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

material Growth. the MAYOR says thst in form Of
Government, internal regulations end integrity In
public officers, We ara far inferior to dozen other
cities in the Union Of comparatively tnsignincant
population and importance
Soaring again into slightly hyperbolcal frame
Of mind. Mr.. Wood gives Us brief dissertation
mon the nature and theory Of Government claim
inc that the local administration Of New-fork al
fcts wider extent of territory involving more vital
social interest, and considerations than the capitals
of Louis Napoleon and Queen Victoria together,
Entertaining this enlarged idea Of our power and
dignity, our Chief Magistrate comes to the conclu-
sion that the Croton Water and the Central Park
are about all that has been done or begun ID the
WAY of keeping up with our greatness. stu ne
doubts the policy of expending money in widening
streets and making splendid public buildings, un-
less demanded by the public well-being. And then'
as he did last year, the Mayor says he has another
message in preparation, wherein he will speak his
mind more fully on these practical topics.
His Honor next inquiries: "To what is New
York most indebted; and in what ia she most
.dc6cient ," The argument and illustration ofthese
points make up the central portion or main body OF
the Message Here be takes new ground-whch,
if not tenable, is at least novel-and proceeds to
bestOw upon the Federal Government set lecture
on Free trade, of which it seems he has been for
several years theoretically and practically an advo'
cate. Assuming that two thirds Of the Federal
revenue is collected in this city, he holds it to
be an unequal and grieyous burden upon us,
and suggests by implication that direct tax
alton is the only true way to carry
on public affairs. In casual alluslon TO
Spain and Mexico, as tariff countries ne says OF
the first: "Her neighbOrs but await the day for
cher partition, and her island Colonies the do
"minion of a freer and more enlightened govern
"ment:" and of the latter: DESTINY will direct
'the further progress of the Republican principle
under the stars and stripes, until not only Mexico
{. but in the not distant future the whole OF Cen
trail America, will acknowledge our sway, and
" become portion of this confederation of indie
- pendent States Having thus used up two i'm
portant nations, our fllibustering Mayor next e1-
ults over the glorious prospect; :" Ii IT is to be
"peaceful conquest, he exclaims, the COM
"merce of New-York must lead the van; If II be
.'by force of arms, New-York must supply the
" sinews of war. In any form by which this great
drama is to be played out, through the inscruts-
"ble mystery of destiny we are to be the main
actors, and our resources, existing only through
and by commerce. are to be the immediate
agents.
Next in order We are favored with dissertation
L,,.I nft
chapter is the defects in our charter, contrasted
with the Mayors favOrite theory of the " One-rnan
power in its most extended application. II look, "
says Mr.. Wood, upon the want OF concentration
" of power and absence of sufficient check to the
" action OF the several departments together with
" the weak and almost pOwerless condition Of the
1" miscalled Chief Executive Officer, as the main
d" defects in the present government OF the city.
What is necessary to remedy the evil ia that the
Mayor should hold the sole power of making
and unmakiDg all the subordinate officers IN
the city. Then there might be strong,
that is to say good Government - the
Mayor only being responsible, either to the Courts
or the people, for all manner of misconduct. The
want of power, he says has been the main diff
Guilty felt in the way of his own administration;
and he complains that his enemies have held him
responsible for various abuses, and then charged
him with an Illegal assumptionof power when he
sought to correct them. Still, he promises to hold
out to the end and the result will decide whether
- the people are worthy of aud capable of appre-
50 catng on honest aud fearless discharge Of Off
80 cal trust
As an offset to this keen thrust, his Honor CRATE
fully acknowledges the very general and hearty sup
port which the better classes of society have given
him, and with which to encourage him no man
could fail; and then he closes with another bright
vision Of our future glory, when Free trade and
one man government shall place us beyond the
throes of political revolution ia either hemisphere;
when the fluctuations of our Bourse French for
50 Merchants Exchange') shall be responded to
BY the money changers of Europe; when we shah
be first in arts, first in commerce and wealth, and
when, in the glowing language of this eloquent
message the New-Yorker will be able to quote the
observation of Paul of Tarsus II em citizen
Of no mean CITY,"