New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-01-08

connection and identification Of Interest," the policy
advocate not adverse to the true policy 81 any Othef
section. The whole country viii advance a. Govern
meni interference with private industry is withdrawn.
Freedom IL the theory upon winch our institutions sre
founded; and freedom in the eXercrse Of opinion,
whether political or religious, and IN the pursuit OF gam
| whether by Manufactures, commerce or agriculture
! freedom IN the full development OF the Immense re-
Of our noble land securing to MI the enjoyment
Of the largest liberty compatible with equal Justiee,
subjected OILY to the mmuiable laws OF nature, and
the preservation of the individual rights of al. Free
dom thus illustrated the great principal OF American
I progress.
THE CITY GOVERNMENT.
Having thus briefly directe 4 attention To the source
Of present strength and future reliance ami pointed
ont The principal difficulty the way of full develop
ment Of our elements Of growth. il IS proper to
refer to what in my judgment the leading internal
defects. These | propose to consider IN general
manner.
Next to Commerce the principal, and it may be SAID
with truth the vital, internal element upon which the
City Of New-iOrk depends is ts govenmen t--its gov
erDment IN fcim and IT. government IN execution The
form of government Is Of incalcuabie moment for
though II i true that the Incumbents OF the several
Offices, constituting they do the body which is to
carry out the government, OF whatever KIND II may
be- DO much TO impair it, efficacy and subyer It's
intention still they accountable to legal tribunals
| and can be periodically changed. Not 30 with the
| fundamental charter or law of government Itself. This
should be permanent in it, DURATION and posi-
be, perfect in its system. 1t i not extravagant TO say
that this city, for century has not had a CHARTER
adapted to its wants and in oil respects adequate to
! it, require ments.
Our corporate history will show that 80 far as
| ganic law concerned the municipal franchise a.
well the rights of the people were better protected
! when the form of government was constructed by
! foreign hand tim since we have been exercising
these functions for ourselves through our state aU-
! thofii,s.
1t Is singular that these charters when emana,ing
from "thc one power afforded more security TOR
the corporate tights of the city, and more certain
/ uutettOu the the ClIen@ fhln the
popular Of late year,, which have been the crea-
tion of the r0L popah. The Dongan charter OF l6so,
or that Of Montgomery Of 1880, would be better
adapted to New ork than the hybrid, incongru-
Gus and inadequate amendments of our own adoption.
1t is quite certain that although the former furnishes
the foundation upon which these amendments have
been made, and upon which We have been continually
assuming TO improve that the improvements are reany
not improvements in fact II ever the history OF the
charters, and of their times, shall be carefully written,
il will BE- that with all our advancement, we are
behind eur ancestors in knowledge OF true municipal!
government.
As New-Amsterdam and as New-TOrk We have had
the Dutch charter, emanating directly from the home
Government in 1867; the Nichol, or frst English
charter of 1865; the Dongan charter of 1855; the
Montgomery charter of 1880; the amended charter OF
1890, with the recent amendments OF 1919 1881 ana
1853. Ii is true that some of these may be called
merely giants from the Home Government, but they
are still interesting from containing the idea OF their
tne- to what constitute corporate nights and m,I-
nicipa government, and a. contrasting very iavoraDy
with the supposed superior intelligence OF the present
day. The chief merit of these ancient CONSTITUTIONS
consisted in the concentration Of P0rer and
a. we have Arayed from this essential eie-
ment Of municipal government, as applied to
this city, with its tens of thousands OF the dsonte ana
lawless, we have, in my judgment, departed from the
true path and introduced fundamental errors product
i've of the present anarchy which is almost the absence
of any government whatever. IL II In this great dliier-
ence between the series of amendments OF lS49, 1921,
and 1853 and the more compact solid features of the
charter of 1890 that much of the present discomfort
crises. That there must be power all will admit, and
that this power must be sufficient to secure cohtroi
none can denv and that executive authority,
equally disseminated among several heads, each
separate in action and independent III prerog-
alive with but partial check or hinderance IN any
quarter is not such one rs can govern New oris,
must be apperent to all. This is not government, 1t
il little better than legahzed anarchy The distribution
of equal power in the Executive departments, without
one bend is subversive Of true government This IL
ueculinry 40 among people who have earnedto look
upon these heads places OF large pecunlniy gam,
the value of which is increased "a the nSht ID cOhto
them is decreased. Whenthe law itself frees puDhc
officer. having the disbursement Of large sums OF
money from accountability, or when accountable the
responsibility j, fixed in vague, inappcabe manner,
it is difficult to how the interests OF the ca|uyare
10 be protected in thnes Of such lax integrity H. 10"
peryades the oficeseeking and the offce-hong part
of the community; for although there are exceptions,
few men of stern integrity and heightened, honorable
principles, are to be found canvHsaing for the
support 1T the corrupt interests III society,
now almost indispensable 10 secure these places oi
tru>t | look upOn the want of concentration Of
power and absence Of sufficient check to the acoh OF
The several departments, together with the weak ana
almost uOwerlpss condition of the mscaled Chie Ex'
ecutiy, Officer, az the main defects IN the present
Government Of the city. In nv Judgment we can
never have improvement without an entire chang OF
the present system in these respects. The adnis'a-
ton must be unit There must be one head to which
the other fnct0naries should be subordinate all act
ing III harmony ard concert.
The Mayor should be thu city what the President
of the United Statcs TO the General Government ana
the several hsads OF the Department. should be his
Cabinet appointed by him, gathering their directions
from bis WILL if needs be after proper alton and
he liable, for cause, to removal by him. Inc Mayor,
having ample power over every muncipai wrong
should be held TO the most ami rigId account
ability TO the people and the Courts not only for his
OWN acts but for the conduct of the subordUates who
hold their places by biz appointments and they IN turn
should be accountable To him, holding their ofnceS
during his own term or tor n sh0nef ptroui
if in his Judgment the public interest demand
change These checks and safeguards would
create a solid vet truly Republican GOVERNMENT
the people would know where TO go Tor redress
of grievances, t. indeed under tins system any SERIOUS
eievancss would exist every wrong could be- promptly
rcmoyed for each oic al would feel the necessity OF
compliance and of general good behavior a. the tenure
BY which hi Office is held. do not mean To assert
that this form Of organization wOu!d DE- p'lle'ti
for nothing perfect that the mind Of man conceiyes
az the ect of man performs; but far A. the wants al
the people OF this great city concerned, mean 10
Assert that without these principles incorporated III
! our organic law, shall never have 6Oyerihi'ht
which in is Executive department, can yield present
,atsfacton much lees prepare the way ior that bright
future TO which, in spite OF ourNeve-, W. are fapily
! tending, a. the first Of modern cites
similar views on til. subject presented by me
in somewhat different form, in my first Message 20
vour predecessors. Like the other recommendations
made to Il ose bod. they failed to elicit action. Sub
sequent experience in the office OF Mayor, has iu!y
confirmed them, and repeat them now with lcss hesi,