The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-09-06

men, police judges, and grand juries shall here
sfter set at liberty the club scoundres who may be
arrested for brutal acts against the fremen for
destroying the public apparatus, &c; that know
OF no Immediate remedy but TO do as the honest
press OF the whole country do, when Governors Of
lips to protect both property and person,) open the
doors OF State prisons, by pardoning large Por,,
lion OF the prisoners, within one bref guoe tnatonai
have done, in publishing the names Of the prison.
ers in juxtsposition with the Aldermen them,
selves, who liberated them to defeat the sacred
ends Of justice, and to secure the votes ana
base physical powers of these daring club
devils al the primary and alderminic elections =
Moreover, shall not only publish The names OF the
prisoners and Aldermen, the police captains, ponce
Judges. and grand juries, in parallel columns, in
The public press but shall invariably placard their
names on the walls of every engine house IN the
city, that all firemen may brand them as the inve-
terate enemies OF the Department, as enemies TO
law and ORDER and officers unworthy of the pub
lie confidence, and who should be hurled from the
offices they disgrace, by the votes OF the flremen
lin revenge for their bruised and murdered breth-
REM and of all good citizens have long contem-
plated this, and am, at length, resolved on its inn
mediate contamination, since my long experience
and extensive observation firmly convince me that
those dgnified bodies, and especially the body
which is elected to preside over the immediate and
deeply momentous destnes of the Fire Dep irtment,
and the public morals and the security of pro-
pery and human life, not only do not even consider
The common welfare and common safety, but sane
ton and, to all intents and purposes, legalze the
highest crimes, through the perverson OF their e-
gislaiive, judicial, and pardoning powers, thus
openly encouraging these demonacal clubs to de.
sroy the apparatus, TO dig the untimely graves Ct
most of the odium that has crippled II and blasted
Its reputation for so many years.
In the preceding remarks, have said that most
of the odun attached to the department, was
caused by the infamous gangs OF organized bandltt
that nfest the city, who, without cause attack the
hremen, while passing 10 and from hres; but truth
and candor compel me TO say with much regret that
this odlum is not wholly attributable to these clubs,
bad, powerful and numerous as they unques-
honably are, inasmuch as there are, and have
~been, for years, some bad hremen in the de-
partment, all of whom the representatives OF
the Fire Department, Through committee or
court chosen by them from the Exempt Fire.
men, subject TO impeachment by your homo
rable body,) would Immediately expel, if they
had the power of expulsion, for nsdemeanor, as
they should have, instead OF the Common Council,
through when il is as absolutely impossible TO have
them expelled from the department, it is TO effect
the punishment of the club rowdes for their horri
BILE misdemeanors. Both club rowdies and bad
firemen being thus under the special protection
of the Common Council, through their acquittal
and trifiing suspension of the hremen for INSIDE
meanor, and through their unconditional par
for attacking and beating the iremen, break.
ing the apparatus, nc. 1 have done my
best to effect the removal of some of the worst
had %ose q
1 had not sent them. being, like my communca-
ton respecting the club outlaws, Immediately refer
red TO the COmm1ttee the DEPARTMENT., when
is generally the last that is heard of them or, if
they ever report, il is generally in favor OF their
acquittal, suspension for few weeks or months,
during which they continue to perpetrate their
deeds of infamy with utter impunity and in the
face Of which they resume their connection with
the IN yartment at the expiration of the brief in
teval for which they were suspended, which rem
ders suspension OF no practical utility whatever-
the leniency OF the punishment rather encouraging
than suppre ssrg INSTRUMENTATION in the department.
d Indeed, the VIGOROUSLY insubordinate hremen
n Il It,. 81.
ticable operation of the present characterization
law, exultingy Boosting that they were never ex-
PEELED, and very seldom even suspended for INSIDE
meanor The difficulty mainly arises from the
slothful action of the Committee on the Fire De-
xpartment, of either Board, their procrastinaton
5avoring Of course, the insubordnates, by exhaust
ing the patience and valuable time OF their accusers,
md rendering it al length, after weeks and even
months delay, both inconvenent and utterly impos-
s3be the witnesses to appear before the commit
Tee, against them; when, the first favorable OPP
poftuniy, The Committee on the Fire Department
report the Common Council, If they report at all,
either in favor of acquitral, or for from two to
Hthree months suspension, which, as have shown,
fTather emboldens than inumidates the insubordi-
mates to commit new crimes against the depart
ment BY this fatal, RENTING, and selfish lenen-
icy and representation IN favor OF insubordnaies,
by the Committee the Fire Department, OF either
Board Of your honorable body, the good will OF
the bad iiremen is secured, who promise, BY way
of consideration and gratitude, to not only vote
for but TO fight for, their benefsctors at the next
ielect,p. who even peril their lives TO keep these
lenieIt committees on the Fire Department in
Office And who, united 10 the physical and ruth an
lly strength of the club fends, whose afectionate
support is also won by Adsrmen by liberating
them from the police station houses as soon as
they are incarcerated, altogether effect powerful
combination Of ply i9rce at me polls taat TOO
ly lenent and procfastInatng members OF the COM
mittees on the Fire Department, aud other m I'M
bers Of the Common Council, who are collectively
as plant and active in efecling the ratification of
the reports of the committees for the acquittil aud
suspension Of the fremen, as they are Individually
vigiiant in the Liberation OF the cdo members, as
A soon az arrested, for their nefarious crimes
N Whether | submit my reports tor misde lleanoT
TO our honorable body, either at the commence
ment Of the session or towards ITS close, the pro-
Crastnaton is precisely the same-the reports g,-
ing at once into the hands of the Committee on the
Fire Department, where they generally slumber
foreyer bat who, after they have fooled and drag
ed the WITNESSES to and FRO, before them, tor weeks
and molihs sometimes, where the misdemeanors
are of a most extraordinary characer-ihe
wounds, for instance, resulting IN the death OF
some unfortunate hreman-why then, the com
mittee, afraid OF the public or privaie vengeance,
for their outrageous d reelection of public duty,
make considerable parade OF their energy and can
dor, ia n port which, after ALL etber sophlsiicay
acquits the accused, or, perhaps, suspends them for
a lew weeks or months.
viii row illustrate the leading hideous features
Of the present odous la for the tfiil Of nsuborti-
nate fremen-ifs legiim ate operation as gigan-
tic political machine, ON which the triumph Ot par
lies often tuTns-ts demOralizing aud ptralyLlng
effect on the Fire Department, on our entire mum.
cpal COVE rnmenf ana the people at large la tins
important illustration, which Is matter OF fact ilus-
traiion. ! shall be obliged to expose, Gas have
done throughout this report, many acluhntances
and friends OF Year, duraiOn,) very distinguished
eenilel! n whom have long known and hitherto
esteemed. But, bolh in public aud private caPa-
city. 1--WE must be cruel TO be kiad j; and y my
own father or my beloved children, were guilty Of
the charges | hereby prefer against the gentlemen
in questioL-chaTecs that believe to be true from
the sincerity OF my heart-before God, solemniy
declare that would not shs ID them from the pub
ic scora and fetribution.
Recently. the foreman Of Hose Company No. 81
reported - me that Engine Company No q, headed
by Mr. William NJ. Tweed. the foreman. had at
tackled them, with boxes, barrels, and missiles OF
h.