The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-11-19
Tr.tks CT New Work politic,ans-The Lates
Syyindle.


1t is good thing for the prosperity Of
the city OF New York that the morals of ii,
merchants and Of it's citizens generally are
not at the same low point that the morals Of
its politicians are. Were it otherwise the
future prospects Of our great city would be
anything but cheering But then We all rccog-
nise-the whole country and the world at large
recognzes-the wide social distinction that exists
between New York politician and private
citizen Of New York. In general estimation the
politician belongs to the same low caste as the
thief, the gambler and the rowdy. 1t can hardly
be said that he is degree removed above this class
Of public offenders because it is not rare thing
to find him placed at the criminal bar along with
them; although, let him thank the mode in which
the laws are executed, it is rather rarity to see
him sent to the penitentiary, However, even
that sometimes does occur, though by no means SO
often as the good order of the city and the fair
administration of the laws require. Still, we do
! not know any worse recommendation that any
man looking for employment could have than to
say that he had been New York Alderman. or
| Councilman, or ward politician 1t would not be
a whit better than for him to say that his last
employment had been at Sing Sing or Black
| wells Island
This reputation the politicians have brought
upon themselves by their mean, contemplate
and disgraceful tricks in managing ward and
primary elections, and by their corrupt conduct
when placed in any Office of trust or power 1t is
not necessary for us to refer now to the history
| of that Common Council that was known rs the
band of forty thieves 1t is not so certain iudg-
ing from recent Developments. that we have at
all improved our stock of city officials. The
largest share of the work of our Grand Juries
and criminal courts is devolved upon them by
| this very class Of offenders: and so much has
that branch Of criminal business increased of
late, that it might be advisable to have court
organized for the special purpose of trying our
public officers. five had had revision of the
State constitution, and chance of fixing up the
Code again, such court might possibly have
been created.
The late election has by no means tended to
improve the public estimation in which our
| politicians are held. The primary elections and
nominating conventions were controlled, as
| usual by money, rum and loafers. But per-
haps the most scurvy trick of the politicians
at the late election was this:-It seems that
hthe present Board of Supervisors of the coun-
iy are holding over for another year, under
the charter passed by the last Legislature,
which extends their term of Office. Some politi-
cal tricksers Of one party having, as ii is said,
| got the opinions of two lawyers that that act Of
| the Legislature was unconstitutional, conspired
with political tricksters of the other party, and
| by private understanding between them, tick
| cts were printed with the names of certain can
| ddates for the Supervisorships upon them These
tickets received a few score Of votes, and the
persons named in them claim to have been
respectively elected Supervisors OF the county.
We have no doubt that some Of these indi-
viduals would be very much elated at so
easily getting into an Office promising such
| splendid pickings and stealings as that of
Supervisor does, for all the expenditures of the
city have to pass through that Board. We do
not believe, however, that this palpable swindle
| will receive the sanction even of such courts as
New York is blessed with. The public honor is
against it, and We are sure the law, rightly in
terpreted, is against il.
Still il cannot be denied that such lodges have
been tried.before to Gust men out Of Office and to
get Others in. The last Mayor of New York.
who was elected for a term of two years was
ousted out Of Office at the end of one year by
means of legislative legerdeman to which
our black republican Legislature at Albany
was mean and tricky enough to descend; and
II was only last year that few friends
| Of youth. ambitious Of a seat on the
| bench Of one Of our courts, resorted TO the
| same dodge TO which our woudbc Supervisors
| in the present case have resorted. and-therc
being vacancy on the bench to iii for which
no election writ was issued-had himself
voted for by a dozen Of his friends and grave
| ly and seriously attempted to take his seat on
the bench lie actually did sit there for some
| days, avoided and condemned by his associate
Judges till he nj length realized the popularity
| of bis position and withdrew his pretensions.
We can hardly think that these persons. who
claim to have been elected Supervisors by trick
as mean as tina, by which confidence man
| or patent safe operator victimizcs an igno-
rant rustic, will have the effrontery to put
forward their claims to the Office. II IL said.
however. that they viii. and that they intend to
test the legality Of their election by writ Of gro
'corroHiO. wcdo not know how lawyers may wrest
and distort the law on the subject. but on com
mon sense view of the matter. these men have Just
much right to tho Office they claim as they would
| have bad to the United States Senatorship had
| they had votes cast for them for that position
II i not for Tom. Dick or Harry TO decide what
Offices are to be filed on election day II is for
the Secretary of State to do so in his proclama-
ton; and If his proclamation does not cover all
the elective Offices that are to be vacant, the
remedy Is plainly against him. either by manda-
mus or by impeachment II II were not 80, see