The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-12-25


ST. Patrick arrived yesterday in the city. The Cap
tam reports that wpen ne left her, on Saturday
Dignt, she had bged and The tide ebbed aud flo sed
" bsr. Lighters we're 45Igsids taking out tie
car go, anu the steam pnmp vas In operation,
Municipal Affairs.
Prom IL. Sunday Atlas Dec. "A.
TEE MAYOR ELECr-TnE NEW ALDERMEN AT DIN
NER-CITY REFORM, ETC.
" 70 osgiEBiSg 70 o. &c nefaiy believed that the
HcNO.abss Fernando Wood Is destined 10 prove
nttle The best caies magistrate our city was ever
blessed VITA. Thai DC possesses talent, frmless
energy, ACTIVITY, Independence and h, i1siSy--the
gIeas esst DlAis Tor an efficient MayOr-in much
greater degree than has oeen evmced by any oil bis
predecessors since tie days Of De Witt Clinton,
viii not be questioned BY any sho has the plea.
enre Ut nls acquaintance. Hs il man of s6d0mita,
be energy. hncon qusrsb,e perseverance,, and re
aJkabie sssacity, al of whco viii available 10
tne clsy Ia nis discharge o. Zoe very sfd0ous and
important dQssss TO MIN by his ielnS CHI.
z-ns, 'h.ef execnIive VI snis great metropolis.
be IS emphancay the man for me timss, or W
dve SIoksly oReisafms,ed ms capacity, aod sotaOy
IDisconstrasa his pact pnsitlsai hist.ry
Oh Ttursoay evening isEs, all the msn ne-s of the
Bears Of Aldermen elect, Wiz those Of the present
Boar who bod over for tee next yeSr wee invited
10 meet ste mayor elect In sciai conference, a. nus
resIoence n Second avenue. TIE invitation was
RESPONDED tc by sne appearance a. toe entertain
nept OF ell bot four Of the Il tleM invited; aud
Sis she eighteen City Fathers, thus collected, gath
cred aiouLc the f.ssive board OF his Honor Sley
nIt scented , perfect D,nsraslOn o. the Happy
Family" There were the ultra "reforrners," the
.cit an whigs,n the cart an 'Afn whis ref0rmers,
ana zee nDGisgulsed democrats all caUmiuged 70
se,hsr in amisble mood while there sas before
them most boun.ful supply of evety desirable
easure comfort, including generous and sparkling
funds, calculated TO inspire eloquence ana promote
. free exchange OF honest sentiment Under
such circumstances, could alderman be otherwise
Than happy Coula he refrain from cast
ing aside, upon suon an &C asiOn, the ~ oerlties
of party strife, TO enter inso 8 calm and dslsbe-
rate discu ss,Cn as 60 Wc0t IS most proper TO be
dore TO secure for this, at present, mucn misgo-
verned city, honest, efficient and eoon0ni.
cal administration OF public affairs. After the
edibles were disposed Of and t1e clio removed the
guests severally called upon for their vews, in
fects in our present Municipal government was
pretty thoroughly discussed. The evils O., which
the people most loudly complain were f0fcibly
traced, by Alderman Ely, to tbs organization Of che
executive departments, who possess all the execn-
tive power, and whose official delnqoencies be-
yond the reach Of the Mayor AID Common Council.
These heads Of departments are elected 0y the peo-
pie fr three years, and no neglect OF duty or consn
macy on their part Can be remedied or punished,
exceps through the process of the almost lmpraca-
cable Measure OF impeachment, which requires the
exercise Of power that has never yet been effect
lively invoked, and PROBABLY never will be- TIE sb-
wss forcipy iussrat by several OF the aldermen;
and the universal sentiment appeared to be thai
the people win never obtain good municipal re-
gulstions until they 80 back to the Old charter
Of 1880, or reorganize the city government
upon the simple sLd almost perfect oasis
OF the federal constitution, with 8 RESPONSE
BILE chief execntive-the m8yOr-tO whom all
other officers shall be subordiDste and amenabe.
Let the heaas Of departments be withihne reach o.
the Chief Executive ard the Common Council, and
there will be . responsibility somewhere that caL
not De evadec. The want ofpoxer to do good Is
grea'er Obssscle In the way OF genuine city reform.
Ynar .ho M IN nvIl IL
not dangerous in the hands OF honest men; anu
power IN the hands of somebody IL essentially re-
qmste for the proper government OF suca city g.
this.
Mir. Wood, In response to q copgratulstory toss..
made frank av0ws OF the principles aoc policy
BIZ sborlt pursue in discharge of tas ouMs Of ta-
Mayor ally which met the cordial appreciation o.
bis sldelManic goesis AID completely cap'lsated
the reform Alderman OF the Eighteenth. He de-
clared taas he snould enter upon his public duties
with clean hands, perfe thy unxammeiled, ana win
u disposition to exert his utmost abilities TO
the interests of the city. He should go fnso ofc-
perfectly Independent man, having no private bu-
slnees to eDgross his at teLtl0n, And selfish ends
to acnieys. He should endeavOr to do his duly
faithfully, and he should look TO the Commod Coun.
Gil TO sustain him Iii all his laudable efforts - pre-
mote the public god.
He particularly called the attention OF the Alder
men TO the confused safe OF the city ordinances,
and the almost impoesibality Of determining wass
were really the IL vs that now govern our munich
pality. since the revised ordinances were adopted
In lS45, they have been amended and repeslsd 80
often that really nobody can tell wha. there Is left
Of the original what mas been substituted for the
portion repealed. The necessity Of the - codilca
tion" OF the city ordi and OF the State laws
applicable 10 the city, and their publication IN
soume has been admitted BY all parties for years,
ana yet it mas never been done. Mayor Wood ,opeo
the new Common Council would give their attention
to this subject Immediately upon its organic ton.
THIS matter was referred to q spsciai committee,
conss ing Of Aldermen Mott, Lord, sno wakem.n,
i'll January last, snd the Alderman Of the Nineteenth
las been stirring them up FOR report all the year.
Like Ali the reform measures the resofmen propo-
sed, this proposition, although enforced a. one Of
the most important matters before the Board, has
been allowed to die out" the next Board, having
got rid Of three OF the loudest mo0tbed refornle
that cafed into power upon that bu nbng, WI. have
little better opportunity than the present to WORK
out some good Tor the public, and We trust that =
thorough revision OF the city ordinances viii be one
OIL the first duties assumed.
After pretty thorough discussion Of the affairs
OF the city, with sn evident disposition the pars
Of MI present, TO unite in an effort TO restore toe
municipal government 70 hesithy and economical
condition, the Aldermen sevsraly took their ies
Of the distinguished host, ali evidently mu2n grat
fed with the entertainment, aad with the oppostl
bty thas had been thus afforded them to interchAng
their views on public matters and cultivate friendly
and social relations with each other, in such al
agreeable THIS very social reunion IL the
"City Fathers" AZ the festive board OF the Mayor
e,ecr, augnrs god for the people, aid ildicstee
tnat Ine Scrmuny o party str1e Is nOs 10 De al0w
ed TO interfere with the Operations OF TIE Guy 60
yerrment tor the ensuing year. 1t also ind ;4sed
on the psrt of thu Chief Magistrate, disp sstioa
TO cultivate the most friendly relations with sns L.
yslative power; and evinced corresponding desire
on the part OF the Aldermen, to rec.pro ;ats his
comneHdsbie efforts to secure their good will sad
cordial cooperation, in the measures he designs 70
propose TOR the public good.
Mr.. Wood IS evideusy determined 70 De practical
magistrate He Will enforce .be Laws aud otc-
nances fesrlessy, we anticipate, judging from
incidents that have come under Our observation
slnce his election. To Illustrate what we mean by
o practical magistrate, we Will relata incident
that occurred with him last week. He Was riding
down Broadway in On omnibus, when he observed,
opposite the Metropolitan Hotel, horse attached
10 another vehicle, fall upon the pavement Il.
Der of gentlemen from tee sidewalk rushed into the
street 10 render such assstsn:e az was necessary,
while q big policeman, wfsh his star conspicuo1sIy
upon bis breast, stood locking on, perfectly unc1L-
cerned, and tosaly regardless Of bis dusy, vii n
Skan