, 1879-03-30
Lecture by fudge Cooley Before
81 the Philosophical Society.
Difficulties Attending the Present Sys-
TEN Of Municipal Government.
Ease OF Contracting Debts---Remedfes
and Pal1iatises Suggested.
The Duty Of Business-Men to Turn Out
and Vote. ...

and a very interesting discourse it was, con-
tanning matter which should be taken to heart
by every one who believes in sclf-protectlon.
He began with the statement that attention
would be called to certain cases in which senti-
menr had been permitted to lead us as a people
into dangerous paths. The manner In which
we were to be extricatcd from these was not
aB vet entirely clear, but a8 to some
OF them it might be affirmed that there
could be no retracing Of steps, md safety must
be found. If at all. in the increased virtue and
intelligence OF the people aud increased atten-
ton to public duties.
THE EVILS REFERRED TO
were ip the main evils in municipal govern
ment, and, as Introductory and explanatory, be
proceeded to say something respecting govern:
mcnt il general. In theory the legitimate pur-
pose Of any Government was to give to the pco-
pie the benefits Of order BY means OF law. It
therefore existed for the advantage OF those
who were governed, and anyhdvautage to those
who possessed and welded its authority should
be merely incldental,. and not the ex-
press purpose for which they gov
erned. Governments must subserve the
interests OF the governed by defining
and protecting rights. Among the most i'm
portant and most universally recognized Of
these was the right to property. The Govern
ernment itself might become the proprietor OF
property existing by nature, and which comes
to it BY virtue Of being situated within the geo.
graphical limits occupied by its people; OF prop
erty accumulated for governmental purposes,
but which was aubiect to being changed or dis
posed OF when no longer needed, or when somc-
thing else might answer better purpose; OF
valuable privileges that could best be made
available for the common benefit by granting
them to private persons for a sum to
be paid therefor, or for some periodical
return. Municipal Governments we're frc-
| quently found possessed Of each Of
these classes OF property, and 1t was
in the hands Of cities that its possession and
management were likely to become trouble
some and to lead to serious evils. Where the
the returns from such property are not sufficient
for the supply Of all public needs, exactions OF
some sort must be made from the people, and
these, ii regular and orderly, would be
TAXES.
No American State or city WAS now, by Its cir
cumatances, independent of taxation, atld the
| 1evies which we're made we're numerous in kind
| and severe as burdens. Those imposed by
cities were usually vastly more severe than
those imposed by the States in which the cities
were. The theory on which, Govern
ment was based vas usually 1nslsa1n- m
prevailing national sentiment, which would
| a1ways be an efficient aud active force. 4 ua-
| tional sentiment might strengthen and tnvigor-
ate the people for all purposes OF defense or OF
aggression as to other nations, or it might tend
| to support OF strengthen the existing Govern
| meut as against any elements OF internal dis
content or division, or it might lead to partlcu-
| lar measures of policy which might strengthen
the Government, or might weaken It as they
proved wise or unwise- 4 sentiment Of intense
nationality was of course an immense power,
| and Was evidence Of vigorous life
| Attention was then given to sentiments that
| give it wise direction. The most active and
| powerful one in support Of the Government OF
Great Britain Was loyalty. America bad been
trying new experiment. One large section OF
the New World was settled under the lnnuenGe mM mM
of ideas that were essentially leveifng in their
| tendency. These settlers above all things else
| wese Christians, and they looked to the Bible
| for their code OF 1aws. The fundamental doc
trine of Christianity was, that the Ruler Of @ tle
pressed the doctrine to the point Of de-
living and discarding the notion Of any
| divine, hereditary, or traditionary right to
rule In New England kingly power was
something theoretically right and proper, md
the neople proceeded to establish their own
government By right that, beyond themselves,
| looked only to their Creator. How plainly tnls
appeared in the compact In the cabin OF the
| Mavfower! With but faint and nominal recog-
nitien Of the King, the signers By solemn men,
| tai covenant combined themselves into civil
BODY polite for their own government and the
ordering OF their own affairs, and promised az 81,
| equal laws as they themselves from
| tine to time should establish. And this
| covenant was not made with hlng
or Parliament, but eolemnly- IN the presence Of
ment OF human brotherhood among the New
! England people was much qualified when It
| came to matters Of government by their OWN
| observations of and participation IN local GOV
ernment in the mother county, 5al.,epda,on e haon
| General there nor was it made SO in the brlet
ner,od Of the Commonwealth. They did not
| Tontrre 11non the experiment OF universal sui
| frage; their
| GOVERNMENT WAS DT SELECT NUMBER,
| determined either by membership. In the cnnrch
Or by the choice of those previously ADMITTED N as
| frccnen Still, even in the earliest days,
Tc found tic seeds Of the doctrine Of
| universal political equality striking root
! here and there, and obtaining Il9; 1':a Ior
| Annstle to the Indians, would havo anticipated
/ by 200 years the extreme radical noLaons o. w.
| day had be succeeded in establishing poti;Sal
| equality among his uututored converts. me
which 1onha Il bv
persons OF more or less ability and promln:ence,
| from that dav to the present. Their political
creed was 10 brief: All men are created equa!'
they are endowed by their creator YIN ., cesaain
| inalienable rights; among the chief Of these IS
| The right to the ballot and to bold office Suc1
| y creed was creed of natural rights. It traced
| to the Creator Himself, as one OF HIS cnlc1
| gifts, the right to take part IN governments
aud this right Was conferred on n,.u a..o,,rad ~
| fitness. but because Of hls human nature, or
ncrhans it should be said, hts human nature de-
termined his fitness. Naturally ACCOMMODATING