The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-04-02
News from California.

News from California.
We publish in another column of to-day's paper,
six weeks' later intelligence from California,
ma Mobile and New Orleans.
The gold degers, 1t will be perceived, have had
rather severe weather to contend against during
the past winter. From the accounts received by
these arrivals, it is probable that the miners are
at work, although il would take good deal
of sunshine and warm weather to thaw the great
body of snow which had fallen In that region, so
as to allow them to dig. We shall have some
thing to say in reference to the reception which
Mr. Benton's letter met with in California.
Nothing 1t will be perceived, is said IN the papers
about the probable yield OF the mines, or the number
Of men at work at the acers; but this is accounted
for by the fact that but few numbers OF the new
newspaper, the Ahd California, have been re-
ceIved, and the subject was perhaps too common
there to be mentioned particularly, although it may
have been treated at length in other copies of the
same paper, which have not been received; but
the spr,ng trsshets, from the Immense body of snov
ON the pLacers january, pui auash out the I'd IN
great quantities. 1t will be seen, however, that
Mr. Suwerkrop has made calculation which is OF
some interest.
Owing to the want OF coal at San Francisco the
steamship California may not reach Panama in
time to connect with the Northerner.
The Charter Election-The New City Char
ter. &c, &c.
The regular annual charter election of the city
of New York will take place on o-morow week;
and in addition to the election OF Mayor, Com
mon Council, Judges, and other officers, to
conduct and manage our city affairs, our citizens
will he calad m or reject the amend
men,s to the city chatter, which were passed by
the Legislature few days since, and which, as far
as we have heard receive the cordial APPRECIATION of
all who are really DESTROYS Of having our municipal
affairs conducted In an efficient and economical
,man>rr. Aside from the election of judges, and
taking the ,,nesuon on these amendments, we have
but little interest In ,e coming election la fact,
were il not for these two matters, we would con-
slider It hardly worth while 10 refer to the subject
at all, having in our recollection many previous
elections which resulted In nothing but chang.
ofmen-the extravaganza, corruption, negligence,
and waste Of the public moneys, being the leading
characteristics OF all parties.
The question, then, OF accepting or rejecting
these amendments to the charter, being matter OF
some consequence, ~e think it advisable to glance
fl the changes and improvements which they will
make in the administration OF our affairs, provid-
ed they be accepted by the people--promising to
publish the document entire in our double sheet to-
morrow.
In the first place, system Of responsibility will
be established by the division of our city govern
ment into several departments, the heads of which
will be elected by the peoI lie, and the officers thus
elected shall nominate, and with the consent of
the Board OF Aldermen shall appoint, all CLERKS in
their respective bureaux and as a matter OF course,
shall be responsible for the faithful performance OF
The trusts confded to them. Thlsi great improve.
ment. 1t lie, empbatically responsible govern.
ment," which we hear so much of IN Canada; and
it will, we satisfied, If the charter be adopted,
be attended with manifold advantages. Any mall
feasaDce or Bon.ieassnce Of duly can, by this sys-
TEN, be directly trace to the proper source, and the
offender discharged OF punished 1t will take all
[ lame away from that my sterious and never-come-
table individual "nobody" on whose shoulders
rest all the msdeeds which have been perpetrated in
our city for great number OF years past. One of
these departments, will be " Department OF
Streets and Lamps" the head of which, besides
other duties, shall have cognlz ince of the clean
ing OF the public streets, and OF collecting the re-
venue arising from the sale OF manure. 1t respon-
~.
thorough and complete, (the absence OF
which has 30 long been q stigma and disgrace
TO the ciy)-can be accomplished oy fic new char
Ter, then indeed shall have cause for c0Ggratn-
laton. We shalI, in case Of neglect, know at least
whom TO call upon for redress, and whom to CEN
sure. The blame cannot be dvded, as it has here.
to'ore been done, among the whole muliclpil GO
'eihmeht' The same responsibility will pervade all
oher departments, VIZ; the Police Dep irtment, the
fihance department, the Street Department which
10 separate and distinct from The Street and
Lamp Department, having cosnzapce of opening
regulating, paving s,rcets, &c.), the Deo,umeot
Of Repairs end Supplies, Nc, &c. TIM, ia
emphatically, the reform. the want Of wb,oh
has been long ielt, aud which we hay.
80 long, AID we n4iter ourselves not uu,uo,s...
fully, advocated 10 the columns of this jonfnal. /,
alec compreheHds tae most Impohint feature o,
the new chatter
The Pre- posed new charter requires bonds t, be
given ~ all officers to whom the receipt and tx
peuditure or utds payable Into the CITY Treasury,
shsh be- eDrust'd d. and proy.d. proper pl1ishmsht
L.. !. I