The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-02-15

priatlons for the service Of the year 1852, wore
(7l2 1877 81 less than the sums called for TO carry
the departments through the year, . shown by
report of the Comptroller to the Common Council,
presented on the 18th OF December last. The mere
deficiency for the support OF the city government for
one year only-that il, the difference between the
amount arrived at by specific and detailed state.
ments from ell the departments, through the Comp
troller and the actual disbursements for the years.
equal, within $4,000, to the aggregate sum paid
annually for the ordinary support of the State gov
ernments Of the six Western States OF Ohio, Ken.
tuck Michigan Illinois, Wisconsin, and Iowa. 1t is
s247 goo more than the cost of supporting the State
governments of Connecticut Vermont Maine, New
Hampshire, and Rhode Island and only 1897 900
less than the aggregate sum expended by the
six New England States, including Massachusetts,
which latter State expends half million annually.
This comparison, IL will be borne in mind, is
made between the ordinary payments out of the
treasures OF the several States referred to- and the
mere item OF ercesS OF expenses In our city govern
ment for one year over and above the estimates OF
the several departments, through the Comptroller.
The whole amount of expenditure of the city govern
ment is quite another matter. shown by the state
ment of the Comptroller before referred to- In this
statement he estimates the amount Of tax to be
levied in 1853 at the large Of S., Ill ,S02 49,
being an increase over the levy of 1852, Of ST. 49,
39l "A. II is not improbable from this alarming in
crease of expenditures that the rate of assessments
Of 1858 will be equal to 81 25 on each one hundred
annual expenditure Of the city government, as before
given ($5l7l S02 79) is only $40 1877 81 less than
the aggregate annual expenditures, for the ordinary
support Of government, Of the thirtyone States OF
this Union, including half million for California.
THE CHARTERS OF 1880 AND ls49.
The amended charter of 1880, section Is, declares
that annual and occasional appropriations shall be
made, by proper ordinances Of the Common Council,
for every branch and object Of the city expenditure
nor shall any money be drawn from the city treasury
except the same shall have been previously appro-
priated to the purpose for which it was drawn
Section 10 prohibits the Common Council from
borrowing money, except in anticipation OF the
act Of the Legislature
The 2Ist section declares that !" the executive
business of the Corporation Of New York shall here
after be performed by distinct departments which it
shall be the duty Of the Common Council to organize
and appoint for that purpose" The 22d section
provides for the accountability ofal officers entrusted
with the receipt or expenditure of the funds OF the
The amended charter Of ls49 took from the Com
mon Council the power Of appointing the heads OF
the several departments, and made provision for
eecting these officers every three years by the PEG
pie. 6 20)
This amendment to the city charter also provides
that the executive power of the corporation shall
be vested in the Mayor, the heads Of departments,
and such other executive officers as shall be from
time to time created by law; and neither the Common
Council nor any committee or member thereof, shall
perform any executive business whatever except
such as is or shall be specially imposed on them by
the laws of the State and except that the Board Of
Aldermen may approve or reject the nominations
made to them ,as hereinafter provided"
Section IL declares, that "there shall be an eYecu
tive department, which shall be denominated the
Department Of Finance, which shall have control OF
all the fiscal concerns of the corporation and shall
accounts whatever and all accounts rendered to, or
kept in the several departments of the city govern
ment shall be subject to the inspection and revision
of this department. It shall settle and adjust all
cIo iuu hafc nv the pOrnorQfiOn AGAINST
them, and all accounts whatever in which the cor
poraton is concerned either as debtor or creditor.
The chief officer Of this department shall be called
the Comptroller Of the city OF New York" :. ,o,o,.
as follows-"No money shall be drawn from the city
treasury except the same shall have been previously
appropriated to the purpose for which it was drawn
and al appropriations shall be based upon specific
heads Of departments, through the Comptroller"
These are extracts from the amendments to the
charters of 1880 and l849, and are alike obligatory
on the Common Council and the several departments
to which they refer. The amendments made in $780,
were first recommended by convention Of the people
Of the city, chosen for the express purpose Of revis
ing the city charter they were then approved by the
free sufages of the electors; and finally recommended
to the legislature by the almost unanimous consent
Of the corporation
Twenty three years have passed since the inhabi-
tants of the city were aroused to hold convention,
in consequence Of an increase, in three years, Of
items complained Of are expenses for refreshments
at the CITY Hall and Almshousc and reffeshmentsfor
courts and ures; and in reference to the last item
Of only 800, Stephen Allen, who reported the
amendments to the Senate, says lit Is entirely new
in the annals Of corporation accounts; adding that
the expense Is trfing for this item but it helps to
show the progress Of illegal acts, when once begun
and suffered to continue with IMMUNITY" And he
also says"N0 regular appropriations are ever made,
as the committee are informed for any object Of ex-
penditure whatever, particularly for the amounts
DISTURBED In celebrations, parades and refreshments
any inquiry entered into whether the funds are in
tee have to believe however, If the bill under
consideration should pass into law, that q check
will be given to this crying evil ESQ much and 80
Justly complained Of by the people Of New York by
made for every object of expenditure" Mr.. Allen
adds az folows:-"The 2lst section of the bill is also
new, and directs that the executive business of the
corporation shall be performed by distinct depart
ments. This appears to be necessary, both on
account OF relieving the members of the Common
Council from this addition to their duties, as well as
the placing of the business in the hands Of response
BILE persons. Much Of the business is now done, as
the committee are informed, by committees Of the
board. 1t is frequently by their orders that expend
lures are made and disbursements directed; and in
this way, both the legislative and executive business
Of the board is performed by the same persons"
The convention which matured the amendments OF
1890, after providing for specific appropriations for
every branch and object of the city expenditure,
for making distinct departments for managing the
finances and all business of the city, and after hay
ing prohibited the Common Council.from exercising
executive duties, and from the old mode of replensh
ing the finances by borrowing on bonds, evidently
supposed that the people had reasonable guaranty
for economy In expenditures, and correction of the
abuses which were complained Of, and which led
to the convention. This is evident from the expos
ton made at the time by Stephen Allen (who had
been member Of the convcnton), when he intro
duced the amendments to the charter in the Senate
of this State.
After twenty years experience under the restric
tons provided by the amendments of $780, during
which period the city expenses increased from
s507 107 "a in 1922 to So 230 085 in 1S4s another
application was made to the Legislature for amend
ments to the charter, of stringent character
On the subject Of appropriations, the following SEN
tence added to the provision in the charter Of
$780, viz" And all appropriations shall be based
upon specific and detailed statements, in writing, Of
the several heads Of departments through the Comp
troller.'
If each disbursing officer, combining himself to
those expenditures authorised by the charter and