The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-02-06
The City Charter.


A morning contemporary gives expression to a
Jealous advocacy Of the charter bills before the
Legislature, and stigmatzes our opposition to
them as factious and partisan. 1t declares, in q
spirit of extraordinary frankness, that they have
been framed in order 10 meet the views of all
parties I; that they combine the wisest safeguard
against official corruption with the most thorough
official responsibility that the Mayor is re
created chief Of departments, and that all civic
officials are declared to be responsible to him ;
and that no one can oppose such measures with
out an utter disregard for the best interests OF
the city.
We have to say, of these bills, that they are the
grossest impoeture and deception that we have
seen in many years. There is a set Of them.
One is ian act to amend the charter of the city
of New York; Another is an act TO creaie in
the city of New York a metropolitan Police De-
partment." A third is IAN act to provide for the
location and erection of a new City Hall in the
city of New York" And a fourth is d" an act for
the improvement and regulation Of the Central
Park in the city Of New York" The four are all
parts Of the coordinate scheme, and propose not
only TO disraDchise the people of this great city
and set over them proconsuls appointed by
power at Albany, but to enlarge and perpetuate
the scheme of decentralization, from which all
our evils low Let us examine them somewhat
In detail
The act to amend the charter certainly confers
upon the Mayor a measure Of authority over Ger
tain executive departments. But the more impor
tant of these departments are removed from bis
influence. He has no control over the police
or the treasury. The former is under the direS-
ton of commissioners appointed at Albany by
the Governor of the State; the latter is managed
by an officer elected, on separate ballot, by the
people of New York Neither Commissioners nor
Comptroller are expected to pay the least ten
ton TO the views or wishes Of the Mayor. TIL, are
Independent Of him, and have nothing TO gain by
helping him TO govern the city, but everything
TO gain by thwarting him, and striving to make
IL appear that he is an inefficient officer. Thus
the Mayor under this new charter would he in
o position which may be best realized by sup
posing President Pierce 10 have no authority
over Messrs. Guthrie and JEFF. Davis
But this IL not all. The Mayor IL is true,
would be entitled TO appoint some other heads of
DEPARTMENTS, by and with the consent and
approval Of the Board Of Aldermen. But
be could net remove an incompetent officer
without concurrent vote from that body
20 that, in the event OF q quarrel between
the Mayor and head Of department, the latter
would only need TO secure a few friends among
the Aldermen in order TO set the Mayor at de.
fance. This would evidently be the wiser plan
for him TO pursue In any event; for though Me
Mayor could not dismiss an incompetent execu.
tive officer without permission from the Alder
men, the Aldermen could dismiss any executive
officer without 70 much as a notice 10 the Mayor.
II will thus be perceived that NO far from sim
plifying the government of the city or increasing
the responsibility of its head this scheme actual
ly agrsyates the present scheme of decntraliza-
ton. Under the new charter, the Mayor would
be at least as powerless, and in respect of the
police more powerless than be now Is No
man of any standing and prospects would In
deed be likely TO accept the Office on such con-
ditions
The act appointing Police Commissioners |
transfers not only the whole control Of the police
but the control of the health Of New York
70 three Commissioners TO be appointed by the |
Governor. The present Board Of Police Com
pis riopers the police captains and the Chief Of