The Sun.
London, England, 1870-05-06 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, MAY 6. 1870.

Mr.GLADSTONE said so far as the Government were
concerned it would not follow as a necessary consequence
of the passing of the Disfranchisement Bill that they
should proceed to introduce any measure for the disposal
of the seats thereby rendered vacant.
IRISH ABSENTEES.

Captain ARCHDALL asked the Chief Secretary for Ire-
land, if there was any objection to lay upon the table of
the House, returns lately made by the Irish Poor Law
Inspectors with reference to absenteeism, and in which
was stated the proximate period during which each landed

proprietor in Ireland annually resides on his estate. And
whether such returns had been ordered by the Govern-
ment with a view to consider the question of the imposi-
tion of an absentee tax on Ireland.
Mr. FORTESCUE said the Government had endeavoured

to obtain some information upon the subject of non-resi-
dent proplletors in Irelaud. Whether any portion of the
returns would be of such a nature as to be laid upon the
table of the House he could not say. But the information
was not called for in connection with any plan of taxa-
tion. (Laughter.)
SCOTCH LUNACY COMMISSION.

Mr. CRAUFURD asked the Secretary of State for the
Home Department, whether the vacancy in the Scotch
Lunacy Commission caused by the retirement of Dr.
Brown had been filled up.
Mr. BRUCE replied that the appointment had been filled
up, because, in the opinion of the Government, it was
absolutely essential for the efficiency of the department.

THE RED RIVER SETTLEMENT.

In reply to Sir CHARLES ADDERLEY,

Mr. MONSELL said he had received very satisfactory
news as to the above settlement. The delegates appointed
by the Red River Convention had come to a perfect
agreement with the Government of Canada as to the terms
upon which the Red River settlement was to be annexed
to Canada.

I THE NEW MUNICIPAL CHARTER OF NEW
YORK AND THE ELECTION LAW.

(CONTINUED.)

The World, the Evening Post, and the Sun de-
nounce the new Charter, while the Times and the
Herald praise it, the Tribune being lukewarm. On
the whole it is approved, in so far as it simplifies the
municipal government, and fixes more directly the
responsibility ; but it by no means meets general
approbation, and the Republican members who
voted for it are pronounced to have sold out their
party.
What reconciles the Republicans, however, to
the measure is the new election law, which, it is
believed, empowers the people to secure fair elec-
tions, both iu ciiy and country, if they will only take
the trouble to oo so. Even since the last Presi-
dential campaign the ballot-box stuffing, repeat-
ing, and colonising, have been felt as a scandal
to New York. Though these practices have long
been in operation, the unblushing impudence with
which they were then carried on, the impunity and
the skill, made honest citizens feel that they had
been virtually disfranchised. If a man in the city,
sitting in a telegraph office, can regulate the elec-
tions of the Empire State by ordering the manu-
facture of a thousand additional votes should the
opposite party turn out stronger than anticipated
in the rural districts, the election becomes a farce.
It is against this the new law has been directed, and
it could not have been passed—as on the system it
is designed to overthrow the power of Tammany is
based—had not the city been given over for a sea-
son to a section of the Democratic politicians. AMr.
' James Bird of 61, Wall-street, writes to the London
Standard to show how complete has been the failure
of theballot in America. He quotes from the leading
New York papers, while giving the result of his own
twenty years' experience. The Standard took this
letter as the text for a leader to expose the folly
of those who desire to import into England the
American system of voting. Mr. Bird errs in
citing New York City as a fair sample of elections
throughout the country, and the Standard errs in
quoting Mr. Bird as an authority. That paper re-
marks that the system enables the fraudulent voters
to ply their trade without any risk of detection or
punishment, adding that Mr. Bird was very precise
on that point. But, however precise, the Standard
at least has got hold of the wrong end of the stick,
for the system does not enable repeaters, &c.,
to ply their fraudulent trade without any risk
of detection or punishment. It would be hn-
possible under it for them thus to act, except
in collusion with the officers to whom is delegated
the task of seeing that all is fair and above board.
It is not the fault of the system, but of 'corrupt
officials, and the frauds could not be carried out
except in very large cities •, therefore at best Mr.
Bird's remarks have but a local application. The
new election law is designed to correct the abuses,
as far as the most populous State goes, to which
they are mainly confined. We may observe, en pas-
sant, that Mr. Bird is also in error in what he states
about bribing voters. That repeaters and colonizers
are paid is undeniable, but it is a notorious fact that
the wire-pullers are powerless to influence the
votes of citizens, either through intimidation or bri-
bery, though the politicians of New York city, and
other great centres, have been successful in chang-
ing what ought to have been the vote of the State
by a skilful use of repeaters and colonizers. It is
also well known that Americans scorn to vote in
secret, though the system empowers them to do so.
All know how a neighbour votes, but one of the
good points of the system is that it is an effectual
check on direct bribery of the voters, for the man
who takes the money may sell the briber instead of
his vote, and the first act between the two is not
one calculated to inspire confidence in the second,
done in secret. The new law fixes the election in
November, preserves the arrangement of boxes,
adding one for inspectors of elections, and main-
taining the same mode of canvassing ; opens the
polls at 6 a.m., and closes at 5 p.m., giving another
hour. The powers and duties of inspectors re-
main unchanged ; the registry law is preserved,
but rooms must be designated, as well as the build-
ing, if the applicant resides in a tenement house.
The li..t is to be revised on the Thursday preceding
the election, and to be then open to all voters to
challenge ; those challenged must take the general
oath if they vote, oherwise their ballot is rejected. At
every poll provision is to be made for the challengers
of each party, who will be under the protection of
the police. Inspectors and registrars violating
these provisions shall be deemed guilty of felony,
and on conviction be imprisoned from one to five
years, and disqualified from holding any office
in the State. Persons interfering with challen-
gers are guilty of misdemeanour, and on con-
viction imprisoned from six months to a year.
None but inspectors and the clerks they appoint
can meddle with the canvass, and the statements
are to be signed and sealed in public, while no in-
spector or clerk shall be a candidate for any office.
The result shall be proclaimed as each box is com-
pleted, and before the next is opened ; the number
of votes awl the number for each person, with the
name of the office being stated. The Mayor ap-
points the head of a bureau to be established by
the supervisors in the office of their clerks, while he
appoints his clerks, and all returns are to be filed
with him. By every Ist Sept. the Common Coun-
cil arrange election districts, each of about 400
voters, polling places to be named by the 10th
October, where no liquor is to be sold. Then follow
the severe penalties compulsory on the Judges to
inflict for the infringement of the Act, which
goes into effect at once, except the registra-
tion clauses, which are delayed till 21st July.
Mr. Tweed has passed his bill through both
branches of the New York Legislature for abolish-
ing the Board of Supervisors, and reorganizing the
Common Council as possessing supervisory powers.
It was reported in the Senate, on the morning of
the 12th inst., rushed through as fast as the yeas
and nays could be taken, carried in hot haste to the
Assembly, and passed without a moment's consi-
deration or debate, the whole transaction occupy-
ing just one hour, and the Mayor, in accordance
with the law, enacting the new Charter, has made
the following appointments :—Departments of
Docks—Wilson G. Hunt, William Wood, John T.
Agnew, Hugh Smith, Richard M. Henry. Depart-
ment of Parks—Peter B. Sweeny, Robert J. Dil-
lon, Henry Hilton, Andrew H. Green, Thomas
C. Fields. Department of Public Charities and
Correction--James B Nicholson, James Bowen,
Isaac Bell, Owen W. Brennan, Alexander Frear.
Health Department—Stephen Smith, M.D., Gio-
vanni Ceccarini, M.D., Magnus Gross, John Mul-
laly. Fire Department—William Hitchman, Alex.
Shaler, James Galway, James S. Hennessy, John
J. Blair. Police Department—Joseph S. Bosworth,
Henry Smith, Matthew T. Brennan, Benjamin F.
Manierre. Excise Department (subject to confir-
mation by Board of Aldermen)—Walter W. Price,
John H. Williams, Martin Nachtmann. Depart-
ment of Public Works—Wm. M. Tweed. Depart-
ment of Buildings—James M. Macgregor. City
Chamberlain—John J. Bradley. Mr. Okey Hall,
in publishing these names remarked, he would
be politically justified by the numerical record
of votes upon the legislation which bestowed this
responsibility should he confer every one of the
thirty-two appointments solely upon Democrats.
But the extraordinary unanimity by which the
power was agreed upon appears to create an hon-
ourable obligation to respect the political minority
of his constituents, so far, at least, as to reappoint
a few of his political opponents whose past services
to the public additionally deserve the recognition.
A partisan appointment to some posts might im-
peril other interests which ought to be entirely
separated from partisan considerations ; such as
police, fire, health, and charities. Governor Sey-
mour's initiation, in 1863, of the ilea of dividing
the police equally between the two great parties,
produced an excellent effect upon the city. On the
other hand, the Public Works and Excise demand
respect to party considerations, for the one involves
large patronage; the other is the system of a political
party. "In accordance with the preceding views there
are four Democrats and one Republican in the
Department of Docks. The Department of Cha-
rities and Correction, as well as the Fire Depart-
ment, will stand three Democrats to two Republi-
cans. The Health Department will be composed of
five Democratic members and three Republican.
The police is equally divided in politics, but with
the understanding that there is to be a new Demo-
cratic executive head as Superintendent. The other
three Departments are entirely Democratic. The
new appointments to the Board of Health have
been made with the intention of equitably repre-
senting the adopted citizens, who have been, to a
great extent, jealous of the operation of the Health
Department. It will undoubtedly tend to allay
that feeling when they are to be so widely and in- ,
telligently represented in the new Board. The
fresh appointments as Fire Commissioners are of

three gentlemen who, during a series of three
years, were identified with the old volunteer fire
department, in which they held official trusts. All
the gentlemen upon the Commission of Docks have
acquired some especial knowledge or experience
upon a subject so vital to our commercial interests."
The New York Star describes Senator Bradley, the
new Chamberlain, as " one of the few public men
upon whom the blights of political life have not
fallen. He is young, but experienced ; ambitious,
but honest ; deeply impressed with the teachings of
Mr. Sweeny, but independent nevertheless. His
consistent course in the Senate has won him the
respect and regard of all parties, and his accept-
ance of the new office will be regarded with general
approval." It considers the reappointment of the
police commLsiouers to be good, and, divested of
the obnoxious features of the old system and in the
hands of Captain Jourdain it will work better than
ever. New York, it says, is far behind the age in its
commercial facilities, and it regards the department
of the docks as one of signal importance to the
welfare of the city. • That department is to
have exclusive control over all the docks; to secure
by purchase or process of law ali the private
wharves, and to procure plans for a new system
adapted to the wants of a great seaport. A plan
must be agreed to before November securing the
consent of the Commissioners of the Sinking Fund,
when the contracts will be given to the lowest re-
sponsible bidders. The members hold office for
five years, on a salary to be fixed by the Commis-
sioners of the Sinking Fund, and the money for the
purposes of the bill is to be raised from dock bonds
bearing 7 per cent., running for 30 years. The
board is to regulate the rates of wharfage, to lease
piers for terms not exceeding ten years, and for the
sole use of special kinds of commerce. All other
leases must be bought at public auction.