The Louisiana populist., 1895-07-05
REMARKABLE PAPER.
A ADECLARATION OF THE RIGHTS
OF MAN.
Should Constitute ~ State. of IndivId-
uai Rights of the Citizen, Together
with an Outline o: Government


pierre, taken from O'Brien's trans
lation OF Buonarrotti's history OF
BabPufs Conspiracy for Equality,
speak for themselves. We give same
without endorsement or comment:
The representatives of the French
people. assembled as national con-
vention, acknowledge that all human
laws which do not emanate from the
eternal laws of justice, are bnt crlmi-
nal outrages of Ignorance and despot-
ism against humanity: and convinced
that the forgetfulness and contempt
OF the natural rights of man are the
sole causes of the crimes and calami-
ties of the world. have resolved to
lay open. in a solemn declaration
those sacred and inalienable rights;
TO the end that all citizens
being always able to compare
the act OF the government with the
design OF all social institutions, may
never suffer themselves to be OPP
pressed and degraded by tyranny; and
the people may have perpetually be-
fore its eyes the basis OF its liberty
and happiness the magistrate, the
rule OF his duties the legislator, the
object of his mission-in consequence
the national convention proclaims, in
presence of the universe aud the Su
preme Legislator of the world, the
following declaration OF the rights of
man and the citizen:
/. The end of all political associa-
tions is the the maintenance of the
natural and imprescriptible rights of
man, and the development of all his
faculties.
?. The principal rights OF man are
those OF providing for his existence
and liberty.
3. These rights belong to al. men
equally, whatever difference may be
in their physical and moral force.
Equality of rights is established by
nature. Society, SO far from inva-
ding it constitutes its security against
the abuse OF force, which would rem
der it illusory,
4. Liberty is the power which be-
longs to a man o. exercising all his
faculties at pleasure. 1t has justice
for its rule. the rights of others for its
boundaries. nature for its origin, aud
the law for its safeguard.
8. The right of peaceably assemb-
ling of manifesting opinions. whether
through the press or by other means
= are such necessary consequences of
the principles OF mans liberty that
the necessity OF declaring them sup
poses either the presence or the re-
cent remembrance o. despotism.
6. Property is the right which each
citizen has to enjoy and dispose of, at
his pleasure, the portion of wealth
that is guaranteed to him by law
z. The right of property is limited.
like all other rights. by the obliga-
tion to respect the rights of others.
s. 1t can prejudice neither the safe
ty. nor the liberty. nor the existence,
nor the property OF our fellow citi-
zens.
8. All traffic that violates this prin-
ciple is essentially illicit and immoral.
10. Society is under obligation TO
provide subsistence for all its MEM
bers. either by procuing employment
for them. or by ersuriug means OF ex-
istence to those who are incapable OF
labor.
IL. The relief indispensable to those
that are in want OF necessaries is a
debt due by the possessors OF super
fluities. 1t belongs to the law to de-
termine the manner in which the
debt should be discharged.
II. Citizens whose incomes do not
exceed what is necessary to their sub
sistence are dispensed from contribut-
ing to the public expenditure. The
rest ought to contribute progressively.
according to the extent of their for
tunes.
Is. Society ought to favor with all
its power the progress OF public rea-
son. and place instruction within the
reach Of every citizen.
IA. The people is the sovereign
government. is its work and its prop
erty; the public functiouaries are its
agents and officers; the people may.
when it pleases. revoke its mandate
ries.
Is. The law is the free and solemn
expression OF the peoples will.
l6. The law ought to be equal for
all.
IL. The law can forbid only what
Is. hurtful; it can prescribe only what
is useful.
Is Every law that violates the imprs
scriptible rights of man is essentially
unjust an tyrannical; it is no law at
all.
10. In every free state the law
ought above all. to defend public and
individual liberty against the author
jty OF those who govern Every in
stitution that does not suppose the
people good, and the magistrate cor
ruptible. is vicious.
20 No part OF the people can ex-
ercise the power OF the whole people;
but the wish it expresses ought to be
respected. as wish of part Of the