The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-12-19

Ms, rc1x's vsro MsssAss. --wo published
In yesterdays Herald, Mr.. Folks veto message
on the river and harbor bill. As literary pro.
duction il evinces great labor but small intellect.
| In fact, il is just what we might have expected
from man who never ranked higher than
country lawyer in Tennessee, and reached po.
stion of eminence by accident-one who Is OF
much the same intellectual callbre as the present
head OF the Post Office Department, Cave john
son, who acts and thinks If that branch OF
| the public service were created tor the especial
purpose of tnkering, and peddling in the con-
tracts. and reducing the pay OF contractors
| few dollars, without for moment considering,
that by abolishing the service altogether,
all expense would be saved. This veto
message of Mr.. Polk is evidently mo-
delled after General Jackson's celebrated Mays
vile ,ge, and the efforts at imitation cannot
be concealed 1t lacks: no viewer, the vgor and
int lleot Of old Hickory but no doubt meets with
the strongest appreciation of Mr.. Richie, who,
like his mater, has, on innumerable occasions,
shown his incapacity for his position.
II ID lamentabe fact, the executive power Of
this great country is in the control Of three per-
sons-Cave Johnson, Mr. Polk, and Mr. Richie
"a triumvirate Of weak men-with intellects
ranging below mediocrity, who ought never TO
have been taken from their natural level, in
which they would be harmless for good or
evil But so il is, and we must only submit
10 the inhiction with fortitude and patience,
aud trust in the dawniDg of better day, when
the government will be in the hands of men OF
intellect and sense-and not in those of old wo-
men There is a remarkable similarity In the
opinions aud actions OF Mr.. Polk and Cave
Johnson. The former asks fifty millions of dol
airs for the pros cution of the war with Mexico,
aud object 10 spending FIVE hundred for i'm
proving roads, &c. This is Cave Johnson
exactly. He will object to paying two or three
thousand dollars year for the transportation of
the great Southern mil; and yet will kick up
row with the British government, by which ten
times as much is lost, and the foreign mails
thrown into state of confusion, from which 1t
seems almost impossible to extricats them. How
ever, we can expect but little, where but little is.
O'CoNNrLL IN PURaAroRY-We are sorry to
learn that the great Daniel O'Connell is still in
purgaory, not having been yet released from that
half way stopping place. As soon as the sad in
telig-nce was known in Edinburgh, a solemn
high mass, for the repose Of his soul, was per-
formed in ST. Mary's Catholic Church in that
city.
From description Of the church, on the occa-
sion, we learn that it presented sight Of unu-
sual grandeur and solemnity. The altar paint
ings were shrouded in morning. and so also was
the pulpit, as well as part of the gallery. Tae
windows, psnne'led in Grape, and studded with
silver tears, had an impressive effect; while the
catafa que, erected in the centre Of the church,
had II
formed of four pillars wreathed in Grape, with
twisted silver, aud surmounted by loft canopy
of ermine. and black clorh, covered with pumes;
and from which descended, in waving lines. the
drapery that connected it with pillars. Within
this catafalqu- was placed an imitation bier and
sarcophagus, having each -ide the escutcheon
Of the decreased; and on the top, or lid, rising
from profusion Of rich work, was large cru
cihx of Furnished silver. At each corner of the
bier were place massive candelabra, the inter-
walls being filed up with numerous taper lights.
II is really horrible to think that such great
display was requisite at all, or that there was
ANY necessity for high mass for the repose Of
the liberator's soul But one thing is clear and
evident, that O'Connell must not be allowed to
remain any longer in purgatory than can be
helped. He must assuredly be got out of it as
expeditiously as possible; and the only way we
can see accomplishing his release, is to call a
great sympathetic meeting at the Tabernacle,
send around papers, begging subscriptions of
names, as well as of money, pass suitable reso-
utions on the subject, ,and get half dozen half
educated lawyers to make appropriate speeches
on The matter 1t will never do to keep O'Con-
nell in purgatory. Our New York sympathisers
will not tolerate it. So, We sympathisers, prepare
your resolutions and your speeches, and let US
release O'Connell from purgatory in the shortest
time possible.
POLICE SYsTLM-Irs INEFPICKNcY.-Our pre-
sent system of police Is becoming less efficient
almost daily, and we may say, has been degene'
rating since the administration of Mayor Have
meyer.
The present plan of police was adopted in 1916,
making this the third year of its existence,
during which time the public have paid for the
first year, four hundred and seventy-nine thou.
sand dollars salary TOR ieht hundred policemt n;
the next year, on hundred additional men were
added, making nine hundred, which is the pre-
sent force, increasing the yearly amount to five
hundred and twenty-nine thousand dollars.
This, you must understand, is merely tor po-
licemen, exclusive of the chiefs salary, toge-
gether with the six magistrates, rent of sta.
ton houses, gas, fuel, two door men for
each station house, at one dollar per day, sta
tionery furnished. The whole department, clubs,
stars, chains, horse and wag n, chalk and brush
es, and lanterns, toge ther with what they call
contingencies, amounting to very near one mil
lion of dollars, annualy-thus increasing
the taxation to an immense amount, merely
for the suDport of a system which is anythinU
but efficient, and could be done, under proper
manage for less than half the sum; the
streetsk kept in good order, the property Of our
cuzens protected, and the lamps properly
trimmed Instead of which, we have neither
one nor the other; and yet, the citizens are com.
pel'ed to pay double for what could be done