The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-11-28

be scattered into fragments before the Presi-
Dental campaign comes On. We think not.
The vast amount OF the public pluoder OF
Presidential election in these days Seventy
five millions year and risipg) is enough for
the unity Of any political party, with even the
ordinary chances of success The Know No
things, we take it, win hold on and hold to-
gether till the Presidential election They may
carry it, too, with the rush of Harrison In
l848, or of Pierce in 1852.
CORPORATION RAsCALrTIEs.-The present City
Council has about five weeks more to live. AL
thought it is reform Council, it does not appear
to differ in the essential point of spending
money from its predecessors. Its members ap.
pear to have been undergoing course of train
ing for the last eleven months at the hands OF
certain speculators and the operators must
have the credit OF success in their work. Read
and Judge:
The Corporation advertisements are now hid
den in the most remote corners Of obscure
newspapers, and the people are without definite
information as to the acts of their servants.
They are probably unaware that four hundred
and eighty mine thousand dollars has been or
will be spent in two or three paving jobs.
Such seems to be the fact; and it also appears
that the Cerberus of The treasury, Mr.. Comp
troller Flagg, has slightly relaxed his grasp of
the purse strings
The present Council has expended one
hundred and ninety eight thousand dollars
for one job Of paving, with the new Bel
gian pavement. The amount is equal to one
half that expended for Russ pavement in
eight years. This appropriation was for the
paving Of Grand and Fulton streets, and was
urged by Mr.. Flagg. One-half the money has
been spent on Grand street. Following this,
we have another report recommending the ap-
preparation of two hundred and ninety-one
thousand dollars for the paving Of the Bowery
with this same almost untried Belgian pave
ment 1t is suspicious circumst ance that ac-
cording to the advertisement, the Council can
reject oil of the first bids made for this job,
and thus secure it for the benefit of the specu-
lators who have put up the appropriation and
lobbied it through.
The above facts cannot be controverted, and
they 60 to show, frst-that the reform cry was
a sheer humbug; second, that the SPECTATORS
have firm grip on the present Council; and
not being SO sure Of the next, they purpose to
"make hay while the sun shines;" and third.
that unless something is done to stop the pro-
ceedngs now going on at the City Hall, the
tax-pay ers>of this city will suffer heavily in
their pockets between this date and New Years
day. Some writer says that experience is
good teacher-but she is very DEAR" and it is
certain that the people of New York have paid
her we'll 1t now remains to be seen whether or
not the new Mayor and the new City Council
will profit by the lessons Of the past. They
have it in their power to put q stop to al this
corruption, and by so doing they will build for
themselves q reputation which will secure for
them the gratitude of their fellow citizens
and Of posterity. We have a right to expect
that Mr.. Fernando W, cd and his coad-
tutors will be true retormers. Shall we be dis
appointed!
We have heretofore given statement of the
powers Of the Mayor under the new city char
ter. We presume that everybody believes that
the May or has concurrent power with the heads
of departments, and that he should be, in part.
responsible for their short comings. We pre-
sumo that Mr. Wood takes the same view of the
matter as we do; and it is now his duty, as we'll
as that of the other executive officers, to give
us pure, undoubted reform government. He
can easily do this with the concurrence of the
other executive officers, and has only to put
check to extravaganza and to demand that
each contractor under the city pay, shall faith
fully and truly perform his duty and fulfil
his contract. Let us have the executive power
pure, and there is not SO much danger from the
legislative power. Even now we are suffering
from dirty streets and general neglect all
around. The five weeks ensuing will be great
weeks for speculators at the City Hall. Let Mr..
Wood and his associates be prepared to save us
from the impending danger, if it has not gone
100 for when they come into Office at any rate,
they can look out for next year.
FAILURE OF THE GUYANDoTTE SCHEME
Read the letter, given elsewhere, on the failure
of the great Guyandotte scheme, which was to
enrich our contemporary, Mr.. James Watson
Webb, and Virginia generally. 1t is believed
by those interested that the London Times had
something to de with the failure Of the plan;
and it is singular coincidence that Mr.. Webb,
who has been 80 civil to the London Times for
some time past, turns around upon them in his
letter published yesterday, and accuses them
of falsfying the news to crafty their spite
against the Minister.
+ III f. l. A T Il S T N f w s.