New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-02-11
TIE CITY CHARTER.

TIE CITY CEhAhfEh.
Several members of the Board of Aldermen Of
this city have been at Albany, tonduce the Legisa-
ture to abolish our present municipal Charter and
enact new organic law for the government of
New.York. The Charter which is now proposed
was under consideration last Winter, but not acted
upon for want OF time. 1t is compounded from
existing Charters and amendments, embracing
nearly everything in the Charter OF 1880, with
some features of the amendments Of 1919 and 1888.
Under the Charter of 1890 the city got along
toerably well until 1850, the expenses of City
Government for the latter year reaching but trile
over 80, OOOOCO But for three or four years there
had been loud complaints against the Jacksonian
system of turning every public servant ont of Office
upon change in the politics of the Mayor and Al
dermen, whereby the Treasury was almost annual
ly essailed by hungry brood of new corners.
Light as the expenses then were, in comparison
with the mirac.lOu sums now called for, they
were thought to be excessively large. In the hope
of remedyiDg the political evil and lessening ex-
penses, the Charter Of lS49 was cOncOcted. This
instrument changed the election from April to No
yember. gave an Adermanic term of two years
instead of one, extended the Mayors term to two
wears. limited the number OF sessions OF the Com
mon Council, created the existing Departments,
and ordered that the heads thereof should be
elected by the people This change instead OF
proving beneficial to the people, was adroitly
turned to account by host of unprncipled rOgues,
who managed the Infamous primary election ma
chinery so well that in the hurry bury OF the gen.
era State Election, they were comparatively OYER
looked and so slipped into stations in the City Hall
where they robbed the people without stint, and
brought not only enormous extravaganza but pub
lie infamy upon the city. The radical error, which
still exists was in trusting the choice OF city OFF,
GERS to the general election, when the anxiety to
secure Governor or a member Of Congress led
the two great parties into all sorts of secret bar
gains and gave the ambitious and unscrapulous
opportunities Of buying nominations for primary
election services or promise of votes at the poll
In lS51 the Charter was further amended, so as
TO pay the Aldermen and Assistants for only eight
sessions per month, however many they might hold
Still there was no improvement; but, on the con-
trary, the taxes went up with railroad speed, and
in this country rioted and fattened in the City
Hall. Indeed, the very title of Alderman became
Synonymous with plunderer, so that good men ut
te1y refused TO incur the disgrace that was pretty
sure TO follow an election, and would not permit
themselves TO be nominated.
In 1853 another and holder effort at Reform was
made. A charter was adopted which abolished
the Board Of Assistants, who had become little
else than whippers-in for the Aldermen and ere
ated Board of sixty Councilmen; the Aldermen
were deprived of judicial powers, and of the ap.
pointment of Polcemen-that Department being
put under Board of Police Commissioners con.
ssting of the Mayor, Recorder and CITY Judge;
the Aldermen were 10 be elected as before, for two
wears, but in the odd Wards on one year and in the
even Wards the next; the power to originate money
bills was confined TO the COuncilmen; public fran.
chises were TO be let at public auction; no money
to be spent for celebrations except the 22d of Feb
ruary, 4h of July and 18th Of November, without
a three fourth's vote Of each Board; all work and
supplies to be given out TO the lowest responsible
bidder; a more careful supervision of estimates
and accounts was provided for, and very stringent
laws against bribing city officials were enacted.
These were the main provisions of the Reform Char.
ter, in the working of which the people have been
greatly disappointed. The taxes under all char
tiers, still move upward with an apparently IRE
sistble power.
The Charter now proposed goes back to that of
1880 and reenacts nearly all of that document.
1t does away with the Councilmen, and restores the
Board of Assistants, giving them one year and
the Aldermen two, electing the Aldermen half
each year as now; gives both Boards the power of
originating money bills; restores the appointment
of Heads of Departments and all other city officers
to tie Mayor, subject TO confirmation by the Alder.
men; preserves the Mayors term of two years;
makes 10 limit TO the sessions Of the Common
Council, and puts into their hands the power Of
regulating all salaries and controlling all expenses
not beyond their reach by State law salaries TO be
fixed before officers are appointed, and fees to be
paid to the Treasury. Work and supplies to be-
let by contract to the lowest bidder and pubic