The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-05-10

It will be necessary in accordance with the eondi-
ton of the sale Of such property to return the pur
chase money with interest, in order to avoid suits
which might otherwise be brought for Its recovery;
and to renew tho application to the Legislature ut an
early day OF the ensuing session.
The property, which these assessments still
lien, has received the benefit of these improvements,
and proper that the expense should be paid by it,
and not by general tax upon other property which
has already paid its assessments for the similar
improvements.
The present mode of assessing personal property is
partial in its operation-whc Of citizens
assessed for the full of their personal estate
Others residing here the greater part OF the wear and
engaged In active business taxation by residing
In the country during the summer months. That such
persons, in common with their fellow citizens, may
bear their proportion Of the expenses from which they
derive equal benefit 1t Is that
be taken to change the time of assessing from May to
January-and also to consider the whole subject with
view Of securing greater equality in the burdens Of
taxation.
The third section OF the Act for tho collection Of
taxes the city Of New York passed the Legislature
April 18TH 1S43 provides for the appointment by the
Common Council Of a receiver and deputy receiver of
taxes at yearly salaries respectively the
sum of two thousand and fifteen hundred dollars, to
hold these Offices during the pleasure Of the Common
Council.
BY an ordinance of the Common Council passed
June IT, 1843 the salary of the receiver fxed at
two thousand dollars and that Of the deputy at twelve
hundred dollars.
An act passed by the Legislature April 18th, 1s4S
amendatory Of the act of April 49, 1913 makes 1t the
duty Of the Board Of Supervisors within twenty days
thereafter to appoint receiver and deputy receiver
of taxes to hold their offices for four years unless
moved for and fixes the salary Of the former at
two thousand dollars and Of the latter ut fifteen hun
bred dollars.
This change by which the terms of these officers and
the compensation of of them materially increas-
ed, was not applied for by the Common Council nor
does 1t appear to DO justified by any public necessity
Under such circumstances the increase Of the burdens
of our taxpayers to compensate officer purely local.
seems to nable interference by the Lee
gislature with the proper discretion of mmedia
representatives in matter in which our citizens are
alone interested.
recommend that application BIO made for
peal of the law far ut least it withdaws from the
Common Council n discretion rs to the amount Of
compensation
have received communication from the Judges Of
the Supreme Court in reference ty the
required by that court in this city. Under the
constitution the number of terms held by it in this
city largely increased for the benefit OF citizens
and additional rooms necessary for the transaction
of business understand that the attention of your
predecessors called to this subject but definite
action was taken by them, under the idea as am in
formed, that the expense Of the arrangements
ought not to be thrown upon the city. The Legisla
effect the LIST July next making it the duty of the
Supervisors to provide such accommodations and If
they neglect to do authorizing the sheriff to make
the necessary provision ut the expense of the city
This consideration, well the great Importance of
the business pending in that court will trust induce
you to the reproach upon your city of refusing
to provide for the sittngs of additional tribu-
nails instituted in consequences of our own complaints
of the nadequacy of former to the
Of justice between our citizens.
The immigration from the populated countries
Of Europe, which free institutions and our fertile
impulse from the famine which has been recently add
ed to the evils of misgoyernment. The number who
have within the last year sought here home and
refuge from want and oppression, is scarcely loss
than 0O0 Of which about 100 persons arrived
this port The regulations recently projected in Ca
NADIA Will, II adopted. discourage direct immigration to
that country and increase the resort to this city and
it cannot DO doubted that the annual accession to
population OF such persons is destined rapidly and
largely to increase and to form Of the most
markable characteristics of tho age in which live
Aside from the increase of the productive power
n nd he Onqiu NH nd.
itions to its capital from those who bring with them
the accumulatons Of their former industry the effect
upon our foreign commerce. although less observed is
by no means unimportant The passage money
ceved from immigrants during the past year has
tributcd more to the prosperity Of navigation than
the freight from NIL our commerce with Europe.
With sagacious regard to aspect of the times so
peculiar and important well to citizens to
the immigrants the Legislature Of year instituted
a commissioner, whose duty it should be- by proper
application of the Communication and hospital moneys
collected from immigrants to protect them against the
the various localities in State against the charge
to which they might be subjected for the support of the
sick destitute 1t cannot be doubted that the wise
provision thus made for the efficient application OF
these funds to the objects for which they received
has not only effected humane purpose, but has
eved this city from great inconvenience and expense
In view Of the Importance of this great and growing in
teres and its relations to the prosperity of city
1t cannot be doubted that the Commissioners of Emf
grafton will in the discharge of their arduous and
sponsble duties, receive they deserve your cordial
and efficient cooperation
The succession of changes which has occurred in the
administration of the city government affords sufficient
indication of the dissatisfaction of the people with the
result OF its action The calls for reform and rctrench
mont which have accompanied these frequent changes
have generally been answered by increase of the
expenditure and extension Of the abuses until the
taxes imposed upon our citizens have become oppres
svey burdensome There Is fault somewhere. II is in
the administration or in the government itself, in
the citizens upon whom 1t operates In my judgment
the evil il to be ascrbed to all these SO
have been able to discover abuses of a merely admin
isrative nature, have endeavored to point them out
and do not doubt that firm and faithful application
to them Of the remedies suggested, would make i'm
portant reduction in our municipal expenditures
that farther investigation your part would enable
you to discover and remedy others
The defects in the structure of the municipal govern
ment arc radical. They consist in the absence Of all
those divisions and limitations Of power which expe-
rience has shown to be absolutely Indispensable to
wise and honest administration, In my message IL
May 10, 1s45 to which beg leave to refer you took
occasion to discuss these defects and rccomme nded "a
revision of the city charters convention for that pur
pose was afterwards held but the instrument which it
framed was rejected by the people, partly because its
provisions were not approved and partly because of the
short period afforded for its examination before the
election at which it submitted
All necessary reforms in the charter still be Of
fccted by act Of the Legislature approved and adopted
by the people OF this city, and Of the most impor
tant OF these reforms Is to considerable extent with
in your control
While the charter enjoined upon the Common Coun-
Gil the establishment of executive desarments it did
not it should have done itself organize these de
partments And although If they derive their cxis
tence from ordinance which the Common Council
ut any time repeal they cannot have the indcpen
dence and permanency which they should possess or
be efficient checks upon the Common Council itself yet
they may in other respects realize the objects for
which they were designed. and they ought without
necessary delay to be organized.
1t may well be doubted whether potential cause Of
unwise and exravagant expenditure does not lie still
deeper than the abuses OF administration, the de-
fects In the structure of the government The dspen
sation Of the patronage upon the
expenditure Of million and half of dollars and tho
maintenance ofa very large number Of officers and de-
pendents subject to the arbitrary will of the Common
Council for the time being, distributed anew almost
every year in the nccssnn fluctuations party asccn
dancy and attracting well the future
the present possessors creatci interest in favor Of
expenditure which IL very powerful, and fur nc
tive than the interest in favor of economy Although
the influence OF this interest in municipal affairs
would be much weakened by proper notifications of
the charter. such interest must to extent al
ways exist and IL is misfortune peculiar to this city
that this interest is far less here than in other parts
the State counteraccd by the interest ia favor Of
nomy