The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-04-25
The New Aims House Act-Reform In
Prospect.


Prospect.
We have, on a former occasion, adverted to the
innovation and reform which had been introduced
by our Legislature into portion of the govern
ment of this city, in respect to the Aims House
There was no branch or department of our NUM-
cpal affairs which afforded greater field Of cor
uption, or a more prolific mine of wealth to the
wire-pullers attached to all of the parties who in
turn have reached control of our city government,
than the so-caled Aims House Department did
So palpably and unblushingy dishonest, corrupt,
and abominable had the administration of that
department become, that it would have been much
cheaper to the tax-paying citizens of New York, to
make contract with the propretors of one of our
first rate hotels, for the support and maintenance of
our pauper population, than to contribute to the
support of the Aims House department, under its
old organization, if the wretchedy corrupt manner
in which it was conducted could be dignified with
such term This system of corruption and poll
teal robbery was so firmly rooted that our citizens
despaired of ever seeing any reform; the wire
pullers of party had it SO completely under their
control, that it seemed matter of impossibility
that reform in its management could ever be
effected At length, however, the Legislature OF
the State heard our cries, and at once determined
10 give us what we in vain sighed for during a
number of years Accordingly, they took the mat
ter into their own hands, and passed " An act for
the government of the department of aims and pen-
Tertiary, in the city and county of New York"
Now as regards the abstract principle of the
thing we are not much disposed to favor any inter-
ference BY the Legislature of the State in matters
that rghtfuy appertain to and come within the
province of our own immediate municipal councils;
yet, we cannot but rejoice at this enactment, be-
cause the morale of our citizens has been so
much broken and ruined by long suffering,
under the tyranny of politicians and wire
pucrs, that they despaired of ever achieving re-
form through their own exertons. No matter what
party was in the ascendant-be it wing, democrat,
or natve-the same system of corruption was pur-
sued by them. On this account, therefore, we are
not sorry that our State Legislature has thought
proper TO interfere it has in municipal affairs,
for it is beyond question that our suferngs have
been relieved by their intervention. 1t is, to be
sure humating that we should be obliged to call
on our State legislators, at a distance of one hun
dred and sixty miles, to conduct the management
of our municipal affairs, yet it is the only hope we
have left of even tolcrab!y honest administration
of our city affairs.
House Department. including therein the Aims
House proper and the support and relief of the poor
the County Lunatic Asylum, and the nurseries for
poor and destitute children, the penitentiary, the
CITY prison, and Bridewell, and the other prisons
and houses of restitution in the city of New
York, with the hospitals connected Herewith,
except the sheriff's Jail and the House of Re-
fuge shall be under the exclusive control and
management of Board of Governors, consist
ing of ten persons, two of whom shall go out
of office on the LIST day of January, in each
year. These governors, as they are styled, have
the full and exclusive power to manage those lnsti-
tutions-to appoint all necessary physicians, war
dens and other oficers-to define their authority,
to prescribe the duties Of subordinates, to fix the
amount of their compensation; and they are to re-
port once year, in the month of January, to the
Common Council of the city of New York and to
the Legislature Also their proceedings, the condi-
ton of the institutions under their charge, and all
receipts and expenditures for the preceding year.
These are the main and most important principles
of the new Aims House act; but there is one sec
ton which, we think, justifies some allusion. 1t
is known-in fact, II is very well known, that one
of the main causes of the corruption and extrava-
gance which characterized the management of our
aims houses, PRISONS anu pcnlientlaries, for a
number of years past, was what was generally
termed the contract system. Under that system,
the most unblushing and unresered waste and
corruption were as our readers well know, prac-
tised; contracts given to the friends, relatives
and political supporters OF the party in power for
the time being, all of whom made fortunes from the
extravagantly high taxes which were assessed on
suffering citizens, from yesw to year When
the wings were in power, their friends and suppor-
tiers got those contracts-when the locofocos were
in the ascendant they received the spoils in like
manner. Now, under the act recently passed by the
Legislature this wholesale and dsreputablc system
of fraud will be entirely prevented for there in
il an express prohibition against any of the COVER
nors being directly or indirectly, interested in any
contract for supplies or for any other purpose
nected with any of the institutions under their con-
troll, or in any arrangement by which any pecu-
mary benefit shall result to them. We had, to be
sure, under the old charter, provision, that no
member of either board of the Common Council
should be, directly or indirectly interested in any
contract connected with the administration of our
municipal affairs; but that many Of them were IN.
terested in such contracts, is matter Of common
noioriety IL was difficult, however, to bring it
home TO the particular parties because there were
too many shoulders on which the blame rested.
Under the new act, the responsibility will rest on
ten men only, instead of thir,y-six, as heretofore
This new act will take effect on the eighth day
Of next month"; and under Its operation we look tor
more economical and less corrupt administration
of our aims house affairs, than we have ever had
in this city
ARRIVAL OF THE STEAMSHIP NoRTHERNER.-The
steamship Northerner, Capt Budd, arrived yester
day morning, from Charleston, and brought US pa
pers ahead OF the mail, usual, for which we are
obliged to Capt. b.
ACCIDENT ON THE lluDsoN.-We learn that the
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