New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-09-26
CITY GOVERNMENT
Letter from the District Attorney-Grend Jary
Presentment.

The regular September term e the Court Of Sessions was
closed Saturday, when the following papers were pre-
sented The sentencing of the Unlicensed Liquor Dealers
was postponed until the first Wednesday in October.
LETTER FROM THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY
OFFIcE OF rHE DISTRICT ArroRSEY OF rHE Cirr}
AND County OF NEW YORE, Sept %, 1853.
To ne Grond Ju,y@ ne Spte~6er Tr~ ias Court osava
GEsrIraKS: Ihave received and so far as an unusual
pre- Of public business would permit carefully &C.,
dered the request embraced in your resolution Of the 18Th
inst
Fully to your resolution would embrace thor
ough examination, alike of ali laws and ordinances apper
tanning 10 the government of this city, and Of the various
instances in which, from careessness nsitonon wfh
neglect the part Of the public officers violations of
istng laws committed with comparative impGnty.
This hardly be expected during the short period
allowed for your official abors and would embrace
sarily detailed enumeration OF grievances and abuses
sufficient to ll considerable volume must content
myself therefore, with general view OF the character and
condition Of the City Government and the manner IA
which the laws and ordinances affecting It's Interests are
enforcedor neglected.
The original Charter OF the City vested in the Corpors
ton ample powers to pass ordinances providing for the
comfort and welfare of the citizens and with the aid ofhs
statute and law applicable TO criminal oicnss
the ordinances passed under the Charter and by vrae
various statutory enactmenis are fully adequate 70 per
feet enforcement Of order cleanliness aud the protection
both Of citizens and property or the punishment o. nos
who shall undertake 10 violate public or private uShts
Yet true II IT, that with system Of laws oT the power 70
such system equal to almost any conceivable neces
aty, the City Of New York. in is municipal affairs me
best abused and worst governed city in the Union
desire not TO be misunderstood, or TO have Il supposed
that the wrong Of the present day merely has e.
isted for years and will exist until The people shan p8
the proper remedy snd shall hold public officers TO ngd
official accountability holding them they hold me pr
vae individual amenabe for their acts, alike Of comma
sion and wfu omission refer not 10 isolated caseS p
to that general and almost entire neglect he enoreemeni
being excephons to enforce existing ordinances and INC
necessary Increase Of violations consequent upon previous
immunity Thus il is that your streets nearly imPs
sable your public piers converted into warehouses sna
places of storage and dep0ss and brick yards lime Aids
dtpds for the sale Of manure hay, hrewood lumber pm
ter and provisions and for the storage 81 cotton moset
iron and other articles Of merchandise, oil your wna
and public tboroughfares in direct and positive VIOLATION
of laws prohibiting these practices. The system OF GU
eumberng streets with the old materials ~ buings Torn
down for the purpose Of rebuilding equally IN violation
Of law and the public highways intended for the use ana
convenience alike Of ALL constantly obstructed % 'ns
danger and certainly the Inest dctrment OF thoe
who are thus delayed In their business pursuits Whoosn
calculate the injury In the aggregate -ioss Of time to ne
business population Of New York. consequent upon TIE
delays thus created. 10 say nothing OF the confa.os
arising from interfering vehicles meeting in me
crowded spaces, blocking up the streets, or awsh
ing their turn to thread the narrow passage Ise
fault In very large majority Of these cases Is not whn
the Police Department IL reaches higher than the ponce
and rests rather with those who charged with exec
rss sd during hf S Of the
furnishes summary remedy for all violations OF the Psna
ordinances Of the Common Council Article section
Of that act II a. follows
Section: entitled An rs.'. . q. ~.
.sof The Common Council Of the City Of SewYo AID ss n
.ppy 70 ali orSnsncss passed By hs Common coase Of d'
sectiOn 81 u the act Of is53 il as follows 4,
rs nv e q. masssiss ss.e a n 5s .eos4 .ssaSs
rsssratss being Mayor Recorder ems .ss
Ad.%sn sse JsIss o. aid sty aas %; ;ss ss
nert provided such inpronmosi exceed dy.
Otker officers Of the City Government speehcsy
charged with the dny and clothed with ample poweiw
enforce obedience 10 the ordinances Of the cy, 70 w
mode pointed out by the ordinances and By ceneor ~
harmony among themselves, al ne reforms II',sd Il
Iry Init
belongs not b me- and would be highly nfehcaie IN my
part 70 pro nounce Judgment aPon their aets.
One remedy much needed IN regard 10 certain cr1nn
offences only be obtained by legislative aid sisN
TO Of assault and battery, petit larceny and eha
misdemeanors Of minor grade The most eifec,ui NOE
Of checking lawle.sness Is by prompt punishment m
volaiors Of the public peace taught that p1n
win follow close upon the heels u the ofense, mh
night rots and other scenes OF disorder and volenes
frequent in midst viii diminish, and eomp@
alive safeguard be furnished 20 citizens Unier 70
present slate q the laws this IL absolutely imPopS
Without the consent Of the accused under the Consii
and lew no man can be put upon trial until siter an
dctment j. found and the right u trial by jury In aB ess
il which heretofore existed i guaranteed foressr
Constitution o1'horze@ the passage OF laws DISPENSE
with the action OF grand jury in al except eex
0tk<ruise in0roHs crimes, and the necezsly OF soe
law a. applicable 70 this City i Paiafay apparent 70
number Of cases Of this description awaiting the se
ofthe Grand Jury and without which the public posec
cannot proceed single step. In population esceea
10000, and composed Of 20 many diyerse eemsn'.
hardly % be supposed that single tribunal can dispose
the nutarogs Of crime and criminal violence
curing almost daily; yet j. thai while the MINUS.
committing msgisirafes has been largely incfs~
the Court which created sP~aa :
a century ego, with the single addition o.
City Judge, and the power 20 prolong ~ q
si0ns % three weeks In each month. u charged ~
the trial and FINAL disposition d al these eases -
remedy Is with the LegisIs;urs By creating acme
tribunal having exclusive Jurisdiction OF 81 these
Ofeuees Dispensing with the action Of the Grsns -
thereon end with power, when demanded 20 am -
jury a. IN Jrsices Courts. by comforting tne
toxer uuon tie Special justices q The City 49,
stshbng md assault wih deadly weapons have 49,
frtQReni thai deemed i ny eaiy 70 apply ss, - /
lbasinr treviousy applied a the session Of lss1
vassge Of law making these classes ~ cases fe
yezyef 70 add hat by accident afer paasns
Informed both branches Of The Legislature -
escb the Governor AID Is Dot 70 be fosnd uPcn re