Morning herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1837-1840, 1839-06-08

The FIRE DEPARTMENT ON FIRE.-We are in
the first throes Of Of the elegant excitements
that ever agitated New York. The conduct of the
Corporation at their last meeting in reference to the
Fire Department, has kindled up fame in the pub
lie mind, that all the water Of the grand reservoir
not put outtill it burns out of its accord. The
Wall street prints groaning under their loads of
indignation-and crying out, "outrage," " murder"
"stop thief fire! fire! ire! at the top of their
breath. public meeting has also been called for
next Monday evening by certain portion Of the
Firemen, and we the eve of an agitation that
will increase up to the next election, and may posi-
bly, decide that contest and thus determine the great
question Of the nexApresidency.
There's no denying the character Of the present
symptoms. The conduct Of the Corporation in
ting batch of fire companies, for the apparent
purpose Of electing Mr.. Hofmre Chief Engineer,
has awakened new and powerful element that will
affect not only the safety of the city from the rava-
ges of fre-but may determine the issue OF the
next fall contest Of the state this dangerous and
alarming state Of Thugs, it very important for the
cautious, wse good, and honest portion of the peo-
pie and the press to take great in forming
rect and udicious opinion Of the question: unaffected
by the rawlings of either party, be it wing ocooco
The immediate partisans, either side, so heat
ed and bewildered-so infamed with passion, hate,
and ambition, that the naked truth, fit to form
did opinion upon, can hardly be expected.
Yet the present agitation is not new thng-it
is an old agitation revived yTo understand it fully we
must go back to the "great fire. of lS35-to the Gu
lick aar-and trace down the subject from that pc
riod to the present day. The Fire Department is
useful and honorable body OF citizens and justice
only be done them by carefully collecting all the
cessary facts bearing the question, and placing
them before impartial community. The Firemen
like every other class of independent thinking cit-
zens don't all feel alike political questions-they
formed partly Of wings and partly Of locofocos
If political partizan feelings permitted to en-
ter the Department through the efforts of party
they will assuredy in through the other, in order
toform couRterpoise-and when once this becomes
habitual, fear that the usefulness Of the system
will be inpared-that their volafory duties will be
negleeted-that they will be Of politicians than
of fremen-tha they will set CONGREGATIONS in the
public mind, instead Of throwing water upon burn
ing houses-and that the whole agitation will end in
general abolition Of the Fire Department it
exists, and the creation of paid body, unaffected by
politics. supply their places and preserve the city
from incendiarism.
We are, therefore, in the beginning Of very Sc
rious movements movement that may lead to much
more important results than present imagined.
How important then to possess accurate and just
view Of the whole quarrel, from its origin in 1885
the present day. In order TO form that opinion, we
shall set work and ascertain the facts fast
possible, free from the prejudice Of either party
The fremen on both sides agitated-and the pol
itcians similarly tatea-but it is the duty Of
the great body Of the people to be cool and cautious
and TO do justice to both parties. In the meantime
let us see what the meeting Of next Monday night
will say and do.
LITERARY AND Deer BLUE.--This is Saturday,
and, of course, half dozen Of the weekly perodi-
Gals, these little stills, will be out, tripping
and mincing their way into public favsr. There's
the Mirror, the Corsair, the New Yorker, ana the
he LII he liralinst of