New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1853-06-21
TUESDAY MORNING, JUNE 81, is
CORPORATION REFORM

The citizens of New York, disguised and out.
ragged by the open and fragrant corruption which
has long prevailed in that political, commercial
and social Babylon, have at last made some de.
cided movement for reform. The motive is. nc
doubt, a good one. The end, too. is excellent
But the most practical inquiry is into the ade-
qaacy OF the means to accomplish that end
Are they not too sanguine in looking to the mere
change in the theory of their city government
as sufficient to extirpate evils and corruptions
which lie deeper than any mere political regu-
lations' DO they imagine that Ethiopia would
cleanse Gotham of political or social corruption
Would it abolish grog shop meetings, extrpate
political rowdyism, and break up corrupt CO.
teries, banded together to rob the people and
control the government Would it drive ruff
finism from our polls Indeed, can any mer,
theoretical expedients reach the great practical
evils of our political organizations, which grow
out of idleness, dissipation and demagogism
These are the sources of your troubles, your
corruptions, and the imbeclity of your govern
ment, unfortunate sons of Gotham. The true
remedy is to adopt and act upon the motto of
Pope:
'Of forms of government let fools contest:
That which is best administered is best
Elect honest, true, respectable citizens to
administer your government, in preference to
grog- shop rowdies and trading politicians, and |
you will find that defects of the law will ever |
seriously embarrsss you. Ii is a common error
In this country to seek for relief in mere statu
tory provisions, which is really to be found only
in the honesty, intelligence and virtue of our
political agents Our people resemble, in this
respect, the invalid, who places more confidence
In nostrums and potions than he does in those
certain cures, abstinence, temperance, exercise
and pure air. Many persons, as soon as thew
feel slightly unwell-a condition brought on by |
GONE imprudence-rush to a doctor, or to their
medicine chest, and ply their stomachs with
some nauseous compound, which either produces
no effect at all, or makes bad worse So, too,
our citizens, when evil develops itself in our
political administration, imagine that they have
only to change the law to remove the evil Our
legislators are our doctors. If they can't cure
our complaints, there is little use of our tryipp
to cure ourselves. This is very hurtful error.
We trust the New Workers will find some
relief, If not penecea, in their new reform
charter. The whole country is interested in ,
the improvement and publication of this great
and political metropolis 1t is from t
New York flow the leading ideas, notions and
fashions which govern the whole country and !
influence the minds and habits of the people, If \
Ehe spring is corrupt, the stream with all its c
branches must be tainted. We, here in the c
crescent City, can see and perceive this infu-
'nce which New York exerts over the minds y
'astes and habits of our people Unfortunately,
his influence has hitherto been an evil one s
That 1t may ever be made good and happy
me, will depend upon the virtue of the people
Who administer, rather than upon the forms by d
which the government may be administered II
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