New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1856-06-18
Mayor Waterman's Message,

ming.
Mayor Waterman's Message, NJ
MAYoRALTY. OF New ORLEANS,
June L 18th, 1856
N'' Of lie City OF New Orleans:
Gea.tlemen-In entering upon the discharge Of my
official duties as Mayor Of the City of New Orleans,
it is becoming that should tender, as do, my
fellowctzens, my grateful acknowled gments for the
high honor which they have conferred upon me. I
shall enter upon the discharge Of those duties with
unaffected difidence but rely with confidence upon
the patriotism and public spirit Of the community to
sustain and cooperate with me in maintaining the
public peace good ORDER and general welfare of the
city.
The new charter enacted by the last Legislature
has assigned to you new and important duties, to
which it will hereafter become my duty to direct your
attention particularly avail myself Of this OCCASION
however, to indulge the hope that in the election Of
officers shortly to be made by you, gentlemen Of high
character intelligence, energy and industry, will be
selected to fill the important posts, upon the faithful
administration Of which depends to a great degree
the prosperity Of the city, and the success Of the mea
sures you may determine on.
In organizing anew the entire police force of city
like New Orleans grave difficulties will spring up
every hand to embarrass my action and expose me
to censure. Such embarrassnlents shall strive faith
fully, earnestly and untiringly to overcome; such
censures shall endeavor not to merit. No popular
clanlor, however loud shall make shrink from the
performance of my duty with fearlessness imparti-
atty, and whatever Of ability may possess In APP
pointing men to Office shall endeavor to select such
as may know or as may be reliably represented to
me to be prudent active, SOBER prompt, resoute and
trustworthy. shall prefer those who, from long resi-
dence city, knowledge of its Inhabitants their
habits and customs and from their own respectabity
shall seem most likely to prove efficient, and to com
mand the confidence Of the community.
I shall exact from them subordination, and strict
attention to the duties assigned them. halexpeet
the assistance of my foWcitizens in sustaining the
Police in the rightfnl exercise of authority and in
bringing promptly to my personal notice such official
delinquencies as may be committed by them.
Recent occurrences have disclosed a disposition in
the community, in times of political tumult and
element to indulge in deeds of violence and disorder
Although feel assured that in many instances such
occurrences have been greatly exaggerated and from
bad motives and that the fears of large class of
Rellow-citizens have been unnecessarily excited,
deem it my duty to express in this public manner my
infexible determination, far lies in my power to
preserve order and to meet promptly, and to quen at
all hazards any such disturbance Of the public tran
guilty. $
The persons and the property of the citizens of
New Orleans entitled to receive the protection Of
the police Of the city, and it shall be my constant
endeavor to exact from all my subordinates their best
services in atfording such protection. But it in
vain to expect that public order will be maintained
unless the people themselves manifest that obedience
to the mandates Of law which forms the first duty Of
a good citizen.
To counsel the commission of acts of violence to
appeal to the worst preudiees of classes in moments
Of political excitement, and to attempt to array
portion of the community in attitude Of hostility
to another to recommend the disregard of the
solemn nunctions Of the law, and theopen violation
Of the statutes Of the State under the pretence Of
counseng sefprotection, to exhort to go armed,
cannot fail to lead to scenes of outrage and wrong;
disgraceful to city, and utterly subversye Of all Sc
curity Of life and property Such counsels merit the
unqualified condemnation Of all good men, and, i
cannot but believe, will fall unheeded upon the cit
zens of New Orleans. agl- N
1t will be your duty, in pursuance of the proyis
ions of the City Charter to reduce to order and
to systematic the various departments Of the city
government requiring reorganization. Ineed scarcely
say, the intelligence and experience Of those whom
the people have selected for the performance of this
duty, cannot fail to inspire the community with en-
tire confidence that the policy of reform well be-
gun by your predecessors, will, in your hands, be con-
tinued to q successful termination.
feel every confidence that you will adopt such
udicious measures as will conduce to sustain at all
times and at all hazards, the credit Of city at
home and abroad that by prudence and economy in
the administration of public affairs and the strict
countabity of all the officers Of the corporation, the
burthens of taxation will continue to grow less that
new inducements will be held out to bring capital into
our midst, stimulus will be given to our commerce,
our trade be increased and the general prosperity of
the city promoted. .-
In carrying into effect all such measures it will be
my pleasure to extend to you hearty cooperation.
In conclusion, beg in advance to bespeak for my
acts the inulgent consideration ofyourselves and my
fellow-ctizens in general In the exercise of the i'm
portant powers with which my Office is clothed,
shall no doubt commit many grave errors; but i'm
pressed with sincere desire to promote the public
welfare of this, my beloved city with an honest in
tention to the duties deyolying on
me and with the determination to devote my entire
energies to their performance shall be to merit
the appreciation of my own conscience, and I trust
the good opinion of my fellow-citizens.
have the honor to be, gentlemen,
..s- Your obedient servant,