The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-09-24


to carry the purposes OF certain political
partsans. These men, order more cfecualy to bind
the members OF the police to their interests commenced
the lime OF corruption by calling upon their fellow parti
sans in the Common Council to add hundred dollars pei
annum 10 that which these men already received by
knowledge of the power which the members Of the old
police welded at the primary elections manufacturing
the nominations to suit the aspirations Of bad men, and
the attention which was paid TO their demands their ap
pcaton for advance renewed every twelvemonth
the salaries Of tho individual paromen reached the
hundred dollars for each years service.
Up TO the time noticed, such the history Of the sys
tom and Of the means used by which taxation was
thus outrageousy advanced The people, in the attempt
to get clear Of municipal corruption their eyes the
direction Of Albany, in the expectation Of redress Of
grievances. Under the supposition that the mem.
bers Of the Legislature were mon who sympathized
with them IL was imagined that they would readily pre-
planned With professions Of friendship and commiseraton
tor the msortnnes Of the inhabitants of this locality they
proposed 70 deliberate and they did deliberate and
the result Of their consultation was municipal
nominations were clearly influenced II not controlled by
the ~ aAu a ho hsd & ana
for the object Of directing the election OF such persons
suited them was 80 effective, IL would be well TO improve
the prospects of their political party by the purchase
OF this dsposabe number OF practical men, The opera
tors In this scheme not restrained from putting
execution by desire diminish the amount Of our city
expenditure but like true partsns they reflected that
became duty TO turn all things advantage with
this high Impulse they inflicted upon the denzens OF New
York the additional burden Of raising the of
hundred hous and dollars that they might buy of the old
police force by adding hundred dollars their yearly
disposition OF tho matter, OF
Jects would be accomplished namely: they could
purchase the members Of the force above alluded TO with
the bride offered they could secure the fcay Of thou
sand partsans TO reenact and follow out the practices
the men whose places they to occupy In this
view OF the history and result Of the application at Albany
to reform abuses we find that we are visited with the e
fects OF the fable in which 1t appears that did
follow the advice Of the fox but that fell into the
hands Of more hungry swarm. We know that
as a pretext for this outrage in thus swelling
the of taxation is urged that cannot expect
to have an efficient body OF unless the
paying OF these exravagan salaries TO the members Of
the police As an answer to the Of this opinion is
sufficient to state that the Metropolitan system has
been in existence fifteen months and yet its ope
ratons To the security OF life aud property
perceive any Improvement in contrast With tho system
which has suppanted Besides the evidence its nef
hcency there are other reasons why citizens should
not DC called upon to large for the
vices performed Any amount OF taxation to subsst this
incompetent force, be it limited, heavily
upon large number of Citizens from the fact that
they have little confidence in the reliability of its pro
tectng wachfuness-hat they individually contr bute TO
the maintenance of an organized body of to whom
they look for the security Of their warehouses;
and dwellings In addition TO this, it is we'll known that
the majority Of tax payers consisting Of mechanics
and workngmen do not average than from three to
four hundred dollars for their years work This being
the with the vast multitude OF populaton-yea
with the very men from whose earnings the chief
part OF the taxes required by the city treasury 10 qudae
our EXPENSES right Is just polite gather from
their the income paw the sum Der
year which they obtain for aborous and useful toll to
pass II over to the who will ut tho
eight hundred dollars the period for merely mea
suring the PAGES he may take during his Of duyS
In addition 10 the other evils which corrupt system Of
nominating the various candidates for important and
sponsibe offices has brought upon find that the
Street Commissioners Office has been little else than
magnificent kind Of faro table, where the adventurous
contractor who played the deepest with its proprietor
neray carried OF the largest share OF the moneys which
the people had put up. In this chief branch for the
lay Of city expenditures, have been in
having forced upon succession Of bad proigaie
unprncpled men BY and through the influence Of DIFF
ferent Street Commissioners the principal funconares in
other departments have been brought assist conrv
ing plots not only 10 depete and rob the city treasury but
they have gone further, and by not giving credit upon
their books to such have paid their assessments
eced these parties IN Instances paying these
again or else to have their property sold for
debts which have been legally paid for years. As
yestigation OF this matter Is going in this well
as IN other departments your committee will only remark
hat they believe that, IL this examination he properly
pursued We shall have exposure which, from the mag
litude U the amount Of the cmbczzlcd, will ap-
pal our s,zrns and we trust lead them 10 determined
md united effort 10 take the ncpient steps to exirpate
ysicm whereby such crimes fostcred and tolerated
the foregoing review Of some of the causes which have
produced the evils II which complain there be
DO difficulty IN arriving n conclusion what Is re-
lurcd 10 be done TO get rid Of existing abuses Prom
examples referred appears that corruption Il not con
hned 10 OF within the limits OF two departments
but that the effects Of its poison duscd through every
branch OF the CITY government whoever IA GINNING or
adroit enough 10 obtain situation, either by election
appointment feels himself fully authorized carry the
expectations Of his concdera,es IN making what they the
usc Of cant term familiar to themselves call "his pile
In the selections which frequently made OF the people
who occupy Office, the public only asoundcd but
hcy wonder how " that the proceeds comparatively
rffng position will furnish these with the III
keeping fast horses fast women, and INDUCING in every
' Of the fast embellishments which have become aoneces
10 show OF the character of the worthless sndthr
" the day Out % the million dollars drawn from
he taxpayers the probability that at least two millions
: purloned and squandcred IN the manner above alluded
Taxation has always been looked upon a thing that
should only be submitted to under the supposton that
The people who bore should receive In return adequate
protection and benefit, indemnity for the infection
" H. Resistance 10 the principle, when not considered
Just or equal In the substance q Us provisions has often
the of revolution In all that have
hitherto taken place in regard o the subject Of taxation
the people have had some tangible substance in exchange
for the effects of H. but with millions Of dollars
substra acted and for the half IL have realized
perceptbe shade Of equivalent and vet permit the
Of an annual Increase without the rcmon
STRANGE of determination resist the repeated
Believing that the has come and thai the people
are ready In relation TO ending the abuses which
they have long horne u Is the duty of your committee
endeayor pont out the whereby this reform
can be successfully carried through To bsgu then
altogether useless for look for the extrraion 81 this
evil through the fundamentally Of ex sting political
ties. We need not look r any al'eracu or change of
AFFAIRS through their acton for the simple that the
directors and q them the very whose
interest IL s continue TO perpetraie the systematic
frauds from which they their position and Offices Of
cmoumcnf To ourselves from the condition IN
which have been placed BY the acts % these
must rely upon the effective organization q The taxpayers
q this locality We believe that In ransacting public
the people have either good bad men TO per
that which they may require. IT. IN the exercise %
their power, they viii Oder enconraRemcnt and protection
TO honest and faithful representative servant such
ucn be had H. the other hand, by their apathy
irAitcniou 10 assert and execute the power which Is
vested them they choose TO let down the barrier and
allow The y and sncasng marauder IN take fol- posses
a. tho field of public Once, experience has shown
that the supply u supcrabundant
Hitherto have been cuipably remiss In looking for
relief from the from which canno, be obtained,
and a. Consequence, We mus; direct our attention %
wards laying the foundation Of party, the members Of
which viii fosake state and national politics In order W
direct their Efforts 10 bringing back 10 ts former standing
the reputation of city To achieve this desirable pur
and release ourselves from the grasp of desperate
and combined set Of political consprators essential 10
pledge every each the other pcrsevero
TN we driven these from the precincts of the
they have dgrscei To carry through this object
much has 70 be done In the discharge Of this duty
should reflect that with rests the privilege Of arcsng
the stream of corruption which s dfasng and worming
itself tho domestic councils and offices Of our neigh
bors Although made the pioneers OF the MANY
Of the acts Of Office holders, We have a. our early
companon in the Of shame the city Of Brooklyn.
BY she precedent before her by the base practices
enacted by municipal agents she has eynccd preco