The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-06-08

moment, WlthOut huorulD8 WeiA-IouDoeu grOuno5
for an accusation Of breach Of faith.
In the meantime the inaction Of the bellige-
rents, and the little progress that has been as
yet made towards enforcing the prot. ssed OBJ
jects Of the coalition, clearly indicate that the
latter are holding of until they are assured OF
the active support of Austria and Prussia.
They seem unwilling to drive matters to ex-
tremes as long as this important and vital
question remains unsettled and as, from pre-
sent appearances, they seem as FIR removed
from it as ever, there would be nothing sur
prising in the fact if failing to accomplish the
purpose which they have 80 long been laboring
at, they were in the end TO accept some new
form ofcompromise suggested by the doubtful
attitude of the two Powers. 1t is clear that,
notwithstanding the magnitude of their prepare
tiOns, and the confidence expressed by their
organs, neither England nor France have any
appetite for the contest in which they are en-
gagged, and that they are already fully i'm
pressed with the dangers to which protracted
struggle, such as they will have to carry on
without the aid Of Austria and Prussia, must
inevitably expose them.
The affair of the Black Warrior still remains
in the same unsettled state. The Spanish gov
eminent are willing to refund the $4,000 fine
imposed upon the owners, but they will not
give up the previous fine levied upon the same
vessel, and also paid under protest. They are
anxious to change the renue Of the dispute to
Washington, where they hope to get easier
terms than from Mr.. Soufe, and have accordingly
sent out special messenger, with instructions
to that effect, to Senior Ceuto. In the mean
while they are making active preparations for
ihes,defence of Cuba, troops and munitions of
war being either on their way or about to be
despatched to that island.
The Address from the Municipal Reform
Committee.
After the experience of the reform Council
we have had during the past few months, we
hardly expected to hear any more Of the Re-
form Committee under whose auspices the
present city charter was hatched and the last
municipal elections carried. 1t isnot dead yet
however, as we learn from an address which ap-
peared in our columns yesterday; and, what is
still more surprising, the gentlemen who com
pose the committee, far from mourning over
the failure of their labors, actually congratu-
late themselves and the city on the good
that has been accomplished by the amended
charter" There is o French proverb which
says that in the kingdom of the blind, one-eyed
men are chosen to reign; and it is possible to
conceive state of things compared to which
even the anarchy and misgovernment of 1854
might look like Improvement. But it needs
bold fancy to do anything Of the kind. In
almost every respect, New York has been as
badly governed during the past six months as
it is possible to conceive. Tales of corruption
have been less frequent than they were, per-
haps; but it is by no means equally clear that
corruption itself has disappeared from the cor
poration. Inefficiency was never SO conspicu-
GUS in every department On several occasions
the public service has been brought to positive
stop through the inability or unwillingness of
the municipal boards TO discharge their duty.
The streets have been, and are still disgrace.
fully dirty. For a few weeks, during which
ration of this branch Of its duties, we had one
clean street, and the air in Broadway was pare
Genin had no sooner abandoned the broom
than Dirt reasserted its sway, and the great ar.
terry of the city again resembled cloaca The
debates in the boards of Aldermen and Couu-
cilmen have never been surpassed for frivoliiy
aid ehildishness Neither body has matured a
single practical measure. Neither has achieved
q single act by which it shall be remembered
after its dissolution. Both have trod faithfully
in the footsteps Of their predecessors: shade
purer in heart than they, perhaps, but atonins
for their higher morality by greater feeble
ness Of will and inaptness of purpose.
Such is the government whose " operations"
says the municipal reform committee, "have
been salutary and beneficial" 1t must hive
cost Mr.. Peter Cooper and his friends a seve q
pang, after this sanguine assertion, to ad 4
that more might have been achieved under
famous reform charter. They 10 So howeyel
and ascribing the accident to the election OF
party men instead Of simple municipal re-
formers to the Offices OF Alderman and
Councilman. derlore the apathy of the people
Of New York, who would not be guided-by
the committee in making their selections OF
men to carry out The provisions of the reform
charter. There is here, we apprehend, some
little diversity Of opinion between the commit
tee and ourselves. The former charge I
failure (Which they regard only as partially Vi
the charter on the apathetic manner in which
the last elections were managed. We ascribe
it on the contrary to the inherent faults of the
charter itself We admit with the committee
that it would be far better to elect municipal
officers without reference to party politics; bat
as we see no chance of any such reform ever
being realized, we do not lay so much stress
upon it as that highly respectable body. On
the other hand, we do see possibility Of such
a change being made in our city government
as will enable it to work freely, harmouiously
and with etI!ciency-that change being of course
the adoption of the principle of the federal