New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-03-08


have no desire to represent the outgoing Ad-
ministration as faultless-our columns will
bear witness that we have exposed and re-
proved its faults as freely as We have CON-
mended its merits But there may come
time, even within the next four years, when to
have sedulously maintained Peace, Thrift, ma.
terial Progress and Public Credit, may be re-
garded as something more than negative
merits, and against that day (may it be ever
so distant y we have made up this brief and
hasty record,
GRAND JURIBS-ALDERMANI POWER.
1t was the urgent request of the late Grand
Jury, as expressed through their foreman, and
il is the no less earnest wish Of the People, that
the investigation commenced by that Jury as
to Corruption in the Common Council and the
City Government generally should be continued
by the Recorder and in compliance with this
desire, we understand that such examination
will 90 on before Mr. Tilou.
There is ground to believe that future Grand
Juries may neglect or refuse to prosecute such
inquiries; and this belief naturally arises from
the consideration of the manner in which these
Inquests are formed. They are, without the
slightest qualification, arbitrarily created by
the Aldermen, and, however faint the family
likeness, may reasonably be supposed to bear
some strong traits of their parentage. Last
summer when speaking of the possibility Of
the Grand Jury inquiring into the alleged
Eighth-av. Railroad job, gentleman well in
formed in the matter said there was no proba-
bility that the Aldermen would be indicted,
that they had " fixed" that point by securing
large number of friends in the Grand Jury
list Whether this was really done or not,
there is no lack Of opportunity for efecting
such result. The Grand Jury list Of this
City comprises only nine hundred names, out
Of constituency Of six hundred thousand.
These 900 are apportioned among the Wards
according to population, and each Alderman,
acting as a Supervisor, selects the requisite
Lumber from his Ward at his own will aud
pleasure, being responsible TO no one except
himself Thus a Board Of Aldermen who
feared exposure might pack the Jury box with
their intimate relatives and friends or even
accomplices in iniquity; and this is one of the
strongest reasons why the Office of Supervisor
should be discharged by man elected for that
purpose only. A Grand Jury is drawn once a
month, the County Clerk, the Sheriff or a
Deputy, and one or two Judges or Justices of
the Peace (tbe latter meaning Aldermen) being
present. The Clerk draws thirty.six names,
Of whom eighteen may constitute an Inquest
These thirty.six names may be supervised by
the Aldermen, and those suspected Of desire
to look into alleged briberes, &c. may, merely
By accident of course, fail to get their notices
for instance. the officer land there is but one
to serve such notices may be taken sick, or
suddenly hurt himself or anything might hap
pen, which would secure the end. The result
then would be, Grand Jury created in the
mass by the Aldermen, drawn under their per-
sonal supervision, purged as their interests or
eighteen men, every one Of whom might be in
one way or another implicated in the corrup-
tons sought 10 be concealed We do not say
that such case ever has occurred, or that it
ever will, but the system renders it possible,
and il might occur; for this is what We under
stand by " fixing" as used in the City Hall.
That it was not securely fixed in June last, is
proved by the praiseworthy results of the Feb
uary jury and We do not presume to say that
there is not an equally honest Jury now in
session, and many more such in the box but
if all is pure, why did not the late Inquest refer
the Investigations they had begun TO their sue.
cessors instead Of the Recorder Why did
Aid. Brisley and DOherty try 10 throw the
business Of inquiry over to the March term
And why were two Aldermen (Messrs. Tweed
and Cornell, if we are rightly informed) the
judicial oyerseers Of the drawing of the jury
for the present termi
The combination of power in the person Of
d New.York Alderman is fact unparalleled in
any civilized government. Elected in many
cases by knavery, in his legislative capacity he
makes an ordinance in bis executive capacity
Cor rather usurPatiOn) he puts it in execution;
in his Judicial character he Furnishes or excul-
pates, as be may find it for his interest, the
breakers Of the same enactment. As Super.
visor, be selects the Grand Jury that is to in
yestigate his own conduct as Alderman he
runs the City in debt-as Supervisor be pays
the bill. As Alderman he enacts laws regu-
latirg the sale Of liquor; as Commissioner of
Excise he executes the same law; as Judge
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS its violation. In
fact, the Alderman is eyepthing-the law.
maker, judge and executiener; holding the
property, the peace and honor of the CITY
m his hands, with no effective check upon his