The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-03-07

experience has made apparent and the amendments
objects then sought to be accomplished and they
to give to the OF the city that char
acter which is stamped upon all State constitutions
Such being their nature II would be proper 70
give them immediate effect 1t would be unjust and mex
pedient to postpone their operation merely to crafty
those in power and who elected to render
vice. not to themselves, but to the public 1t Ia not
pected nor is it desired that these changes in
Dicpal government shall take place without the concur
renee of the people The people OF this city wholly
competent to manage their affairs and will
amendments; but they have power to amend the
charter, except with the authority of the legislature
They apply for this authority in the full confidence that
from the evils Of mis- government and from the disgrace
which attends It, will not be unheeded by the bled
wisdom and power of the State.
}. w. GERARD, ESQ.,, was then introduced to the
meeting, and when the paudts which greeted him
had subsided, said:-I see around me mighty mass
OF my fellow citizens. have around me men of all
shades OF party OF all compilations in religions and
OF every station in life. You have here from the man
who governs and owns the large ship that goes down
to the sea, to the caulker who works upon her bot
tom. You have here the importer who enters his
invoices by hundreds of thousands of dollars to the
carman who earns his two shings load in his
employment. You have lawyer here-(applause)
Now why is this my friends, What has brought
you here? There is no band Of music to please your
ears. There are no banners hung up which party
may call upon the vgilant to stand around, crying
the watchword of their party. There is nothing in
the call, but simply " come" Why have you como
here! There is no public enemy at your door. Your
SC. Yet why have You come here Tonight, in this
mighty united form and determined mass? There is
something wrong at home. You have just heard an
address, calm temperate, dgnifed and moderate and
in the same spirit as far am concerned shall this
meeting be conducted. We are here to present our
grievances, not by addressing the passions but the
reason. We have come to reform, not to anathema-
TIE. We have not come to hold indignation
meeting. Why, then, have we come? There must
have been something to draw us here. My friends,
there is something that has drawn you here to-
gether, in which men of all compilations of party
Of all trades Of all classes in life will agree with one
voice and with one heart. Public opinion is alive.
You have come here, and yet, although you come By
thousands, you are but small committee of the
that public opinion is now pouring over our city
like the mighty rivers Of the West, broad, deep and
most powerful and resistless in it's CURRENT and
that public opinion which now rules over our city.
(Applause) My friends, in ancient times the Greeks
had this fable:-They had dog, the emblem OF
Watchfulness, and d. this dog had three heads and
their mythology to watch the Internal regions, 30
that when man once got in there. he never should
get out. Naughter2 We have, in modern times,
in the city Of New York, our Cerberus, with three
heads and with three tongues and although you have
not placed him to guard the gates of Tartarus, you
have placed him as guardian over the city treasury
i mean Comptroller Flagg. loud app1ause) Il
is the triple tongue Of Cerberus that has called you
here, and you have answered his call most nobly.
(Applause.) And what does he tell you? Here b
the TACT that called you, the argumentun' ad hosni-
mum. That is the reason you have come. Figures
have called you here. Now let me give you few
figures without being professed accountant. He
tells you that this year the people Of New York will
be called upon to pay as taxes IS I'LL 900.
VoIcE-Is that all2 (Great laueAter)
Mr.. GEnARD-That is to begin with. Q1augh-
ter3 Their estimates always fall short. We are
will be Sill 900. An increase last years tax
OF 81 ,79l 00O which is more than half and he says
the rate of taxation will be $l.25 on every
500 Of real and personal property. Now ! want to
reeson with you. l want every man here, from him
who owns the big ship to the cauker from the cler
gyman in his pulpit to the shoemaker who works at
his last from the carpenter who plies his plane to
to me. Who pays those taxes From whose pockets
are these s5 ,0O0,O 600 and odd to come this year I?
Not from the landlords but from those Of the tenants.
(Applause) What does the landlord do? Why he
takes his interest upon his house and capital, and
calculates his rate Of insurance, and then watches
with double magnifiers the tax book. (Appause.)
And then the landlord puts it upon the home OF tho
tenant and the tenant, either directly indirectly,
pays every arthng of the tax upon the real estate
1t IS mistaken notion that if the tax gatherer does
not call upon him in person to demand the tax that
pays through the landlord, and that is the
only difference. Now then for personal tax.
suppose mechanic, by hard laber, when
$1,000, invested in bond and mortgage at seven
per cent producing her and her children 1850 year,
at what rate is the tax to be this year? Why,
Comptroller Flagg says 81 % upon the $loo q
income of $3.50, $62 so for taxes, you have $297 SO
left for her. instead of her $3.50 The same thing
pervades all classes of life, and sixth of your
personal property goes to support the government Of
the city under which You live. Follow me again, if
you please. Our city by the last census contained
little little oyer 100000 people think about $4,000.
Of taxes, and It makes nearly sio head for every
man, woman and child within the precincts of the
city, Reflect upon that Figures never lie. There
they are they speak for themselves Now, then,i if
the taxation goes on increasing in this way where
Will you land ten years hence? put it to every man
who is here, where will you land ten years hence
Cerberus tells you that the tax upon the city
of New York is sufficient, within 100000, 70
support all the State governments Of the whole
country. Add 100000 to the amount to be
raised this year, and you have the whole
Atlantic to the Pacifcfrom the pine barrens of the
North to the olive groves Of the South. There is no
mistake about that Mr.. Flaggs figures are invaria-
bly, correct. Now, then, gentlemen, what do you get
of the prominent items. You see, am reasoning
with you. shall attempt to make no speech, but
merely call Your attention to q few simple facts.
What do You have2 Let us look at the light-gas
and OIL Suppose the moon ought to shine, but does
not have you any light then Never. U4aughter.)
According to the almanac you have light, but ac
rity. (Laughter) Again, look at your six miles of
wharves and piers Are there not men there who
are there at night Are there not men engaged in
shipping? Is there not the laborer, as well rs the
emgrant and sailor, who is to go on board his ship
at nighty And yet, with all the mighty sum you pay
for light year, there is not gas light on any of the
numerous piers OF your whole CITY, and the coroners
inquests tell many story OF the poor sailor and
the poor emigrant found drowned. So much
for gas. Q.aughter.) What IS next? Streets
clean streets. Cloud laughter Let US take the bull
by the horns Uaughter.) You and pay 1925 900
for clean streets-L am told more. but want TO be
within bounds-and yet New York is the most
filthy city in existence. lately had occasion to see
some cities abroad-London for instance-where
every strees is swept between two aud FIVE o'clock in
the morning, and sprinkea, and all the dirt re.
in Italy; and felt ashamed at the mighty piles of
filth and dirt in my own native city. I travelled on
until got to Edinburgh, and went through the
old town, and thought had been transported to