The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-06-13
The Value OF q Man.


70 years ago the municipal sdunistrstisa Of New
vas scandal to America. The 6rst c,ty Of the
ubhc was apparently Civ n over 70 the last ana tina
est OF men Sober citizens walked tue streets in the
cr OF dust by day and the fear Of death by night
stranger on his arrival was beset by Of hack
And toutsrs more mportunste than Egyptian beg
and more insolent thao Italisp ffcchiRs. "Peter
lay in wait for the unsusp setting at every corner
the most Infamous trades wers pl,ed with an auda-
s.aiduty and Pub licity quite unesrsuelsd in the
% OF the earth. Noise, filth and violence hsld
saturnsa In the grea. met opolis Even the triou-
OF justice at least the inferior ones, med to be
vaded with the prevailing rottensss. CLUBS Of sturdy
sus held privileges Of the .bludgeon and sluox
as the gentlemen OF old held toer privileges OF the
nd. This state Of things, dangerous aud go DIS
eful TO the citizens of New YORK was main tanned by
N at an enormous expense.
hs burden Of taxation WAS heavier in New York than
ngisnd. In the NAL administration Of the munich
Affairs Of half Q million people there wasted q
OF nearly six millions o, collars O sum more than
to the annual expenditure OF the singdom OF Dem
r.. Corrupt contractors and shauaeless Common
nciimen play ed openly into each others nancs, aud
civic treasury converted into a sort OF " free
ch" for politicians OF the baser sort who, like the
visters OF Mr.. Dickens at BALTIMORE, were hidden
0me IN and bring all their brothers, Public festv
g. and public solemnities, too made the
OF the Rrosssst orgies ano the uost pttifal plum
AT mus as S..a ha .. snaIy Is
} city government purloped the cloth provided for
funeral pail Of Henry Clay, to coths herewith their
may BE- imagined that the enemies of republican
vsrnment were not Indifferent to the spectacle
pited BY the erestest-n size of olicsu cities
London to Havans, the details OF yhe private and
blic life of corporation for whose comfort and deec
hon six hundred dollars worth OF milk alone had to be
ry provided at the public expense eagerly dis
ned and dwelt upon. And by easy application Of Vi
70 well known proposition that goverumeats issue
bm the nature OF the governed the esotism ami inca
M were found 70 justify cooclasions Tar from astter
TO the influence OF republican institutions. How
uM those conclusions be ses asdsS It 10 true that
\ charter Of New York is radically Visions.
a.
- executive departments . must be exposed
great disorders In the absence Of =
y, the officials Of the city hAd they bsen the best Of
w. must have been liable TO fall into bad habits, into
and S.o Enc psss o.
lcs bill and the administration OF the Brsh war Office
he present Crimean Conflicts afford striking examples
"a duties are perpetual temptation and divided rs.
FEASIBILITY practical impunity. Bat the disorders Of
York were aggravated BY the recklessness OF spirit
In put into municipal Office were VIGOROUSLY mea Of
decre ability and indifferent character. Respectable
izens, BY their apathy, allowed the gradual degrsds-
In of municipal Office till 1t became almost disreputa
y for man to hold q seat In the city councils
The worth and intelligence Of New York really retired
pm active concern in the affairs Of the city Aud
every attempt at municipal reiormS Whenever an
Indignation meeting" called to protest against the
Misconduct or impotence of the magstracy the plea
~ ready that change in the charter was the thing
3eded, that now nobidy knew exactly what his bust.
ss was, nor who could tell him what 1t vas, nor to
hom he should be responsible for doing It. the Com
Missioner Of Streets assalsd for negectng the high
|Ays, be was prepared with an answer that no had
TO clear the streets OF certain and
flements, but that 1t came within the province OF
bother funconary to take away certain other partc1
kinds Of ofsl and of still another to supervise the
moval Of dead cats and dogs THIS Is an SEXUAL fact
to their fate. Meeting after meeting had been heli
equally respectable, and all equally impotent. Dar-
g the year 1854. the romnsl Chief Magistrate, the
made "a
ty. but like the Lord May of London during the Cor
riots, rung his hands In senT despair Where was
pc remedy Chance Suddenly revealed 1T. Mr. Fernau
Wood elected May and startled New YORK from
apathy by the simple exhibition Of sound aud
iron will. He quietly demonstrated that scheme
government 10 too bad to be mouldet to eff
ency by q man who knows hts duty ard means to
It. The election Of this able officer reflects
credit upon his fello v.cit'zens. They claim
hare in the honor which he has won aud is winning.
or there general impression in New York among
be respectable classes, that the election Of Mr.
Yood would be the greatest ceiamiy that could befal
bem-the last straw that would break the carnes back
nd Mr. Wood owed his TO the terror which his
omination inspired Men dssertsd their own party
hnddse to vcte for one smother gentleman who was
onsdered to enjoy the frest chance OF and by
hose election only, they told could the elevate
e Mr.. Wood be prevented. By q small majority only
Vas Mr.. Wood (more behowled and behooted than his
Unhappy namesske Of Dublin, immortalzed in the p'l
Pry Of Dean sw1ft's satire) carried INTO Office.
lamat;on Which eaye New YORK assurances O. m an
s followed up his words with deeds The effect OF his
nergetic action in tsntly and powerfully felt The
Two thousard three hundred drinking shops which had
forth riot and madness into the streets OF che
ty the Lords day. were reduced almost at onca TO
ess than twenty. Like another Caiipn Haroun,. Mr:
Mood seemed to be Ubiquitous He parSlyzsd the hand
barheepers grown bold with long immunity, by the
|udden revelation Of bis name and Office, and by the
lame talsmaa struck ipsolent policemen dumb in this
homent Of their misconduct or their neglect Wher.
|ver his authority clearly extended, he made 1t
3t and respected, and he did not hesitate. wherever
hat authority doubtful, take upon himself the
responsibility decided action the puolic good seemed
b demand his interference.
Tho very stones Of New York bear witness now to his
courage and his conduct TIE stranger blesses the
esoluts Mayor when he lands in safety from car or
|teamer, unsmtten by the whips, unclutched by the
bands Of raging Jehus-tns unprotected female
sthes sweet wish for him, when the stout arm and
uck eye Of the polite policeman have cleared for her
passage through the tbrong Of coaches and Of onn
buses that make Broadway turbulent the rapids
cataract There ia fair change over the fac
tho great metropolis and tnat change Is due abso
utely and solely to the simple fact that Mayor Wood
Toes his duty like man; for the charter OF New York
: as bad as ever it Was The Common Couuclmen Of
New York absurd and venAl as ever, even If
they do figure like their predecessors at the
bar of Justice spectacle of the downward tendency OF
|he STANDARD OF qualifications for the public service.
Such is the value of man.
Supreme COurt-In Chambers.