The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-03-12

despetism7 Is in Frances Look 6ts great French
republic. Il iin Rome9 Look at the R0m,,n republic
aud the Pope a refugee in Gaeta. There has Sesa no
| rejection. The time for reaction has passed, and
the mnions OF monarchy and despotlsm have pre-
dicted in vain All the world knows the respect
and veneraton which the head Of the Catholic
1 church has always received but great as are that
respect and that veneration, the Catholic people
| Of Europe have learned to make a Distraction
between the Pope successor OF ST. Peter and
as q temporal prince; and while they venerate HIM
IN one sense, they repudiate him in the other, as
| they would any other monarch What better
evidence could be furn ished of the healthy and
wholesome progress Of libe al principles IN Europe!
None. They have been put to the severest test in
he recent occurrences IN Rome, and they have
stood it. The reinforcement of Louis Philippe was
the first great act in the revolutionary drama In
Europe; and the deposition of the Pope, with the
establishment of republic In Rome, Is the second
In Importance.
We therefore think that this last news from
Rome is Of the highest importance. We cannot
see that France can nsistently Interfere IN the
matter, or attempt to reInstate his Holiness nor
do we see any great inclination to undertake It
Without the aid Of the new republic, no other Eu-
ropean nation will engage in the project. Indeed.
it may be said that Rome has had her last sove
reign, and that the people of that city are deter
mined to be their own monarch hereafter.
The New Cry CHARTER The State Legisla-
ture at Albany, have before them the new attempt
10 organize our municipal government upon bet
ter footing than at present. ard to remedy the evils
which have sprung up from the inefficency, the
neglect, and the corruption of the old system. The
plan proposed is, as Tar we can learn, in perfect
accordance with that we have been suggesting tor
some years past, namely: TO model our municipal
government, all Its details, after the State 60
vemment or federal government, as regulated by
the constitution.
The great fault ofthe present system, which has
been so prolific Of abuses, has been the want of
responsible executive authority, and consequently
total exemption from individual responsibility.
1t to this We may attribute the ineiiciency
of police the inattentiOn to lighting and sewer
age, the drtiness of our streets, and the various
other abuses that have given our city such an un.
enviabe notorety. Partizanshlp was made tho
test of fitness for Office, and the man who signal
Ized himself most consplcuously, exhibited most
recklessness IN the canvassing rooms and at the
rolls, was considered best qualified for the sltua-
This has been the case with both the great
parties, when they succeeded in obtaining munich
pal Iule No efficiency, however great, (and
Notwithstanding the defects of the system, an
honest and capable man did once in while get
situation,) could save from dismissal; and no IN
competence, however fragrant, was sufficient,
when backed up by INSCRIPTIONS partisanshlp, to
withhold from appointment. Under such state
nj AI,,vn ,EoN4
neglect, ineflcicncy, and corruption? What
other fruits could be looked tor, but the worst
Lighted, the worst watched, the worst severed, the
worst cleaned, and the heaviest taxed city through
out the world? There are some sins that cry to
heaven for vengeance and we honestly believe
that the whole tour which are numbered in that
category, may be a million times charged, re-
motey. if not proxmately. to the various Corporate
authorities who have from time to time held mu-
nicipal sway in this city. To make our meaning
clear, let us suppose case, which of every day
occurrence. A poor woman, who Is confined to
her room The whole day, sewing for her daily sub
sistence, catches viruent fever from the noxlous
mlasma exbaled from the decaying animal orvegs
table matter in the street, under her window or in
consequence of the imperfect sewerage. She falls
q victim to this disease. Her relatives and neigh
bors at once pronounce her death visitation
from God but can there be any doubt--can any,
man who walks through our streets and lanes and
avenues, and possesses the senses of seeing and
smelling, come to any other conclusion than that
the death OF this poor woman lsdireciy chargeable
to the city council, who had the power, and whose
duty it was, to remove the immediate and sole
cause of death If jury of medical men were
to investigate the subject, we are firmly mpre ssed
with the conviction that they would attribute the
halt OF the mortality among the poor of this city
10 causes every one of which might have been
prevented by the enforcement of proper sanitary
regulations.
According 10 the new charter now before the
Legislature, the duties hitherto entrusted to the
various committees CT the Council are to be dis
charged by regular departments, who will be res
ponsbe tor their proper execution. The duties OF
the Council to be more OF legislative than OF
an executive character, IN future and instead OF
meeting every week, as at present, they are to
meet only once In three months. We are of
opinion that 1t would be better if monthly ses.
sion were adopted. BY this means an accumula.
ton of business would be avoided, and sufficient
interest would be excited IN the public to watch
their movements. IT the longer term be fixed,
every session would necessarily occupy fe " days,
arG perhaps week, before the business could be
disposed Of.
There are other changes we might point out IN
the new charter, that might be deemed desirable
but as it Is still in tra~s,tu. there will be time
enough to discuss them. Any change, however,
In the present system, must be hailed with delight
by our patient and plundered citizens. We do not
expect, at the best, perfect system; but let be-
ginning once be made, and time and experience
will do the rest.
FREAKS OF THE ENGLISH Posr OrFIcE-We re-
ceived, by the steamship America, which arrived
at Boston on Friday last, letter from London dat
ed April last, and one from Paris, dated last August
each OF which had a great many post marks-the
rnosf nvor, nnnf and ieU,hla II xvb,ch En- In