New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-03-07
CITY REFORM

&c.
In pursuance Of the call published In The
lr6une and other journals on Thursday and
Friday last, a meeting of citizens was held on
Saturday night at Metropolitan Hall. II was
the largest meeting ever held in this City in
regard to City Affairs, and represented much
larger portion of the wealth and labor of the
metropolis than ever before assembled for any
purpose whatever. The Hall was filed in
every part at the organization of the meeting,
and during the proceedings the Hobbies became
go crowded that ingress and egress were near
ly impossible
At y O'Clock, Co. JAMES LEE came for.
ward, stepped upon the platform and stated
that he had been requested 70 organize the
meeting He then proposed
PETER COOPER, Esq., President.
Which nomination was hailed with the most
enthusiastic cheers, continuing for long time.
Mr.. COOPER came forward and spoke as
follows:
GZYTLEMEs: take this chair deeply sensi-
bic Of the unmerited honor you have conferred By
calling TO preside vast an assenblage OF my
fellow citizens feel gentlemen my entire inability
10 give form and expressou TO those feess that strug
gle within me for utterance on this occasion. We
have assembled gentlemen 10 deliberate on one of the
most important and responsible duties that
pied the the attention Of intelligent aud accountable
men Weare called upon by al,hst we should hope for
and by all that should fear come to the codcra-
ton Of this subject in a ri ght spirit mourning the
A. i
While We sorrow over the painful duty that devolves
upon US trust will performit fearlessly in the light
Of ell the experience of tie past If 1t possible
for US, should rise the wings of thought and fly
back to remote periods of antiquity aud thence pass
down the current Of human events, amid the monu.
ments Of human folly gathering wisdom from the suf
ferngs and experience of tn past should there
inscribed in staring capitals that unaterabe law found
cd in the depths OF infinite wisdom by which vice and
misery are inseparably connected. We should there
see that we, as individual 90 community, State, and
badCD, have been, and will be, bound and insep
arably connected by this unaterabe law. sentiment
penned by the celebrated Dr. Young Is beautifully ap
pctble on the present occasion. He says that wis
dom Is not the growth Of action, but Of reflection it.
He then snid be that reflects not never reaps has
harvest carries the burden Of age without the wages Of
experience; nor knows himself older butby the parish
register, and the contempt humankind Aproper course
! OF reflection on the past experience Of mankind will
teach that the great distinguishing trait that dgufes
and onnoblcs the character Of man. il the power that
God has evonhm keep tho great garden ofthe world
10 subdue II and have dominion IT, That very soil
that is ready bring forth natures choicest fruits
WILL if neglected grow up with briars and thorns, and
will vex IN in the land wherein we dwell 1t IL these
brars and thorns the result Of past neglect that
we, thrust as a community, are determined to remove.
A reflection the experience of tao past will show us
tina, some features Of our City Government are not
founded in wisdom. 1t ia not the part of wisdom to
subject any Of fellow citizens 10 temptations that
our experience has shown to be more than they are
able TO bear Hence 1t s necessary to bring back the
Government to the proper consideration OF the people,
who hold the power to remedy the abuses under which
they sufer. We suffer as community by having
formed despotism in our midst We have done this
by having united the Lceislsture the Executive and
judicial powers Of cur Government In one body This
is what Thomas Jefferson called dcspotsm and Is a
fruitful source ofthe dcmora zation of public
This feature Of government we should so alter
and amend, that every power and duty required for
the security OF the lives and property OF our City
should be clearly specified aud confined TO appro
pirate departments where each individual should
be held to the strictest possible accountability The
ofthe community should RENE mber that they are bear
inc bu1thens OF taxation made necessary in their rents
their food, and in their clothing by the wastefI and
extravaeant expenditures OF our City government
They should also remember that the remedy for these
abuses Of our government is fully within their power
aud control we, the people, should assemble o.
every block Of our City before every coming election
and choose proper person from each block to repre-
sent the true interest of our wards in the primary
meetings for the selection OF qualified 10 perform
the duties required 10 the substantial interest
our City These Interest," fellow citizens, can only o
secured from the grasp designing men but by perpet
us wrtchulness the part OF those who desire secu
rity and good government will not longer intrud
on your time as there gentlemen present who vii
address you on the subject that has called US together
IApplausel
Mr.. LEE then proposed the following list
Vice Presidents and Secretaries requesting them :
come forward as their names were called:
Vlcr PXKsDrSrs- Willard l. Felt President c
Mercantile Library Association; Royal Phelps, Deesa1
J of Merchants Oh the Exchange; William Il. CrosO)
Leonard w. Kip, Peter Stuyvesant Old kniekerbocke
, | Committee Wm. Henry Stagg nominated by me
Novelty Works, 600; Gerardus Cushman Ch@Ihs !,
OF meeting do Christian Metz gar nominated by WoI'
men of Webbs ship yard Daniel HeIrick, blAcssInu
! of Westeryelts ship yard stephen hendefsol
nominated at meeting Of Carmen John l. Buckle,
Jacob II. Neyins, nominated by the Corn bAchAhse
| Ne. Hubbard nominated by Dealers In Provisions
, | Wm Whi,lock Jr., Merchant PhIp Woodh9us
Shipmaster; John Young, Cooper VIM brownlhs, noi
worker; Randolph Brandt, Masen James Hsrriot,, do
. Robert Henry, Carpenser John :. Meyer, H9use6ulh
or. Caleb Brash Lumber dealer; Horny Erben. For
man of the late Grand Jury James Brown, Banker
Geo Griswold Henry Grinnell Moses Taylor, Merchan
representing South 81, Joshua J. henry, Dry uood'
James Harper. ex. Mayor, Publisher Richard NJ Ho
Msohnist; John Thompson COschInsker VIM
a Webb ShiY-buuder; Hors,iO Allen, Mschinist; since
Baldwin President OF Merchants Exchange; Rchai
Suydhn Merchant: VIM AgGe,v, Transformation
{ VIM. Abbott, Grocer Jacob Aims I. a. Collins, u
Inns Line OF Steamers samuel p. Townsend, Phy'
o oisn Moses Devoe Butcher: A NJ Bride, Stonecutte
rcter :. Bryant, CaTuan John W. Howe, Baker :.
Altahsuse. Crate maker: Michael GrosZ, Blacksmith
VIM. IL. Hooper, LesIher,deAleri James BROOKS, d