The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-03-09


which did not exist in the city Of New York. He |
went on to show how much better governed New |
York was than any other city in the Union and he
to show you that they were taxed in o
been for the disagreeabs fact which came to my
mind afterwards, might almost have conceived that
the citizens OF New York were complaining without
cause And this is the simple fact, that within the
last year the taxes have been raised fifty per cent
That was plain, home fact, which satisfied me that
all the gentle mans coquence did not amount to any
thing. He almost induced me TO forget that the
Common Council Of the city of New York, TOR sup
pers and carriage hire had expended niteen .hoasana
dollars last year; but yet we know that to be rea
ty. But yet this is only one mode OF taxation. rhcy
tax us in every way--they tax us in the sale OF our
real estate-they taxed US in selling the Gansevoort
when they could have got three hundred
thousand dollars for it, and the dinerence
was 80 much money taken out of the City Treasury.
Now, gentlemen, l come to what conceive 70
the law itself Mr. French here called for aud read
TIE bill as engrossed. In respect to this law no
said, merely want to say that when came here |
was not even posted up on the law. But II il had
some OF the delegation from New York it did, 1
would have been just as ready to oppose the law as
the other side would have been. am New York
er-l have my prejudces and feelings all wing there
New York is used to it, and can stand million oc
casional'y, and make it up again. but If this bill had
contemplated interfering with our chartered rights
! would not even for the purpose OF stopping that
road part with any Of the rights which justly belong
to the city Of New York There has been q grea-
deal said about centeriDg power in Albany do not
dissent from from any one thing said on the othe
side, about the danger OF Capitalization. But what
is there in this act which centraizes power in AL
bany? Nothing If they show me anything in Thu
act to deprive the citizens of New York OF any
their chartered rights, will withdraw all my advo-
cacy Of the bill and go as far as they do to oppose its
Dat a.. - ,,,oh tn, M anna
here to seek for that very protection which we re
ceive in constitution; and said last night thank
God that we do not live IN purely democratic coun
tIy never want to live under the despotsin OF the
majority. do not want to live under the deSp0tiim
OF enc despot of many. We want you t. establish
fundamental principles of right and equity We
want the establishment Of principles Of which there
can be no two understanding opinions. We want
you to give MS guarantees against corruption. Char
ters and constitutions made for this express pur
pose. Unfortunately, history has given too many in
stances where our representatives have robbed rs Of
our rights, deranded us out of our money; and the
very act We ask you to pass now, Is an act guarding
against fraud and corruption. We merely ask You to
pass general act not special We ask you to
pass act, for the whole State If you please, or d
recty for the city OF New York; but leave it exelu
sivey with the people OF New York to decide the
practicabity Of the road and whether it is desra-
bic. ! am willing 10 admit that we know
better our oEn wants thar you could do. But the
bill applied for is in itself, organic law; it sup
plies deficiency in our charter and will, therefore,
have the force and application OF an organic law.
We only ask you to say to these men, you shall give
contracts when called for by the people, and you
shall give them on honest and fair principles" We
will net allow Messrs. Jacob Sharp and others to
come in and take contracts and exclude other citizens
from bidding against them We do not want you to
give contracts to any particular persons; but tell
you that every citizen has equal right in the city
to receive public contracts Every man of capital
or every few men OF associated capital have equal
right to come into the market and ask for these
grants, upon precisely the same principle Of those
grantees who counted the profits oil the undertaking.
and then afterwards sounded the public men, and
then 60 and count the votes for and against and then
come out with the mock show Of advocacy before the
people. We only ask you to pass laws which will
protect us from fraud. Say to the Common Council
Of New York, "you shall grant any railroad you
please but when you do so, you must put it fairly in
the market" Let the Legislature say to the people
"you can afford to ride through Broadway
for cent" and what would be the rosat2 Those
poor girls who live up town, who have to work
for their living, and ride backwards and forwards on
that trackwho nave to go down to the shops to get
work, and to ride back again to labor on t-how
would they benefit by it, ] want to know if two
cents each way is consideration to girl receiving,
at the highest amount Of compensation, about fifty
cents day, cut OF which she has got to pay her
board. Two cents each way make four cents day,
or four fiftLs of loaf of bread Or il it is poor
woman with family of children, is quarters rent
III the year no consideration to her? 1t il nothing
to these gentlemen who have their immense wealth
they could buy railroad, and not feel it much
those people paying si2 As extra ia the one year
But say If they are going to put toll gatherers on
Broadway / do not zee any objection at all that
they should reduce the toll to as low consideration
give us protectionall we ask is for it to lay down
the rules by which New York shall be governed.
They say our charter is old, and that you
have no right TO interfere with it, Why,
it is common thing to ask you 70 in
tcrfere with it every three or four years.
Our charter is mere creation of the Legislature, or
in other words, it is the mere act of legislation,
aside from its franchises in fee. 1t be made
and unmade whenever the Legislature pleases; in
fact, it is our constitution which we ask from you.
All we ask now is-here is new feature come up
which the charter does not provide for-here are
valuable grants given away without the city dsriv
ing proper remuneration for them grants sufI
cent have been given away in the city of New
York-if they had been given with discrimination
for the last two years and will be given away in the
balance Of the term Of this Common Council, if not
prohibited by the proposed BILL which would reduce
the enormous tax Of the city to mere song-all we
ask from you is to say to these gentlemen, stop
You have vet time to stop the Broadway Railroad
at least Two millions of dollars is consideration
and we ask you to us two millions Of dollars on
the Broadway Railroad. | ask tie New York dele
CATION to look to their constituency, and to save
those people who live up town from the imposition
of this twOffths increase of toll. We want you to
stop that extra toll Of two cents The fare ought to
be brought down to three cents at eas-a reduction
which is OF great Importance to the persons living
in the upper districts of the city. They will
look upon that as a tax levied on them by
law, in a monopoly granted by the Common
Council to favored individuals. And say It is
asking too much to compel those travelling that
railroad to pay that enormous toll into the pockets Of
the Common Council. We ask you to stop it for a
time at least. II Is not Indispensable that the rail-
road be laid down in three four days, in three
years there Is no imperative hurry about 1t. said
last night, that the railroads now in operation or
contemplated within the city of New York will take
you within block Of any corner the island above
Fourteenth street. If It will do that where ia the
indispensable necessity Of laying down this road this
winter! They ask when will you pass this coatem-
plated general law answer, the Legislature never
refused the city Of New York anything If the citizens
of Nsw York have asked for it. II we ask the Lee
gislaturc to pass fair and just law. have every
confidence in 1t that it will grant our request. All
ask is to stop the laying down Of the railroad for
a season, at most, if you please. The road can be
commenced en- fair and honorable principles, If you