New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-01-06

men, -; iss 800
fIopeI'y v nc Use VI observation-disclosures. IiMon %
Market n he several cic. pi. S,osns
the eity together teish'een In nnnoep'''' S@xD %
S SSs to the city nnceen nums a
with he Is; :. I'm r. S:' .sS North Rss:
Conplg,ed qu. rents and ws;er grants '''''''''''
s4lisoo .
II will be seen that the increase alone OF tina poP
erty since 1850 is than equal " the pefmsoes'
actual debt Of the city.
find the Street Department 10 be in eondioon en-.
rely unprec There are two CLAIMANTS W tto
import ant Office of Street Commissioner, one OF them
in actual possession and the other claiming tnAt ns
title s perfect and needs only possession TO ensele him
10 discharge all the duties Of the Office. Each hss APP
pointed numerous officers under him, and tho CITY
Treasury is called upon to pay COUPE s e ~ ,ss as to
determine his title, and has put his competitor under
Injunction restraining him from decnaign8 uso Sass
OF the Office until the title shall be ultimately deter
mined In this anomalous state Of affairs when can
only be relieved from embarrassment by the aecsiec
OF the Courts, or the more prompt acton OF ge Leg
lature declaring the office vacant ana eshn'ok W
manner in which it shall be filed the SAFETY ~ tne
pubIc treasury will require me 10 refuse my ngpsture
10 all warrants for the payment Of their saares Or of
the payment of cny work which either may unGs,AaS
Some ipcony enieDee may hence result rom Ssioy "
the execution of some public works, and shsL ~.
i;ce IL the mode be adopted whereby the Dspsumsns
NAV be relieved from ts present paralysis sns n
enabled to discharge with vgor Its numerous "no ''
pOrtant duties ,.a.,ovr,s.
WV CRY HALL AND CENTRAL PARK COMMISSIONERS
An act was passed at the last session OF ths kses
lature, appointing commission ~ saPsi'ns . 80
erection OF new City Hall in this city, ana sutnotsf
mo the Common Council 10 raise by law sun nos
exceeding two millions of dollars, by the issue o,
stock 10 be called the New City Hall Stoeh OF me
City Of NewYork, for such purpose 70 oe eaponS;a
under the direction Oh h'e eo'A'"'
the act. onA onv.
eminent of the Central fark naming eiss.n wU.
xkose
mept the PARK was placed. Both works shonld -
pushed forward to peton rapidly po.sibls the
cy Hall to give the 90 ,Ss c cSw he Psk
for the health and recreation Of the people, but
would recommend, instead OF the TpFh bemS
done under the direction and son'ro' o. VIC Ilsse
of;ceys that application be made to the Legislature
to give the appointment of them to the Mayor With
the conse Mt Of the Board Of Aldermen 10Th works
are strictly municipal, and the Conln,ssloners who
execute them should owe their appointmsnt TO the
CITY authorities OF the people who alone bear the
expense In my opinion the number Of the Csraniis.
soners is too great especially the one Tor the Cent
Park: a commission of three for .ha City Hall and
five for the Central Park would insure greatcr ex-
petition and economy. Dbl ~
IxEcUrYE COUNCIL.
Il being yident to me that harmonyof acton among
the several heads of departments should exist, and
also that the Mayor in order 10 ulh satisfactorily bis
duties should know the measures under consideration,
and the several matters in charge of each Department.
am decidedly Of opinion that the several heads OF
departments Of the city government should regularly
meet in council with the Mayor for thopurposc OF con-
sultation in relation TO the business and intess
TO prevent the conflict Of the deparmehts with each
other and insure economy in the public expenditure.
For instance the Street Commissioner has cognisanco
Of opening, altering, regulating, grading, haggng,
curbing guttering and lighting Streets roads, Places
and avenues and of other matters enumerated in the
Charter; the Croton Aqueduc Department has blythe
same instrument the charge OF the construction Of
sewers and of the paving, repaying aud repairing
streets and digging and constructing wells and other
work mentioned in the charter. s..ls l-
Now, the Croton Aqusduct Department may have
an application for the paving Of street, this cannot
be done until is regulated and graded, WHICH work
is to be done, according to the Charter, under the
direction and charge of the Street Commissioner BY
consultation together, at the meetings, before men.
toned, the necessary information would DO obtained
and unity Of action secured. The Mayor would also,
at these meetings, have the opportunity of Consulting
the heads OF Departments in reference to matters be-
fore the Common Council and which may be submt-
ted TO him officially The want of such consultations
has no doub. frequently prevented the Mayor from
| exercising that supervision over the Department
which the Charter requires Of him.
1t is apparent, however, that proper harmony Of
action cannot exist between the Executive OF the city
and the heads ofdepsrmens, 80 long any Of them
derive their appointment from the people and not
from the Mayor and Common Council. Il aui quite
clear that all the results Of good government cannot
be realized until the Executive is made trsponible
for his administration and clothed with the pecesssry
powers to make it efficient. I, therefore, recommend
that application be made to the Legislature 70 give
the appointment of all heads of departments TO the
Mayor and Common Council at the expiration VI the
| terms Of office of the present incupbents.
| POLICE, I.t.f
Several recent acts of State Legislation 10 respect 70
this city have been the subject Of great and in some
respects just, anrnadyersion. Their execution was
copfded to agents not selected by those who taxed
for their salaries and immediately affected by the
operations of these laws The exercise Of such power
by the State Legislature, in respect TO the police en-
bodied in the act to establish Metropolitan Police
District having been held by the Court Of Appeas TO
be consistent with the Constitution Of the State,
that decision as the law. But grave objections To
such legislation IT'LL exist in undiminishsd force. IL
cannot be denied that instances of abuse and corrup
ton in the city authorities may exist, rendering It
necessary for our citizens to appeal to The Iayrnsking
power Of the State for redress. Reforms may bs de-
manded which would be yainly sought through I'M
faithful agents. In such extreme case for cit
liens invoke the interpolation Of the State for their
protection would be among the most sacred Of nights
But we must not rashly abandon the duty and the
| night Of local selfg0venment. We must remember
that il operates in this city the peSos and safety o.
| O community embracing three-quarten VI million OF
people; and affects most intimately ILe interests ana
comfort Of every individual citizen Inc system must
| not be abandoned but be made to work well; Every
good citizen must contribute his share Of the aten-
ion time and effort necessary to govern H. and in-
stead of dstrustng and deserving the ssten, he NUT
act upon il and through u.
The nterpostOn OF state annortS, V change,
tayes the administrative system Of the city only
be justified by clear evidence, that is called for by
the voice of the people. 1t involves the danger Of
rn-h and unwi.e legislation and IL exposed 70 the
temptation Of aboshng or cseauDg public Offices to
accommodate partisan neeessities. p 2 ls~
| But the most important adBonition WHICH tho cub
lee, suggests ia 10 us, who are iDrusted with the
duties Of the city administration. II would main
tain the right of local sefgovernment Il must be by
EIaH 70