The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-02-01


rate have contaminated their interference in orr
affairs by passing the bill to prevent raj =
road in Broadway. whether the citizens of Jew
York will or not; and to give color ofimp Art;ai-
ity to the proceeding. and to dvest it ii the ap-
pearance Of special legislation the ~ have ex-
tended it. by an amendment to tb e whole city
and to the State at large. Inste Ad of diminish
Ing the arbitrary nature of lhe act, this only
makes it the more obnoxioAs the more sweep
ing. and the more destructive of the interests
of the citizens Of New York 1t renders the
charter perfect nudity. It remains to be
seen whether the members of the Assembly
will lerd themselves to such an undertaking
pouncins. by one fell swoop.' upon the char
tered rights of half million Of people.
In connection with this question, we
perceive that "a public meeting Of the
owners of property in the city of New
York will be held at the Merchants Ex-
change to-day for the purpose of expressing
their approval of the act of the Senate of the
State OF New York. passed on the 18th inst, rela-
tive to the construction Of railroads in cities Of
this State generally, and the city Of New York
in particular. and to take into consideration the
reforms called for in our city government"
How far the meeting will endorse the terms Of
the call remains to be seen; but one thing is
very clear, and that is. that the gentlemen call
ing this ratification meeting stand very much
in the position of the wiseacre who locked the
stable door after the horse was stolen. We often
appealed to them in vain to prevent the evil,
and now after it is done. they raise the alarm,
when the effect will be. not to undo the mis-
chief that has been accomplished. but to put
rod to whip themselves and all the citizens Of
New York. They talk of reform" when there
is hardly anything left for which an effort can
be made; and in endeavoring to defeat single
measure to which they are opposed they endorse
bill that is like Pandora's box-fraught with
all manner of evil. We believe, however. that
the mass of our citizens will not be led away
on false scent, however opposed they may
be to the Broadway railroad, and incensed
against the proceedings that have prevailed
in the Common Council for several years
past, whether wings or democrats have held the
rens- To take the power of local legislation
out of the hands of the Common Council, and
therefore out of the hands of the people, aud
place it in the hands Of the State Legislature,
and subject to lobby influence at Albany, would
be to jump out Of the frying pan into the fire.
and reminds us of the act Of the horse, in the
fable, which sought the assistance of man to
help it to conquer the stag, and put rider on
his back; but when that was accomplished,
man remained the horses master and has con-
tinued in that relation till this day. Let the
Wall street gentlemen, therefore, reflect. They
may encourage the Legislature at Albany to
pass bill to get rid Of the Broadway railroad,
but in SO doing they saddle themselves with
rider that they cannot shake of, and that may
drive them to serious evil.
These gentlemen are not more hostile to
railroad in Broadway than we are We
opposed it from the start, and have opposed
it in every stage and will oppose it to the end;
but we want to have it defeated by consttu-
tional means--to have it overthrow upon it's
own merits, and by the will of the people, and
not by dangerous stretch Of arbitrary power.
Much as we are averse to q railroad in our great
thoroughfare, we are more opposed to an in
vasiOn Of the municipal rights Of the people-the
principle Of self government-the power to ma
mage their own affairs. If the Broadway specu-
latiCn be only left to the courts of law and to
the people, they will give it its quietus but to
invoke the Legislature to NEEDLE in the matter.
is to invite them to put bit in our mouths,
and to check all the improvements Of this GO
ahead city, of which many Of them are already
envious and jealous. 1t is to transfer the seat
Of operations from New York to Albany. and to
render reforms for ever impossible, by placing
them beyond the control of the people who have
an interest in reformation.
Instead of this, if the Legislature want to serve
the city of New York, let them improve the
charter with the consent of the people who
voted for it) by separating the magisterial from
the legislative power in the members of the
Board Of Aldermen-by making the Board of
Assistants check on the Board of Aldermen.
and not to have both boards elected by the same
votes, as they are now-by having the Board of
Supervisors totally distinct body from the
Common Council, instead of revising their own
acts, as they do at present finally by chang
ing our police system, taking away the appoint
mcnt from the Aldermen, and giving it to CON-
missioners subject to the approval Of the judges
and comforting the Office for life or, rather du-
ring good behavior" Let them do this; but let
them not attempt to violate the charter by
side-wind while yet it is the law Of the land. If
they mean reform, lei them lay the axe to the
root Of tie evil. instead Of looping off the
branches, only making room for fresh shoots to
spring forth with greater yigor. The great OBJ
stacle in the way Of reform is party. When the
democrats are out of Office they are very zeal
Gus for retreDchnent and reform. When the
wings are out. they are equally Jealous. But
when both parties are in, they arc opposed to all
reform, and practically carry out the doctrine