New-York daily tribune., 1858-10-28

The Hon. JOHN KELLY and the Hon. JomS
CLANCY aspire to the service of the people, the
first as Sheriff of New.York, the last as County
Clerk each reasonably expecting at least $50, 600
year for such services. Both these eminent cit-
zens have filed public Offices in this city and
county in days gone BY, Mr.. Kelly Us Alderman
in l854-'55; Mr.. Clancy as Coun ,ilman in
1876, and as Alderman IN l-56-' the
last two years holding tie important post of Pres-
dent of the Bard, and Mayor de .faeto in the ab
sence Of Mr. Wood last year, and Mr.. Tiemann
this year. Since the two Johns thus ambtiously
aspire to further elevation and fatter salaries, it
may be well to glance at their former services, and
estimate the strength Of their claims to additional
honor and profit.
Mr.. Kelly was to.erably silent member of the
Board of Aldermen for 1o5i-'55, and served upon
the Aims House, Sewers and Croton Committees.
In these positions he had little opportunity for dis.
tinction; the Alat.Housc Committee has had
nothing to do since the Board of Ten Governors
was established; and the Sewers and Croton Com
mittees are simply formslites, whose duties are
performed by the Croton Board, except that they
may now and then juggc through good thing in
the way of contract for the benefit of some
friend. Mr. Kelly was, during the last year of his
term faithful servant of Fernando Wood and the
thenundivded Democrcys reprcsentedby by Furey,
Turner, Devlin, Fitzpatrick, Dean and others, who
have recently figured in the criminal records. ln
1853, the Controller made up budget for the next
year of 81, 500, 000 which then looked upon as
monstrous; but Wood, rurey, Kelly, Devin n
Co. managed to get all extra million for lsjj,
making $500, 600; and in 1856 they got il up to
81 ,000 000 Some of the notable points Of increase,
for which Kelly was almost always voter. oc-
CURED in salaries, which rose from S235, 900 in
1853, to 1882 900 in 1855: the Aims House (keily
member of the Committee thereOn) from S3-5, 900
to S6l3, 900; interest on money borrowed to supply
these and other extrayagances, $50, 900 TO Sl9i,-
600; printing (mostly to insignificant ncwspapers)
$50 900 to $4,000; schools for the city, 1904 900
to S956, ,000 for which sum we now enjoy the
luxury of seeing member of the Board of Educa-
tion, and of Kelly and Clancy's party, sent 10 the
Pententiary for fighting in brothel and the Po-
lice from S6l5,O00 to S5l9O00. the pay being
raised by vote of the Common Council in 1854.
Whenever new Office was TO be created or
salary raised Mr. Kelly was pretty surely counted
upon for vote in favor OF the measures and when
the election of Wood assured the full ascendency
of his party, be became prominent enemy and re-
yiler OF the schemes of economy sgtated by some
Of the more conservative members of the City
Government.
Itwas during the lstter portion Of the wear l-;,5
that the most reckless ordinances 10 increase ssla
ries we're passed Judges, heads of departments,
Police Captains. the Chief Engineer, and all the
smaller SORT csme in for share Of the plunder
which Kelly aud majority of his fellows were So
generously awarding; and We look in vain through
the journal of the proceedings 10 find any coz
.picuous instance in which Mr.. Kelly exhibited any
higher smbiOn or deeper regard for the welfare
of the people than quietly to vote as the Wood and
Deyln clique required. A. member OF the Bosrd
of Supervisors he was equally liberal. No one
proposed new Office or more psy for sn old one,
or any other method Of depicting the Treasury,
without confidently counting upon John Kelly as u
sure voter in its favor. His unostentatious man
ners. however, and the consistency With which be
did the work set before him without q why or
wherefore. rendered him less conspicuous mark
of publc observation than his colleague. Aid.
Herrick, who WAS at this time endeavoring to con-
vince twelve men in jurybox that he was not
entity Of receiving bribes although after the most
extraordinary efforts he failed, and only convinced
four ont Of the twelve.
Ls. hss.p nv, llu.. af