The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-06-17
The Widening or Wall Street.

TO TIE EDITOR or THE HERALD.
MIR. EpIToa-l have read with surprise an article
published in the Morning Express, Of the I'd inst,
rejecting severely upon the course pursued by
Alderman Sturtevant relative to the proposed
widening Of Wall street. Tie charge made is, that
Alderman ,. was employed by those interested in
the proposed improvement, as counsel TO advocate
their cause before the Street Com nttee, and to
procure the passage by the Common Council Of a
resolution for the widening Of the street. The whole
tenor OF the article is to the eiec-and would lead
person not conversant with the facts of the case to
suppose-that Alderman Sturtevant was employed,
right or wrong, to put money into the hands of pri
waite individuals, and th At, rs consequence of tho
taken by him, says the worthy editor Of the
EaresS, he ought 20 be expelled from the Board
OF Aldermen" and lie further adds, that g this
charge thus being ade it is not enough for Alder
man Sturtevant generally to deny it; but il be-
comes ais duty to demand public investigation of
it, or Gle, to rest quietly under il"
Now, IN order, presume, that the disnterested
editor Of tn, Express might not be disappointed in
his desire to prove tho truth of the allegations thus
put forth in the columns of his paper, Mr.. Sturte-
want did, on the same day, III his place in the Board
OF Aldermen, demand committee of investigation
to inquire into the truth Of the allegation made
and requesting that in case a committee should be
appointed his enemies-if he had any in the Board
might be appointed to sit in judgment relative to
his acts in the matter The Board, by unanimous
vote, denied the application--dif,erest members
stating that 1t was well known by the Board wha,
couree MIR. Sturtevant had pursued in the premises
that he had only done his duty, and they would not
consent to cast shadow OF suspicion upon him,
which they must necessarily do by voting for a
committee. Now, if the worthy editor Of the
Ey1fess 10 the fair, candid and impartial he
would have the community believe he is, would he
not have published the account Of there proceed
ngs III his paperl But for some reason he does not
sec &. to do lie makes gross charges affecting
the character OF member OF the Board, challenges
the member to apply for a committee Of investga-
tion. and there, far the columns of his paper
are concerned, leaves the matter and the u
nifty to suppose that Mr.. >. "rcs.s quietly undoI
the charge"
The charge o. the Express, 50 wa My made wa
entirely false, and so the editor must have known
or il he misled in the matter, q nd thought he
stating the TRUTH then he sho I'D, acting with
only common fairness, have given at length in his
paper the prooee dngs that took place in the Board
when MIR. ;. demanded n committee Of inyestiga-
ton Now, relative TO the widening of YAH street,
Alderman :. did but do What he had perfect
right to do, and what under the circunSt anccs he
aud every other member of the Board was bound 60
do. lie believed with nineeuths OF fhe community,
that the proposed improvement was needed; and
acting upon this belief. he gave the measure his
cordial support, and that too without being
ploye ed AZ counsel to do go Ii he had been Of a
contrary opinion. and had believed that necessity
existed for the proposed widening OF Wall street,
no person who Is acquainted with Mr.. >, believes
that he weud have gwen, or could, under any cir
eumstances, have been induced to have given the
measure his support.
Unfortunately for those dcirous that the pro posed
widening of the street should be effected witdou,
| what incommoded there blythe building which he
| occupies being which, il the widening, as at
Grs proposed, had been made, must have been par
TALLY torn down. For this reason, the Argus-eycd
editor watched the proceedings, NJ he says, " with
no little interest,"; ard because, undor such crcum.
stances, Alderman Sturtc' ant dared to do his daty
| gruss charges, like thos, to which | have re-
| ferred. we're made against him Now for those
| who are acquainted with Mr.. -, no denial Of the
alleg contained in the article from the ErprsS
before referred to, il needed. But for such as may
not know him, aud are not cognizant OF the facts
would state that the article Is untrue far IA II
iseacuatcd TO impress tho reader with the idea that
i MIR Stur,eyant was employed, engaged, or retained
by any parties intercsted in the proposed improve
mcnt TO advocate the measure counsel lie did SC
entirely upon his own responsibility, and because
he believed the i'm provement desirable one. anC
needed by the community. IL is for this reason
aud this alone, that the valiant editor Of the Er
press nsinuates (or he doea not in plain languages
make them) charges, calculated seriously to injur
the reputation Of most worthy member Of tn
\ Ioard OF Aldermen.