcndea;
put / viii say that IL Is strange enough TO
fnd Americans proposing such measure 70 Amori-
cans For nearly ny years hsgana mas
upon suffrage, until now II is clear that the next
step, and whicn cannot DC long delayed, wii % os 70
manhood suffrage. Under the influence of WIDER
citizenship England has made great and RAPID ad-
vanccs Ancient wrongs have been abolished; Tree
trade has como, and The education OF the people has
been commenced. Even Ireland has recovered some
OF the rights 80 long denied, and NOT now compeeo
10 support an alien ,aorras,c cnorcn. navernmsSs
plotting, with but little conceament, 10 over
turn Republic under which France mas been great
In tho midst Of afiiciion such AZ seldom comes 10
brave people and prosperous beyond all experience
in her history The hrsl blow which the conspiralors
aim al tho lite OF the Republic 10 TO limit the sui
iruge. With these examples IN our minds, repeat.
is strange TO lind Americans proposing such meas.
ure 70 Americans u IS saiu ina. lne 'uncuons -
the Board oil Finance which the proposed amend
uent creates limited 10 those transactions which
relate 10 The property OF the MUNICIPALITY answer
that 1t is not There Is nothing IN tho amendment
to prevent tho Legislature from investing the Board
OF Finance with complete power over all Inc
affairs OF the city But will limit my opposition
10 1t by such criticism. am opposed 10 any prop
erty qualification upon the suffrage II Is an intoera-
bio distinction, inconsistent with the peace oi Inc
psopc disapproved OF by the experience OF history,
incapable OF good but capable oil INFINITE mischief
We told the other night that but lew VIII DC dis
iranchised l have been informed that moro Than
one-haf OF the voters OF New York Brooklyn viii
be disranchiscd by II. care not now many nor now
lev. know that under this law men WIN DC uislan-
cuised without reference " their quainca-
tions Il Will disiranchlse most OF the young
men at the beginning Of their careers There
are gentlemen VINO serveI upon tho commission which
msd amendment.
manhood, who II such law nad existed then, wouiu
nave been dslrancnsed II wiil dlslranchse most VI
the young graduates OF our colleges, tho students Of
medicine, law, divinity and the arts; most of tho
clerks IN your stores anu warehouses;, your young
mechanics the laborerS who follow the avocatons
by winch the trade aud commerce OF these cities Is
carried on Il will disiranchse the greater num-
bcr Of that class from which Will come our
iuture legislators oralors poets historians, editors
and teachers such u law would have disiranchiseu
Patrick Henry, Jefferson, and washington, webster
Clay, Jackson and Lincoln IN their youth. Indeed,
every American who, by his genius and Iortituus, mas
IRON the ranks OF the poor and lowly Nay such
a law would have disfranchlsed the gentleman whose
name was a. head OF the cali Tor the meeting last
Tuesday evening, tue iiustrious poet william cullen
BRYANT who III his youth, long before he paid
farth nv OF tax, sang delicious song oil hope and the
rights 1t is said That this measure will lead
70 retrcuchment and economy THIS hope Is against
dent and economical In proportion AS her
sufrage has been extended. France has
But let us come home Tho load ol debt which rests
upon New York-how has II been crealedy BY tho
people Of the CITY, under system Of seLgovernment
with universal suffrage? Not NJ ALL That debt was
created by laws passed AZ Albany and as 10 which the
citizens OF New York were aenied any potential voice
venture to say that none of them could have been
passed II this community had had control Of It's own
affairs and the subjects mad been properly discussed
by the press and before the people No, there is not
only no safety under government made up OF
property owners, but an Infinite danger. The exrava
sance oil our cities has been great, but IT has
gancc and corruption OF the great railway and
moneyod corporations, whore none but tho property
owners have voted. Tue suggestion OF this. anti-
quaed has grown out OF tat indifference to the
OF politics and That mstrust oil the poor by
classes which constitute one OF the glaring
evils OF " is strange that there should he
any indifference political concerns among the rich
and Inc educated. They should know the lessons
ar are the the political problems Of our day.
Tney need not fear II they 30 into pol
tics 1t is not inc poor who will insult them oy vic
proposals. Let them come here to Tammany Hall and
speak their minds They Will be snecrcd AZ here
because they rich. No one here Will propose TO
dsfrauchisc them because they are rich. Not Of
this vast multitude will ask the question whether they
be rich poor Stranger yet 10 II that there should
be any mstrust Of The poor 10 the minds o. tue rc.
ter. No can walk through the Filth avenue on =
sunny afternoon, and look upon the git,ering stream
wealth and beauty which fills the stately street and
then 20 u lew yards upon either side anu see Tho
dwellings, Of The poor, without learning the
patience and sell-rcstrant with which the cruel inc-
Qualities oi condition are borne by the generous and
heroic toiiers oi the town. Why Is this so Why are
these vast muittudes content labor and suffer,
nor RAISE hand 10 take unawuly, seek 10 change
the laws that they may lawfully take the lnxureA
which surround themY One reason Is, because tho
right vote gives them hope II Is the safeguard OF
their freedom; and they know, from their country
history, that II they do not their children may live
among the great mol If the suffrage Is to be given
to those who by their conduct have merited IL the
voting power OF the laboring classes should not be
diminished
RETREycHMESr NEARLY PERFECTED.
] now turn IRON the a1airs OF the city TO those OF
the state There the work of retrenchment has been
nearly perfected Under the ininisrution of Gov.
err TdeD and Governor hOUlnsOu the JObbery upon
the public works has ceased and the taxes have been
reduced 10 about onehaif of what they were four
years ago. In this connection may refer the lib
ei policy with which the canals have been
managed. The results Of that policy are now to be
New York OF her commercial supremacy. Bus
you must not forget that under State laws
you now subjected to deprivation
OF rights by tho denial to you of the rep
rescntation to which the constitution entities
you. 70 this evil aud thus secure the power
OF removing other evils 1t Is necessary that demo-
cratic LEGISLATURE should be chosen In other way
can redress be had. La CITY and State, under demo-
cratic rule and in accordance with democratic trad
tion and practice have secured good government,
with the prospect ot making further advances in that
direction. Bet how is IT IN the nationf There, II the
we might also have the boneis Of wise roorm
and economy. But their Will has been de-
feated, and fraud has been, for the FIRST
time, triumphant In American history" 1t is
worthy vi noto that most oil those VINO
now seek to place property qualification upon the
suffrage In cites were parties TO and either silently
openly approved the frauds by which all Americans
deprived OF Their votes shall not here accuse
any hose who parties TO the electoral frauds
| will not accuse Mr. Hayes nor Mr. Wheeler who owe
their places To those crimes nor the gentlemen who
appeared before Electoral Commission and argued
to sustain thom; nor the members Of the Electoral
Commission who refused 10 examine into thcm and
gave away peoples rights upon technically; nor
those who have taken office under u President VINO
chosen. All OF these are but men, and they
be ie 10 the suggestions oI their own conscences
Judgment OF history tor the influence of their
wrongdoing limited by The limitations 10 mortal lie
anu example. The accusaton must DC brought against
republican party, which was the real GRIM nal, and
whose influence is wider and more enduring say the
republican party was tue real criminal. There was NO
time alter the election, and up TO the 4th OF March,
when the republicans could not have put
nm end TO the crafty and wicked couiriyances
by which the Presidency stolen. But no
word wns said, no hand was raiscd The pull
pits, SO lervent, we're scht the platforms, once
50 eloquent were deserted; most oi Their journals
urged the consprators GU, aud, with few honorable
exceptions, ali their pubic men became mollccs
the democrats. amazed anu bewIldered, looked on.
They generously refused ior time TO believe tnat
their Zoe In earnest. Wen was u Tor tne peace Of
the country that they were ncrcdulous, Tor had the
democracy foresccn III December what done in
February the Republic would have shaken todts
foundations. Ihis crime IS o novel tnlng in history.
Rulers have obtained power wrongiuiiy communities