The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-09-04
The Mayors Message-What Has the Conn
mon Council DOnes

IOr Liverpool ana LONDON.
The Mayors Message-What Has the Conn
mon Council D0nes
Elsewhere will be found the message sent in
by the Mayor to the Common Council last
evening. 1t resembles the previous perform
ances Of Mayor Wood lin that line, inasmuch
as it is plain, straightforward, and not with
out little dash of autocracy which is pecu-
liarly piquant and popular in this country.
Notwithstanding the obstacles which have been
thrown in his way, and the really small aggre-
gate Of reform he has been enabled to accom-
plish, he is still confident of the virtue of the
one-man power system, and is no more afraid
of assuming responsibility now than he was
when he was at the zenith Of his fame six
months ago. But the main point Of his mes
sage is contained in the first paragraph
This is a rebuke to the Common Council for
the manner in which their time has been spent
and their neglect Of the recommendations con-
tanned in the last message. The very same
ideas were expressed in these columns a month
since, and the more closely they are consi-
dered, the more blameable does the conduct Of
the Council appear. The suggestions contain
ed in Mayor Woods first message embraced
the reform Of every department of the city
government. They referred to the increase of
revenue without any increase Of taxation, by
increasing the amount Of taxable property,
and charging interest on the public deposits;
to the introduction Of economy into the ex-
penditure by the substitution Of salaries for
fees in many cases, and revising the appro-
priations; to the cleaning, grading and open
ing Of streets, to their liberation from cattle,
and to the relief Of Broadway by reducing the
number stages; to the construction ofnew and
buildings for the city government,
and Of substantial docks, and to the opening
of the Central Park; to general revision of
the municipal ordinances, denomination Of
the school system, and to the reform Of the
rules under which property is now sold for as
sessments; finally, to the reorganization Of the
police, to the protection Of emigrants, and to
the settlement of claims against the city by
individuals. Such were some of the topics on
which the Mayor announced to the Common
Council-though they knew it very well be-
fore-that legislation was imperatively re-
quired in January last; we are now in Septem-
Der, and actually nothing has been done. With
the exception of one or two OF these subjects
which were in such condition that the Mayor
could assume responsibility to set them right,
they are in as bad a position as under the old
No provision has been made
for the streets; none for increasing the reve-
nue. or diminishing the expense; none for the
pending works Of city Improvement; none for
the legislative reforms needed, none for the
practical. In one branch as in the other the
most damning evidence Of the Councils ne
glect and imbecilty meets the eye Itappears
certain that since January last Mayor Wood
has been fighting one Of the iiercest fights
which can fall to the lot Of public man
to induce them to do something and not Who'll
ly to forget us and stultify themselves.
During this period that thoroughly despica-
bic body has contrived to sink itself lower in
public esteem than even the worst of its prede-
cessors 1t has not only treated the imperative
recommendations of the Mayor with perfect
contempt not devotng night to the consider
alton of any one Of them, but has allowed
themes so frivolous to engross its attention
that they would have disgraced a debating
society Of school boys. Thus we have seen the
Common Council agitated on the subject of
Mr.. Matsell's birth place. They knew, as
every one does, that he is one Of the best
Chiefs of Police we could have perhaps
the very best we ever had but such I'M
speakably small minded creatures were they
that they must needs appoint committees
to investigate the circumstances of his
birth-the whole apparently with view
to show that if he had happened to have
missed, no matter how good Chief he was.
Another question which absorbed vast deal
Of the Councils time was whether the Mayor
had or had not appointed certain reporters
policemen. 1t was said that two or three men,
bers of the press, who had been unfortunate in
Of policeman more profitable walk in life
than that of reporter, and having exchanged
the quill for the club, sought admission to the
ranks of the civil army. Why they should
have been refused, if they were able to knock
thief down, or why, in any case, the matter
was worth inquiring into, no one but mem
Der of the present Common Council can deter
mine. A third question which has taken
up no small share of the Councils time
is the Joseph Walker contract. One man got
the contract, and others-members of the Cor.
poration-asserted that he oughtn't to have
got'it, and that the work might have been done
for Sl2,5O0, whereas he would receive $4,000
for doing it. On the strength of this, more
committees were appointed and witnesses heard,
and days wasted; and all the while, by the ne
glect Of one single one among the Mayors sug-
gestions, that respecting the interest on the city
deposits, the city was losing hundreds Of dollars
every day. fourth engrossing topic among
the members Of the Corporation has been their
respective rides in carriages at the public cx-
pense. First the Mayor was called upon TO