The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-05-01

The COMMON COUNCIL AND THE Aims HOUSE
CoMMIssIoNKR-On referring to the proceed.
ings of meeting of the Common Council,
held on Tuesday last, it will be perceived
that an ordinance was passed by the Board
of Aldermen, authorizing the Common Coun.
Gil to appoint all the subordinate officers
of the Aims House Department, and fix their
salaries at such sums as they might deem expe-
dent. This is in our opinion a very high-handed
proceeding, not justified either in law or equity,
nor even on the abominable principle that to the
victors belong the spoils-a principle which un-
fortunately is recognized and carried out to the
fullest extent by each party, when in power, and
which has tended to make our elections a mere
scramble of Office seekers.
The Aims House Commissioner, we are glad
to see, has firmly protested against this interfe-
renee with his Office and his rights; and
we are satisfied that he ought to be sus-
tanned by the public in the course he has
taken. Previously, a resolution was passed
giving the power of appointment! of these
clerks to the Committee on Charity and Aims;
and that committee exercised their power to a
certain extent, but did not interfere with the
confidential clerks in the commissioners Office !;
aud it is to reach these that the resolution was
passed on Tuesday evening last. This is pal
try business, and has been undertaken for no
other purpose than to remove three or four clerks
who are locofocos, for all we know to the contra.
ry, and put wings in their places. Surely there
is no necessity for this. The whig party have
for whole year held all the Offices of the city
government, and they will hold them another
year, inasmuch as they have recently elected a
majority of the Board OF Aldermen. What ne
cessity is there, therefore, for hunting down a
few men in the Aims House Commissioners of.
fee
Mr.. Leonard claims, and rightly too, we think,
that this movement is contrary to law. He says
"The charter of this city declares expressly tina
'the executive business of the Corporation Of
New York shall be performed by district depart
ments, which 1t shall be the duty of the Comm on
Council organize and appointfor that purpose, -
and that as he is a chief officer, he is unques.
tionably entitled to it's control.
But apart from this consideration, 1t is gross
act of injustice to interfere with Mr.. Leonard u
the appointment of his confidential clerks. That
officer has to give bonds in the large sum of
twenty thousand dollars, for the faithful per.
Torrance of his duties, and it is but Just that
his clerks, for whose fidelity he is answerable,
should be Of his own appointment. What can be
more reasonable than this! And yet this power
ID sought to be taken from him, and other per-
sons, of whose capacity to discharge the dutie
of the office, or of whose fidelity and trustw orth
ness he may, perhaps, know nothing, placed un-
der him, without his consent, and he made liable
for any, malfeasance they might commit.
We would advise the Common Council by all
means to back out of this contemplate affair as
soon as they can, and leave the business of the
Aims House in the hands Of him who is RESPONSE
Bile, by bonds in the sum of twenty thousand dol,
lars, to transact it faithfully We also advise the
Aims House Commissioner, in case this petty
affair be persisted in, to maintain the position h.
has assumed, and In which he will be upheld BY
all right thinking men, as we'll as by the public
at large.