New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-02-07

An cutlery is raised By few Interested of'e
| holders and their immediate friends shout the dis
fsDchsement Of this city by the Legislature 10 the
bills proposed for returning our loca govern ment.
, AZ any and every Acknowledgement Of the people
5 expressly forbidden by organic law. this nervous
| an1ieiy looks q little absurd. The Common Coun-
| eli, with depth Of wisdom peculiar TO that re-
msrkable body have expressed IAN opinion as i,
an opinion and formally called upon our repre-
sentatves at Albany not 70 infringe the Cons.i.u-
ton. The City Hall SoloDs are 60 accustomed TO
20 as they are hidden by their master without the
remotesi regard for Law or justice, that they may
be psrdoned for supposing the Legislature to be
equally ignorant and reckless.
But this IS merely smoke 70 cover their real
meaning. Since the unfortunate election Of Fer
nando Wood as Chef Magistrate Of the city, there
has been persistent effort 10 establish practical
despotism under the delusion Of strong executive
Government. 1t has been constantly dnned into
the public ear, that we could have no decent admin
istrstion until the purse and the sword should b.
cODfded To one man; that be- must be nyes:e with
extraordinary and doubtful powers; that b. mus,
appoint every subordinate officer, from Controller
to street sweeper; that he must be allowed to re-
move them at viii, without question, and In fact
rule The city in a summary manner beng account
able only to bis own municipal omnipotence The
objections raised 10 the new charter are tha. the
Controller j. to be elected, and the Mayor c,nuo.
turn The Croton Water lnmi.soners out Of office
without the consent Of the Aldermen. These are
grevous faults, indeed. II is pity that Mr.. Wood
cannot exercise his doubtful powers upon Control
Ter Flaeg and President Van Setback. Could he do
30, we might have the pleasure OF seeing these
faithful guardians Of the people driven of and their
places filed by emigrsnt- runners and shoulder
hitters-,be Jim lrvings and " Bill Wilson's - Of
the Mayor household
From ESQ to l-i9 we lived under 6 charter
which has been held up by the present Mayor as
the very best We ever had-a sOr. of model IN de-
parting from which We incurred, as he srgues. all
the pecuniary and social evils which haze b. allen
Ne. Now, under THIS much lluded chsrter tie
MsyOr had nothing 10 do With appointing Officers
nor making policemen. he Heads of Departments
were chosen by the Common Council without his
interference or consent. In a. that period We had
and POPULATION. We had such Mayors as Lee,
Lawrence, Narisn Morris Harper, H.yeueyer and
Brady, With honest and capable heads Of depart
ments, not Seah Eor an Ioling among them so
lar as We now recollect. We are told that the
Mayor must have supreme power, or no worthy
man wl take the office. The men sbove-named
had comparatively no power, yet they cheeIfu'ly
-. 1.-..k =. I,.ra
kept the city reasonably clean and quiet, AM never
faxed Us hall 50 heavily as now We need say 10
more 70 prove Tie entirely selfish nature Of IL.
claim for power. Il IS solely for the srgrsrd.ze-
nient OF a few ohceholders snd the peFpet atom II
The control Of Tie ci;y Of tie party whose factions
are now qusutiDs FOX the possession oi Tamm4ny
Hal.
To WIN favor for tbs partisan design 81 effort j.
made 10 show ths, the Les s'ature consider the
people Of the ci,y Incapable Of se1-goyeEnment AID
therefore intend 10 t!ranai,e over u. II there
we've any truth il the assertion, i might t- worth
While tc hold VI tie Mayor originating sni &C.
lively supporting tbs very tocsrre. Perfect az
quescence in the theory of tie iul capacity Of the
people for governing then seyes e impossible.
since : include. the night Of The minority, however
NAL 70 rule t.ef SD reduce. society into
ndiyidushsm, every man enjoying me right of gov
,rr.rc hs own person in rs Own Way. There
mus, lie limit 20 sucL right, snd where the
| bounds stsli be .et j. for t. majority ~ say.
| That msoIiy IN TIE present case, $ the State,
&c ", county other division Of which has the
| right 10 dtmur. Bur. q. We !nrmste1, the nsti-
GATOR OF this ta.sthood cOniralicts himself Win
che breath be cries ou,, The Legislature insults
you BY assuming thst you a'e not capable Of
choosing your OWL officers; win The next
/ De leis Us. Il you want coed city govern
ueut, give up choosing beats OF departments
| yourselves let me sppc.ni them zen are not
capable OF doing il" The cunning fellow here
o'ertsps himself Simulated concern for Demo
crStlc principles coming from a Thoroughbred
A,i.tocrat. political snd social lOubey of the most
intense sort, IS amusing, bUt by no means lnpcf-
tant. The disguise Is to- iImsy: the cloak too
.hor the reality i. spParen. TO the most superficial
| observer.
| We hope tie Legislature vii carefully compare