The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-03-22
BEGINNING OF THE MOVEMENT FOR Cry RE-

BEGINNING OF THE MOVEMENT FOR CRY Re-
foRM.-Alderman Motifs project for city re-
form, by repeating the late charter, has been
voted down by eleven to nine. We regard this
as most suspicious commencement for the
struggle. The subject viii soon attract gene
raj attention among the enlightened classes Of
the community, and ere long repeal will be
trumphantly carried. The opposition made to
the project in the corporation has been equally
ignorant, absurd, and impracticable. No loNg
! Arguments are needed to show the futilty Of
every charter and every form of government
that have been inflicted on this city for the
last twenty-iour years. For the corruption,
venality, folly, imbecility, and negligence
which have characterized them in every de-
partment in which the public comfort was con
cerned during the last six or eight years. we
are no doubt indebted in some measure to the
corruption natural to politicians and to human
nature. But large share of these faults must
be laid to the charge of the impracticable form
of government inflicted upon us by grog shop
politicians, and broken down dcmagogues from
the interior of the State.
| Look at the root Of the matter. The canal
system of New York originated and was orga-
nized by the great De Witt Clinton. Had his
original plan been carried out the canals
might now have been completed on the enlarged
| plan, the debt nearly effaced from the State re-
gister, and q revenue might have been accruing
every year to the State. Unfortunately, how
| ever, race of narrow minded, selfish huckster
ing politicians, sprung up at Albany under tha
name of the Albany Regency, and caused all
the changes, all the embarrassments, all the
distractions, which have marked the history OF
our canal policy. These Albany regency poll
| ticians tinkered the constitution every few
| years in order to suit their selfish schemes, and
thus INSTRUCTED the completion of the canals.
| After years of contests they were finally rooted
out AT their defeat, few struggling planks
from the wreck Of the old regency hoated down
the Hudson as far as New York. and located
themselves on our city government, on which
they have been living for the last eight or ten
/ years. The present charter of this CITY, and
the present system of msgovernment under
which we live, originated with them. Benjamin
+. Butler is known to be the father of the char
ter, and Azariah Flagg one of the chief agents
appointed to carry it into execution-both of
them men long known as favorite leaders of the
regency. They brought here from Albany, the
same narrow minded, dilatory obstructive policy
which characterized them there. Thanks to
them, we have charter and form of govern
ment that is utterly useless and impractcable
for the performance of the municipal business.
The streets cannot even be swept without in
voking the extra-constitutienal power of the
Board of Health. There is no responsibility in
any department of the government, and no
unity of action. Every bureau and depart
ment msmanages its concerns without refer
ence to any other branch.
Under such an absurd system, this city will
assuredly be, few months hence, prey to
pestilence, unless the people wake up and carry
out q radical revolution in the form of their
government. We must return to one executive
head responsible for every subordinate execu-
tive officer, and legislative body, on the plan
OF the federal government of the Union No
thing short of this will suit the emergency. We
augur well of the prospect of this much needed
REFORM when we see that the very first attempt
that is made to repeal the present charter was
only defeated by majority of two.
Musical Intelligence.
MADAME BoUcHEIE's CoNCERT-The benefit concert got
up by the congregation Of Calvary Church. for this ami
able and popular artist tonight and from the
exertons that have been made to give it all the eca pos
sibe, will have doubt prove most brilliant and
attractive affair Besides the other artists of emnence
who, it will be by the programme in this days
ho~vn xx-sh.
ting occasion, Mr.. Wallace the celebrated composer.
has also rendered his aid and his admirers will have an
opportunity Of hearing him perform, perhaps for the
last tme previous to his contemplated visit to Europe
The programme exhibits array of talent that would in
itself be sufficient to draw crowded attendance, and
the fair members Of the congregation who have abored
SO diligently to render the compliment worthy of their
favore might safe have trusted the issue to its merits
alone.
CIV Mr. q