The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-04-03

TIVE CoRPoHArroN--THKrR PROMISED RHYoRMs.
The spring election again approaches, and the
hordes of aspirauts for corporate homo "a aud Of
fee are already on the qui vivs, in each of the
wards. The present Corporation have now been
when we consider the arrogant buster and idle
parade made by them, on the subjects of econo-
my, reform, and retrenchment in the public ex-
penditure, before their installation, and look
back upon what they have done during nearly
their eleven months in Office, we INTERESTINGLY
declare, that no body Of men, invested with civic
authority by the votes of their fellow citizens,
have ever had less claim upon a renewal,
in the city of New York, of the sufrages of their
constituents-should they again have the effront-
cry to solicit them-than the present Common
Council I; and we will also add, that within our
recollection, no body of public servants have de-
served more justly to be drummed out Of office
for their inefficiency and wilful imposition up
en- the public at large. Since the date of their
official installation, up to the present moment,
we look in vain for any decent or comprehensive
Improvement, such as they had promised, on
taking the oath Of Office, on the day we refer to.
The Mayors message-like that of the Presi-
dents, NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. the views and
objects of the party in power. This impor-
tant document is generally believed to be
correct exponent of the policy by which the
city administration is to be guided. We eschew
all mention of the ad captandum ward speechi6-
cations-the plausible addresses-and the ridicu-
lous denuncations of all the public acts of their
different predecessors-such as marked the pro-
ceedngs of the present party in office previous to
their election; but we shall briefly glance at the
Mayors message, sent in to both boards on the
1lth May, lS47, and see how far the corporate
fathers have carried out the proposed measures
OF reform and improvement embraced in
this important document. In relation to
the Mayors message, it should be borne in
mind that the different suggestions contained
therein, in relation to the proposed measures of
reform, were looked upon by our citizens as
sort Of embodiment, given IN good faith, of the
sentiments and views of the present Common
Council, who were placed in Office by the same
party that elected the Mayor; and hence, the
whole production was looked upon, at the start,
as the cynosure of their official aspirations, un-
til they began to discuss the merits of "canvas
back ducks" and taste the flavor of strong boz
hea and gunpowder IN the "tea room," as we'll
as to partake of some of the Corporation pap in
the printing and other departments-of which,
more anon.
1t appears by the Mayors message, that, ac-
cording to the Comptroller's report, the total
debt of the city, up to sOth April, ls47. amounted
to $l2, 6s7, 1893 80. This is made the theme of
very long and just remonstrance by his Honor
the Mayor, who suggests the most rigid economy
and retrenchment in every branch of the public
L. Il A.
prospects of the Aims House Department, and
briefly glancing at the defects in the police sys-
tenn, the message next refers to the " enormous
expenditures" in relation to "cleaning Streets"
showing the amount of expenditure, under this
particular head, to have reached up to the
net sum of SILL 80, and that up 10
May, lS47, since the commencement of said
year, there had been expended for said pur-
pose $57 495 Is. The message throws out in
detail, many useful suggestions on this subject,
proposing to divide the city into eight districts,
and also that provision should be made to have
the great thoroughfares swept before seven
o'clock in the morning, and that the manure and
rubbish Immediately be removed from the city.
It further suggests that this was matter of such
deep importance that early action thereon should
be taken by the Common Council. The lamps
and gas departments, the sewerage system,
the Croton department, next severallY come
under notice; and all the suggestions in
reference thereto, are very excellent, and read
well on paper. We then have a long paragraph
on the " extravagant'' expenditure in the print.
ing and stationery department OF the last year,
amounting to $26,6l5 ~, which the message
proposes should be promptly corrected by speedy
cta- (,~pt kavc .ov olo
ton to the appropriation of ferriage revenue for
public purposes, and the application of portion
thereof for the extinguishment OF the city debt,
with some further general and very useful sug-
gestions in relation to the subjects of economy
and retrenchment, the message concludes.
The above is amere rough, or skeleton, outline
of the Mayors message, sent in to both
boards on the 18th May, ls47, which very wise.
ly and properly concludes by calling the attention
of the Common Council to the fact that his honor
Mayor Brady, had ne power to Originate"
any of the desirable reforms here referred to,
but could only see that any laws passed upon
these subjects be faithfully executed; at the
time, rendering his cordial "co-operation" upon
any and every measure of retrenchment and re-
form that the worthy fathers might deem proper
to propose.
We had a great flourish of trumpets, for some
few weeks, amongst the worthy members, whilst
the work of decapitation was going on amongst
the ofice-holders who remained in under the
former Corporation; and week after week, and
month after month have now expired, and yet
we look in vain for the contamination of those
glorious reforms so barefacedly and impudent-
ly thrust forward by the willy politicians of the
Common Council, and made the subject of grave
imposition upon Mayor Brady, to parade for effect
in his inaugural message.
Now, on casting our eyes back, and looking
in all directions for any decent simultaneously
one redeeming act-that could justify this body
of imbsciles in again seeking the SURFACES
of the insuted citizens of New York,
we are SADLY at a loss to find onf