New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-04-28
DONATIONS TO REPORTERS.

To ne Edi,sr Of The N L. Tri1un,.
SIR: A brief paragraph appeared in TIE Ne' York
Dispatch oNSunday last. entitled Effects of the panic
among the daily papers,, in which the editor OF that
jouinal loosely commented upon the fact that some
half dozen reporters Of the daily pspers had drawn
grauly of 800 each from the city treasury, under
resolution passed by the Common Council. lnasmuch
as some of the pepsoned reporters Of the daily press
have endeavored to make it appear that this donation
voted to them a compliment without any solicit
tation or upon their part allow TO state
few facts pertinent to this issue. So far from this
being true it s Just the For years past GER
tain reporters Of the daily press prominent among
whom is the Reporter Of The Herald, have covertly
erdeavored to extort grstuities from the Common
Council. After repeated failures in the Boards of
Aldermen ard Counclmen, last December they resor::
ed to the Board of Supervisors where they succeeded
in getting il passed on the third meeting prior to the
final adjournment. 1t was accomplished In this way
The Supervisors were seen beforehand, and their
votes secured the Reporter Of The Herald then drew
up the following resolution, which was presented, at
his request by Supervisor McSpedon
Roed That the Controller BE- and be hereby ass . 40
regularly ed the debates and other proceedings OF this
the CLERK Of th Board that such parties are the
regular reporters Of this Board. -
The resolution passed the Board, Supervisor Blunt
alone of all the members present, having the courage
to vote against it. In the reports OF the proceedings
Of the Board which appeared next day, the resolution
was carefully suppressed.
Mayor Wood subsequently signed the resolut ID,
and the Clerk of the Common Council certified that
the following persons were the regular reporter! OF the
Boards OF Aldermen and Supervisors;
John KsmP;ton Esn1, shL H k"dd,.
w Il. b. Gnes........' Courier ana enquirer
John Armstrong. Daily Times
osd R.';s sPd E 5pqe.F'
W psTe; Sy YORK Sun.
Mr.. Davies, gentleman long connected with the
md or ms
TRIBUNE requested the Clerk to erase bis name, as
he could not conscientousy take that which did not
belong to him. The Others presented their clans to
Controller Fagg who told them that the act of the
Supervisors clearly illegal, he would not pay
them. One OF two of the leaders threatened to sue
the city for the amount intending probably TO bring
the suit in some Ward Court, where II would never
come to the knowledge of their employers AMI to
make assurance doubly cure, the reporter OF me
Herald and another waited upon Mr.. Busted, the
Corporation Counsel and requested him not to defend
the suit bit to lei it 90 by default. MIR. Busted re-
piled: "Gentlemen. your claim Is illegal and urjust,
"atd warn you that you cannot recover in a court
"ofaw. IL you cue the City, shall certainly defend
:" tie suit" The reporter Of The Herald waited
upon Mr.. Busted several times subsequent to this,
and tired to induce him to advise the Controller that
the Sc claims were just AID he ought to pay them
The Counsel to the Corporation, however, advised
the Controller that they were Illegal aud on one occa
sion meeting The Herald reporter in the Controller
tlice, he tod him. in Mr. Flags presence, that the
porters alio waited upon Aid. Blunt and requestt d
him to use his influence with the Controller in their
behalf. His reply was: Gentlemen, cant 90 as
q citizen what would not do as public officer
Failing to move tie Controller by threats or caoery,
the pensioners returned to the City Hail. and went to
work upon the Common Council of 1888. Through
their fundamentally the amount was added to the tax
levy, and passed through the Common Council. The
SANE agency secured its ratification at Albany. As
soon as it had pas ed the Legislature the pensioners
fell upon the Controller more, and as he had no
alternative he drew the warrants, Mayor Tlemann
countersigned them snd they carried off their plunder
These are the facts. SO far from toe donation being
sporta neous tribute to them, they have been begging
the Common Council for it for years, and 10 order to
clutch it they rsored TO every mean artfce known 10
the oproleis Of the lobby ask the respectable por
ton Of our profession if such conduct not to the last
degree discredtable o,-,,,,
Your obe dent servant, REPORIEH
Nei-. Yuk April q, 1858.