The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-06-21
Tine Reform Common Councll-Ihe Result OF
SLY Months, Labor.


from the Sunday Atlas
The sixth monthly session OF the "Reform COM
mon Council, !" under the new charter, closed on
Tuesday evening last, and it would be well for the
people now to review its action, in order to compre-
bend the vast amount of reform" that has been
achieved during that time, by the eighty-tyo gen.
temen to whom IL confded the business OF protect
ing the public interests of this great commercial
expected of the Solons Catos, Ciceros, and Demos
theneees, who constitute the Common Council OF
1854. Now let us see what has been realized nom
the combined efforts Of their mighty gerius, in the
form pretty fair estimate Of what will be the re-
suit of their continued labors for the remaining six
months What important measures OF retrench-
ment and 'reform" have been, thus far, even pro.
posed? Echo answers, what? What have been
achieved? None. Not the shadow of the ghost OF
reform has resulted from all the efforts Of the re-
formers since they have held control ut the City
Hall.
Mr.. Wing Reformer Williamson, of the Second
ward, at the opening of the ball, proposed TO call
convention Of the people to form new cnarter Tor
the city government. His project was fayorably
received, laid upon the table and printed, but has
never been heard of since. If the alderman of the
Second ward has proposed any other measure, ex-
cept the confirmation OF the absurd Hayes pave
ment contract, we have forgotten what it was.
Nevertheless, he is an honest and conscientious al
derman, and always abides by his word, which is
more than we can say of some other wings and re-
formers, in the Board.
MT. RADICAL helOrmer blunt, OF the lnlru ward,
has introduced multitude Of very silly resolutions
Of inquiry, upon the heads OF departments, which
have resulted in no reformatory action whatever. II
. trader in the Third ward leaves a box upon the
sidewalk Reformer Blunt, at the first meeting Of the
Board introduces o resolution, inquiring of the Cor
poration Attorney if the man has been prosecuted,
how much he was 6ned and what was done with
the money. We suppose Alderman Blunt has
placed upon record about hundred resolu-
lions of like Importance, since he assumed
aldermanic dignity, besides grand scheme for
introducing printing office into the Registers
office, and employing printers instead OF scriveners
scheme for making steam fire engines of all the ferry
boats and made an effort to palm off upon the city
. humbug reflector to light the public docks; but
after these matters had been noticed in the public
towering achievement of Mr.. Reformer Blunt was,
however, the brilliant figure he made in the Creighton
reception affair. The reproduction of some old re-
solutions drafted in 1913, by Morris Franklin, COM
lion Of them and gold snuff box to the Scotch
Captain of the ship Three Bells, at the Astor House,
in speech equal to Dem0sthenes In his best days."
was the browning glory of Mr.. Reformer Blunt, and
will hand his name down to posterity chief among
the geniuses of "refOrm" that composed the Com
mon Council of 1864. The fact that he paid from
his own private resources for the gold box present
ed to the Scotchman, in behalf Of the city, is also
recorded, to his credit and the citys shame, upon
She journals of the Board of Aldermen; but the fact
that he has ever projected anything to reduce taxa
ton or benefit the city in the least degree has not
yet been discovered. So much for Reformer Blunt
whom the WideAWake denominates the smooth
bore of the Board
The next reform genius in order is the profound
gentleman from the Eighth, MI. Outand-out Reform
or Tucker relic Of the old Native American Board
Of Aldermen which immortalized itself one Fourth of
July by abolishng booths around the Park, and by
dumping three or four tons of ice into the fountain
and placing tin dippers around u with an Invitation
TO the people to "drink heartyW Father Tucker
was member of that famous Common Council, and
Il is probable that are indebted to the experience
he then obtained in public matters for much Of the
brilhancy and efficiency he displays in the present
reform Board. Mr.. Tucker, however, is q good old
nan-an honest, well-meaning, conscientious gen.
tleman of the old schoo-an ardent lover of money,
Of which he has an abundance-a faithful public SER
be is Of his own He desires all public celebrations
10 he conducted on the cheap and nasty principle,
and hardly comprehends the idea Of liberaty, hos
pita!ity patriotism or generosity in public affairs.
ed reform, and yet, what has he projected or per-
tected as member Of the reform Board of Alder
men, with willing majority to cooperate with hun?
What has he done2 What has he proposed? No
airy, he moved for o special committee to take i'm
mediate measures to rebuild it, and was placed
at the head OF such committee, upon the
claim that he was q mechanic, and that
me Standing Committee on Repairs and Sup
plies, aside from himself, were not competent
for the undertaking. He has had the sole charge
Of that important matter, ever since the day after
the fire, and the people may Judge Of his energy in
public business, when they assured that not the
first progressive step has yet been taken towards
rebuilding the public edi6ce destroyed by fire. The
plans are not even agreed upon, while the black
ened ruins Of the old Almshouse still stand, dis
graceful monument of the inefficiency and want Of
energy on the part Of the reform Common Council,
and while the city treasury s paying tens OF thou
sands of dollars for rents, which might have been
saved, If proper measures had been taken in Janu-
airy for the prompt and rapid reerecti0n of the
buildings burned. The tardy action Of Mr.. Reformer
Tucker in this matter alone, will cost the city trea-
sury fifty times more than all he will ever save by
screwng down appropriations for public celebra-
tions few hundred dollars, and turning up his nose
at liberal festivals, upon such occasions the birth
day of Washington and the Fourth Of July. Ten
times more is lost to the city daily, BY his neglect
employ carriage when engaged in public business.
Alderman Tucker is unquestionably good man,
but we are free to say he Is entirely untitled for the
trar sacton Of public business which he Is disposed
to conduct on the penny wise and pound FOOLISH
system. Il will thus be perceived that he has pro-
Gcted no wonderful measures of city reform as yet.
Next we come to the vigiant gentleman from
perance man of the strictest sect-one who boasts
Of his ability to see through millstones, and to
discover foxes tails all around the seats Of the
democratic members and under the coat tails of
fern" have sgnalized his six months labor2 It is
said he il going to reform all the drunkards In the
Ninth ward by putting them on short fodder; but
that he has projected, or introduced to the Common
Council, any measure for the relief or protection of
the taxpayers Of the city, we presume he will not
himself pretend. As q member of the Committee
on Salaries and Offices, he recommended the crea-
zion Of sinecure situation called assistant messen-
ger, with salary Of $500 year, Office about as
necessary as fifth wheel to a coach. That is the
amount of all his achievements in the way Of
reform
Now we come to the modest and unpretendiHg
reformer of the Tenth, Alderman Trowbridge. He
is, undoubtedly, man without guile; but what has
he done for "reform?" That Is what we would like
20 know As Chairman of the Committee on Mar
kets, he made report upon quarrel between the
superintendent and butcher named Devoe, which
led to the publication of pamphlet, which led the
Alderman of the Nineteenth ward to introduce q
project for market reform, which would be vastly
important for the city II the "reform" majority
would embrace the idea and carry it out. But we
Ssar the whig humbug "refomers' will never suffer
real reform to be consummated, il introduced by
democrat.