The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-09-04
Municipal Ahairs-The New System Of No
limitations.

limitations.
The nomination of Fernando Wood for re-elec-
ton as Mayor Of this city, by committee of one
hundred of our most respectable, wealthy, intel
lgent, cultivated, patriotic citizens, has created
a tremendous tluttering in the city press and
amongst the old party hacks about town. Some
of our weak kneed contemporaries publish the cor
respondence without one word of comment not
knowing exactly what has come over them. Only
one journal undertakes to question the proprety
of the movement, and its objection is put chiefly
on the ground that Mr.. Wood has not accom-
plshed much since he has been in Office,
although he declares that he has found it
utterly impossible in view Of the hydra headed
system of departments on which the city go
vernment rests, to do any more than he has
achieved.
Be this as it may, the bold and decided step
taken by the committee of citizens, headed by
Mesers. Brown, Astor and Taylor, in placing
their nomination for Mayor before the people,
previous to any nomination by the party organi-
cations, is step in the right direction, and one
which bids fair to inaugurate sweeping revolu-
ton in the manner of conducting our municipal
affairs. We have been for too many years under
the entire control of set of vagabonds, ruiians,
rowdies bullies ballot box suffers shoulder hit
ters-such men as Bill Pool, Yankee Sullivan,
and their associates. Numbers of these vaga-
bonds have been lately expelled from California
by the self-constituted Vigilance Committee,
which, in its inception, was actuated by the same
motives that have induced the present committee
of one hundred to take the nomination of Mayor
into their own hands, before the skulking vaga-
bonds who control the political factions of the
day have had time to set their wires at work.
We hope that this first step, which has been
who pack primary elections and cram nominating
conventions, have woven their meshes-we hope
that this movement will be followed up, and that
this same committee of intelligent and patriotic
citizens will also nominate, in the several wards
and districts, every Alderman and Councilman,
taking care to select none but men of honor,
honesty and integrity. If the committee viii
only undertake this-and we are sure that their
nominations would be worthy the support of
every honest voter-we are confident that almost
every man so nominated can be elected. In this
way we could deal sure blow at the vagabonds
and scoundrels who hang about the primary as
semblies and manage all the party meetings.
They would be utterly routed and entirely dis
comGted, and the result would be trae reform,
which would be fraught with the most beneficial
results to the people Of this great metropolis
Why cannot this be done? Why cannot these
gentlemen assemble and select from each ward
the best and wisest men as candidates for
Aldermen. Counoilmen, and other municipal
Offices?
For years the system of nominations adopted
by all parties-democrats wings republicans and
Americans-has been denounced by us. The re-
suits of such nominations are before us in the
corruption which runs riot in every branch Of the
government; in the terrible increase OF taxation;
in the laxity of the administration of criminal
justice; in the utter neglect of public duty, and
in the wholesale plumber Of the wealthy and in
telligent people Of the Empire City. Let the
coming municipal election be entirely separated
from national affairs Let every man vote for
whoever he chooses for President, but let that
matter be entirely distinct from our local affairs.
lie, Us make some radical change in the manner
Of managing our city affairs Let US have new
charter and good men TO execute it, Now Is the
time for action, before the party tactlcians have
set their rascaly schemes afoot