The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-07-15

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cial committee.
Alderman PECK, twentieth ward,) rose TO order:
The motion was not debatabIe.
The PRESIDENT ruled hat it was not, and the
question was about to he put, when,
Alderman SrURTEvANT Third wrrd) explained.
He voted mo- 10 give them opportunity to dis
cuss it, but would he haply it should be laid on the
table, and would afterwards move that il be.
Question put and lost on division-Peek, Comp
ton and D0hery voting Ia tho Affirmative
Alderman FRANCIS would explain the position ho
stood in
Alderman SMrTu-lf the gentleman viii excuse
me, ask, in connection with that, to present pa
per to the board, and let II be read IL u were not
respectful communication to treat ~ aeeordingy;
but he asked that il b. read.
Alderman SruRrsvANT-The Alderman OF this
Eleventh ward wants 70 present paper "A connec-
ti0n, and we have sufficient guarantee that it is
respectful one in the character and r6speeta0ility
of the gentleman himself
The PREsIDENT--lf there is no objection, tho
Clerk will proceed 20 read II.
Alderman WARD, would ask whether it was u
communication or n resolution.
The President did rot know the contents Of it,
il offered in connection with the other.
The CLERK then read the paper, 10 which Alder
man Smith rendered bis resi-. ,na.ion as Chairman Of
the Committee on the Fire department, and asked
that Alderman Dennian be appointed in his stead.
This produced sone sensation and slight laughter,
amids. which.
Alderman DENMAN moved that the paper last
read be laid the table
Alderman SMITH hoped that it would no &C"
copied He bad stated 10 the Alderman o: the Six
teenth that there wore statements in that preamble
that were false, and had shown him how they were
false, and told him where he could ascertain 1t for
HIMSELF and still he persisted in presenting it to
this board and making it public Under those cir
custances he desired to offer his resignation
Alderman STURTEvANT-Thousht the request
went too far; he pot only resigned, bnt asked to
appoint his successor, which was entirely the pro
vince Of the President. IL would be sufficient that
he resigned; and that step he alderman Sturte
VANITY very much regretted. as there was no menu
Der Of the board competent to perform tho
duties, being wei acquainted with the habits and
feelings Of the hremeu, and he believed personally
known to almost every one of them in Tho city.
He sorry that the gentleman should feel at
frontod at the resolution offered, which was scarcely
worshysof notice, aud like certain communications
| in New York papers, worth only the paper they
| covered.
Alderman TWEED, Seventh ward) hoped that
| Mr.. Smith and TIE Board would bear IN mind that
the paper from q gentleman who. in that room
yesterday, and in their presence, admitted that n
report III the HERALD wss incorrect, and then Went
! down and addressed a communication to the editor
| stating that il was correct. He moved tort Alder
man Smith haye permission to withdraw that resig-
| nation.
| Alderman SMITH, viewing the source from whence
| it came, would witodra v his paper. Ono objection
being made, the permission was given and the re-
| signation Withdrawn
| Alderman DENMAN said he was sen. there by his
constituents to represent certain district in the
I city, and it did net concern him much TO know in
WDaJ GSIlIn1IlOD he WIS Deiu Dy inc gentlemen OF
! that bonrd. When he presented the document be-
1 fore them for considerations, he announced 10 the
board that he did so at The request OF tho members
| Of the department. As to the remarks OF the mcm~
| Der from the Eleventh ward, he had erased what no
conceived to be offensive matter, and he now de-
sired, if there be any iasehood in the document,
that il be pointed out FIR during the debate thus
fer he had heard none asserted 1t was chiefly sta
tistical and narrative of facts and such It con-
| tanned its own argument He had been prepared
for some insoence. 1t was quite true he had adj
Rttcd there that there were some inaccuracies in
the report alluded to, but ne asserted that it was
| substantially correct
The PRESIDENT said The motion would noy be on
| the resolution
Alderman STuRTEYANT wori now mcve that it
be laid on the table
Alderman WARD, Fifteenth ward)-perhaps tho
gentleman will give some reason for laying i. on the
table. The paper no doubt, is faise. We have the
assurance OF the chairmon of the committee that it
s ana there is doubt that there is truth in it,
II first tells us that we have spent too much
ney, and then that thor houses are tumblng
| down.
this notice and in courtesy to the Alderman Of the
Nineteenth, but would withdraw his motion.
| Alderman TWEED moved that it be referred to
| The Fine and Water Committee as the best parties
to Judge oft He did not believe that Il expressed
the sentiments or feelogs of the department He
had for some years been fireman himsclf, and he
knew he thought what their feelings wcrc and if it
were referred 10 the department itself AZ iarge he
believed that two out of three votes would BE- cast
against it,. He was an advocate for al reforms and
was favorable to diyorcing the freueD from politics
altogether. The forcmen were not always indeed
never selected to express the feelings OF the COM
Iany on such o change: nor had they any notion
when they were elected that such question would
ever arse as they could not tell that such propo-
stion would be brought forward, or wha.was in the
womb of time to be passed upon. He did not, there
fore, consider the foremen as proper opponents of
the views of the department at large. They could
not entirely be expressed on such point, through
nd ha Arnt hapr aspt
was that in such meeting the foreman Of
small company of ton men had as much right to
VOTE and as much weight, as the foreman Of enc
comprising sixty men, which he believed was the
largest number. He was for reform at all times.
and would refer this to the Fire Department ITSELF
individually; and if the fremen desired change,
then give it to them, but not because tn. foremen
voted for it, unless they we're elected for the pur-
pose Of asking such a reform, which was not the
case, and in doing so he, for ono, said that they
were exceeding the line of their duty.
Alderman SMITH would suggest to tho members.
Of this board that as the resolution required
Committee on Ordinances, and he 80 moved.
Alderman STuRTEvAsT hoped that it would not
take that course. He supposed the province of the
Committee Ordinances to be to prepare ordinances
when they were ordered; aud if this were ordered
then let it 60 there in due course, but first get tho
direction, as 1T was rot their province to conaider
whether the ordinance ought to DC prepared or not
The Committee on the Fire Department, he
thought, would be the proper reference. Perhaps
the amendment would be withdrawn.
Alderman SMITH would withdraw it.
An ALDERMAN otserved-The Committee on tbs
Fire Department will do nothing with H.
Alderman WARD-A little while ago loud remon-
strances were made that tho committee were doing
too much for the department.
The question in reference to the committee was
then put, and carried without division
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The Explosion of the st. James.
ADDITIONAL PARTICULARS.