The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-12-11


and Enquirer of yesterday, in a carefully studied
article, intended to wear the appearance of great
candor and regard for the public interest, advo-
Gates q change in the forms of our municipal 60
vernment, Of most corrupt and dangerous cha
racter. Stripped Of all guises, the proposition
amounts to this: that the present Board Of Coun-
cilmen in this city shall be abolished, and that
in place Of it shall be substituted board Of five
or seven citizens, to be appointed by the
Governor, by and with the advice of the Sc
nate, to hold long terms of office, and to be eli
berally compensated" The duties of these gen.
tlemen are, to act upon the nominations by the
Mayor of the heads of departments upon the
appointments and removals of police officers, and
ITO secure the treasury from misapplication of
its funds"
The results Of such a system thus Swallowed
forth, are assumed to be that the Mayor
would have power enough to compel the faith
full performance of the duties involved upon the
heads of departments, but none to do the public
any injury whatever. We confess we do not see
how. His power is now admitted by the Courier
to be 60 restricted that no real responsibility rests
upon him, except Of the most limited kind. How
is it to be increased, when he finds Board above
him with superior powers whose consent is ne
cessary both to his appointments and removals.
The idea that by merely overlooking the conduct
Of officials who are in fact independent of him
after they are once appointed, any practical be-
neft is to be derived to the public is sheer non
sense The heads of departments would find at
all times complete protection against even the
most well founded complaints. The city would
in fact be governed by the wirepullers in the
city of Albany, and be totally without remedy,
even under the most fragrant abuses.
The true object OF the scheme is apparent to the
meanest capacity. Now that the State goose
has been plucked almost bare, the Albany Junta,
who have grown rich in the plucking, are look
ing round to see where they can steal little
more from the "barndoor Of the Treasury"
The city of New York offers the greatest chances
at present for successful foray. Here millions
Of dollars are annually expended at the cost Of
the fleeced public, and there is no power in the
Mayoralty to check it. Here are an amount of
Offices, fat contracts, and opportunities Of making
money, which are to be found nowhere else in
any municipal government on earth. Here,
Of the gang Of plunderers Here, with a con-
venient Board Of Commissioners, who cannot be
removed during the terms of their Offices, the
man who keeps the slate may do his sums with
out the fear of being detected in his figures, and
here place his sycopbants and followers in unde-
served stations of honor and emolument. The
citizens at large having no voice in their own
affairs, with the bare shadow of representation in
a Mayor and Board of Aldermen, will find them
selves governed by rapacious politicians in the
city Of Albany, with no means of redress q. any
time unless the whole State takes up their caus';
and by an entire revolution at some future day
elects a Governor and Legislature who may then
sympathize with them in the hopelessness of their
condition.
We ask on what principle the people Of the
interior are entitled or called upon to take in
hand the government Of the city Of New York?
Why shall it be left to them to say, in the persons
of the Governor and the Senate, how New York
shall regulate its internal and its own peculiar
interests?
Is this Board of Councillors to be more perfect
than other Councils which have at times existed
under our former constitutions? Have we for
gotten the intrgues, the cabals, the corruptions,
which attended the career of the old Council of
Appointment and the Council Of Revision? Are
these antquated and exploded absurdties to be re-
vved in spite Of all experience, and showed down
our throats against our consent? Such seems to
be the plan. To give the change proposed a
questionable popularity in this city, il is avowed
in the Courier that the present Mayor is q dis
trusted" and that the better portion of our
community have no confidence in his integrity or
siDgleness Of purposer-it will not be safe to
give him any uoRe power, though it is already
too much restricted, and Its responsibility is too
much divided. This, too, after the people of the
city Of New York have twice successfully elected
him to the Mayoralty, in the face of the most
determined opposition ever encountered by any
candidate for the Office.
We pronounce the whole scheme Of the Courier,
thus put forth as feeler for the benefit of the
Albany copspirators and their New York asso-
ciates, miserable fallacy II will reduce the city
Of New York to the most pitiful dependence on
board of managers appointed and kept in Office
in Albany, and totally irresponsible to our own
citizens. II will reduce the Mayoralty TO the
shadow of what il is even now, and it WI afford
opportunities Of plumber to every fresh batch of
leeches sent here by the imam who keeps the
slate" 1t will make the city suburb of Alba
ny and principally for Thurlow Weed. II is
without the shadow ofnece@ity-without the color
Of Justice. II must be and IL will be resisted.
NEWSPAPER SPEcuLAToRs-K the recent fail
ure Of Mr.. Little was subject Of regret TO all
who appreciated the value Of his conservative
course in Wall street, there is consolation In the
act that it has fully brought TO light the charac-
Ter of the money column Of the New York Daily
Tua9. II has long been known that one of the |