New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1844-05-15
CITY AFFAIRS.
Denomination OF the New Boards
Do,pD oP ALDERMEN.


BOARD OF ALDERMEN
AID o'clock the members OF the new Board en-
.-ed sa Aldermen. chamber with the Mayor elect nnd Inc
Recorder f., hc;, head. The oath OF office was
br the Recorder 20 JA,iEs HARFER ESQ., Mayof-".o zoo"
h scat with tn, gecorde. the Chct OF the President OF 'ae
Board. ,:..,..
., , ln read by the Clerk o: the Common Counc! IS
also the names OF the Ward Olhcers
The oath OF Office was then administered by the Nayo' TO the
Aldermen. .,,.
Alderman MILLER Of the Is, Ward motion of Alderman
M w.. then appointed Chairman pro teE2gre-
AID. DgsKE thea nominated RIcHARD L. >cHtEFFEILS. OF
W., ys5 aI u,sasoos nosnste ldWiLLiAus The Char
appointed Aldermen DRAKE aad ENNoNs tsiietc. e gsi
M were counted when appeared hu All SciEFf ELS
NM i; yoies Aid William. ) voes ani one blank ihe
or,nef declared 70 be duly elected and ook n, seal M
Ier-ed-Tke OF the necessity OF reform which was needed n
all he Department. OF The cy 1'Tsf s az; d nIaeTo
offices unnecessary the pubic. and spoke oil ms hnieIS &c
o n r aovsl TINT the Board proceed the election oa
Clerk TO the Beard AID. Eumons hoped the present. CieTk
60 's pSAks then nominated Charles A. Whitney for Clerk
e tins Board and the 3a i be 1s counted 'a' ne a
cg.RLrs A. WulrSET was then declared 10 be duly elect,
The thanks of the Board then unanimously rendered
to Sqaac j. Jis o' his ability and fidelity Us former teFS
% A Ia GALE nominated DAVID r. VALENTINE rs
iysn: CLERK OF this Board and ne was Unanimously Up
sjarn,n GALE then moved that Lsri d. Scma be
rnoyed rs Printer TIM, Board, and he was removed accord
Alderman DgAEE nominated JACOB HAYS US Sercean, at
Arms, and he was unanimously appointed -,
on notion OF AID. Drake that the motion lag on the table
the motipn lay the table was lost ING oiisns Lni
then adopted, with the exception oil 'e -'' 'e WHO"
COMMITTEE of two consisting Of Aldermen Drake and Nj
Ter was appointed the Board OF Aldermen that the
Board was organized md ready to proceed to business
Aldermen GALE and CozZESs were appointed to wait upon
Q
The Committee TO wait upon the MayoT returned ana IsS1l
co 1nas BY Message The following Message then
read and laid on the table,
Mayors Message.
Mayors OyrIcE, May 18th, 1874.
tn N. Honorable the Common Council c the City Of .fep
GENTLEMEN: By the 18th section of the Charter
il is made the duty of the Mayor =" 10 communicate
to the Common Council, at least once year, ana
ofiener if he shall deem expedient, general state
ment of the situation and condition OF the City, in
relation TO It's government, finances, ana improve
nlens - and TO recommend to the adoption o! Inc
Common Council all such measures connected WIN
police, security, health, cleanliness, and ornament
Of the CITY, and the Improvement OF It's government
and finances Ks he shall deem expedieni.
1t cannot be expected, gentlemen, ihat ei'hcr
branch OF the duty thus assigned to the Chief Magis-
trate of The CITY Shall be performed or undertaken,
except in very general way, by one Just entering
upon the Office for the first time, and vino has never
taken any part whatever in the administration OF the
Civ Government in either lis Legislative or EXecu-
tive department. For the general statement OF
the situation and condition OF the City, ne nusI, Oh
course, be dependent on the heads OF the several De-
partmens, al the time OF his election; and for guid-
ance in recommending measures to the Common
Council he has only such knowledge OF the Cliys
wants as may be acquired by the observation oil any
citizen unconnected with Office or public employ
ment Bearing these things in mind, shall under
take to offer only some very general observations on
the course oc official duty that lies before US.
And, hrs ii is proper 20 advert, briefly, 10 Le pc
cul;ar circumstances under which we nave been
called 10 undertake the civic administration. Ii Is
undeuiable that for many years past, not only Inc
choice but The official conduct OF the city govern
ment has been connected with, and made dependent
on, the determination OF political questions properly
belonging TO the whole STATE and even the whoie
Union; and the consequence has been, that the pc
culiar interests OF the citizens, as such, have 100
often been lost sight OF in the exclusive regard iiai
has been paid TO their interests or their opinions as
portion of the whole American people MS, III
ITSELF and specifically an evil, has become III the
course of time, one OF great magnitude inducing
disregard OF qualifications other than POLITICAL III
the selection of Legislators and officers Tor the city,
and too often Disregard by them oil the duties winch
they were especially chosen 10 perform, IN lieir
superior devotion to other duties or interests, having
very little 10 do with the convenience OF the cltzens
or the good government, OF the city. Hence arose
complaints, augmenting in loudness and frequency
after year, that the good government OF the CITY
was not adequately provided for; that wholesome
laws were enforced that expenses, and, conse-
quentlv, taxation, were enormously Increased WIFI
on, any corresponding advantage 10 the taxpayers
that official duties were neglected; that measures
were undertaken and persesefed IN Tor mere poilti-
cal objects; aud, in word, that The administration
OF tie city's afflirs had become rather an evil than
benefit. The dissatisfaction hence arising became
at length SO general and deep rooted, that II led, al
most unavoidably, 10 The formation OF trd puilii
cal party among the citizens. or perhaps Should
rather say, political organization distinct iroiH
party, which specifically set forth as KS object The
removal of the inducing that dissatisfaction
without reference to any other political movement
or purpose Whatever, and proposed the establish
rAent of city government unconnected with pur-
poses and considerations relating to The gov
ernment of the State oi the Union. That the
principle thus ayowed by the new organization met
with the appreciation o! the citizens generally Is
shown by The fact, that soon as lis purpose was
matured and presented in fora admitting OF popu
lar sanction, II received that sanction III the most
emphatic manner; the late elecuon showing the lar
gest vote ever known in the city, and the candidates
presented by the new organization receiving almost
as many suiiragcs us both the old parties united.
1t is not without purpose, gentlemen, that nave
recalled these facts 10 your consideration III Is Mt
tng for MS 10 remember the great mark OF confluence
bestowed upon us by so large number OF our TEL
low.czens; and 10 remember, also, that we have
pledged ourselves deserve ii by the faithful deyo-
ton OF all our powers TO the attainment O; the good
ends for which our cllowcitzens have pntus III the
offices we hold We have almighty WORK before Us;
expectations o; good from our ministry are raised
hish all, or most Of us, are without experience IN
Legislation and the performance OF official duty; i
we lai utterly TO accomplish what is expected OF us
it we subject ourselves 10 the reproacn OF having
promised largely, but done nothing in fuihlment OF
our promises-then, gentlemen, disgrace and scorn
will be our meet portion. But the People are not
unjust; five succeed even partially, and make IL
manifest that want of complies success has been
owing not TO deficiency of zeal and integrity, but 10
the magnitude of the work aud our ownnexpericnce,
our fellow citizens will not withhold from us the
due reward OF their approval and their respect.
With these preliminary remarks, gentlemen, l
proceed 10 the fuifmcnt, as | may be able, OF The
duty assigned TO ME BY the 18th section OF the Char
ter.
OF the financial condition of the Cty-its Reve-
MUGS, Property, Expenditure and Debt-i have al
present but very imperfect information, and am not
prepared to lay before you an Ineligible statement:
shall proceed 10 make myself more accurately and
minutey informed upon the subject as soon as pos