New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-01-04
CiIi AEEATIiS.

Monday was ON important day for the City Of New
York. New-Ye ears Day brought in new men to guard
and direct her local interests to protect the lives and
properties Of her citizens, 10 design and carry out her
municipal improvements, TO keep her streets cleansel
and unobsructed, to lay out her Parks, to detail
and order her reformed Police, and, in a word to
that this great CiywhOse size will in comparatively
few years exceed that of any other in the worlds
both for present and prospective purposes economical
ly and honoraby governed.
The history of municipal corruption cannot show
wider departures from the line of duty than those OF
which the late Board of Aldermen were guilty. It
may be asserted that if the pursued by those
unctOnarit had been widely followed the days of the
Republic were already numbered. for it would be
morally impossible that such corruptons could gener
ally flourish in connection with the liberties of the
people Indeed, the greatest admirers of freedom
would have turned to despOsm sooner than leave such
officials in power and spreading and trafcing in moral
and pbysiCaldepravity.
We have now a new City Charter and new men in
office under it, Good things will be expected of these
functenaries We shall look from the for the morals
of gentlemen and not Of jailbirds We shall expect
them not simply to lessen but TO anuhilate rowdyism
We shall anticipate thorough overhauliDg of the grOg
shops of this town ard up the time the Maine Law
passes, the strctes enforcement of the license law
with the closing on Sunday of these dens Of crime We
shall not rest tranquil under the Acheronke doors OF
our streets which are disgrace 10 NewYoik in par
ticuar and humanity in general These are the reforms
which should take place under the new City Govern
ment TWAS under such responsibility thatthe Common
Council yesterday entered upon Office And if there be
any teTgversation the part OF any OF the new
functionaries, he may count less mercy from the
public than that terrific reprObatOn bestowed on his
predecessors.
Our reports this morning give full details of the
swearing in Of the new Aldermen. They were srors
in. They took an oath. Before man and God they
pledged themselves to do their duty Let them in all
remember the solemnty OF that occasion if they do
not there are others WHO will remember il for them
The Mayors message, which give also, is fair
document II 6ludes-too gtngery we think, for
great occasions make their own rhetorc-to the ras
caities of the discarded Aldermen. On the subject of
the cleansing OF the streets too should have pre-
terred some more pungent terms and unmstskablc
averments. The thing is already achieved when it's
possibility placed beyond doubt But we shall look
for economy for decency for cleanliness and for honor
in the new administration of the City Government.
The annual expenses of our City now exceed those
of the Government Of the four largest States in the
Mon, ard up to this moment New.York has been the
worst governed community in the world. The Mayor
acknowledges the immediate necessity ofreform. The
actual amount of permanent City debt is mentioned to
be S9S237Cs funded debt, S95000 The Mayor
connerJs City railroads as Fublie cOnyeDienCe5. The
Russ pavement is also duly lagdel Tie necessity Of