The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-09-24

ANOTHER STAIN UPON OCH ClTf foocclOn <oS'
The Grand Jury Of this city aud county
closed its inquest on Saturday afternoon by
handing in to the Recorder batch OF indict-
ments against individuals, Of whom no less than
eight are officers, high in power and trust, of
our municipal government. Their names have
not yet publicly transpired, nor the special
acts with which they are charged in The in
diciments. But it is understood that three OF
the persons so indicted are invested with the
dignity of Aldermen Of our city; that an equal
number are members Of the Board Of Coun-
eilmen, and that the remaining two are en-
trusted with the dispensation of justice as ma
gistrates in our police courts. The general
offence charged against them is, Of course,
malfeasance in Office; but in what particular
we are left to grope in the dark. The indict-
ments, however, are in the hands Of the Dis
trict Attorney, and the parties implicated will
soon have official notification thereof.
Meantime, there is quaking in the hearts
and blencing in the faces of a majority OF the
members and executive officers Of our city go
yernment for they know not but that their
own time has come, and that they may have
at any moment summons to appear and an
swer for their official misconduct. Alderman
Herrick, Chairman of the Finance Committee,
seems to have presentiment that he is one Of
those to whom the Grand Jury has been de-
voting some attention; and though his inqui-
ries failed to elicit anything definite on the
subject, he anticipates the evil by declaring
his ability to confront the charge, and by i'm
putting the action of that body to political mo-
tives and to the instigation of Mayor Wood.
All doubts and uncertainties will be, how
ever, dispelled in day or two, and the indi-
viduals affected by the action of the Grand
Jury will soon, we hope, have an opportunity
of showing, if they can, stainless skirts.
But whatever may be the issue of these pro-
ceedings-whether by some legal hocus pocus
the indictments win be quashcd, and those who
have disgraced themselves and their high
offices be still allowed to hold an unb!ushing
front among men, or whether the charges may
turn out to be frivolous and ungrounded-the
reputation Of our city,-that of which we should
be most tenderly jealous been irreparaoly
injured. In what other community, civilized
or semi-barbarous, can such q scene--as one OF
ordinary occurrence-be witnessed? Where
else can grave charges, various in their charac-
ter, exposing the accused not only to oppro
brium but to imprisonment, be preferred and
sustained--even though ON en- parte testimony
at single session, against six members of
legislative body and two executive officers?
The very fact is damning The excuses of po
litical motives and personal antipathies avail
bat little in expunging such a stain. 1t is o
lasting blot upon the fair fame Of our city, and
exposes us to the scorn and contumely Of all
honorable and honestly governed communi-
ties. Recorder Smith thinks that criminal
prosecutions are not the best measures to cor
rect the evils Of which we complain, but mild
ly suggests the ballot box We do not COIN
eide with him. In popular elections, political
tricksters are always sure to come up trumps.
We do not, therefore, look for any better set
Of officials at one epoch than at any Others but
if the officers of the law will only do their duty
resolutely and faithfully, and if the Judges will
not allow the law to be strained and tortured
so as to screen culprits from their deserts, then
the certainty of punishment may operate in
preventing from disgracing their Offices men
who cannot be actuated by any purer or better
motive. II is not very long since the Grand
Jury indicted two other Aldermen Of this
city but naught came Of it--why we cannot
tell. We trust that in this case the same
shifts and subterfuges will not be resorted to-
but rather that the persons indicted will re-
ceivc q full and fair opportunity of clearing
their character from imputation; and if they
fail to cstablish their innocence, that they will
be punished with the utmost rigor of law
Lei even handed justice be meted out. If it
will not retrieve the wrong it may deter
others from repeating it,