The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-11-05

5 brought forward ana the country comes
to contemplate the practical results of his admin
istration. No factious Douglas or fire-eating
Brown, or foolish Keitt in Whippy Swamp, can
take away its solid and paramount effects upon
the country. And when the coming message Of
President Buchanan is laid before Congress and
the people, the corrupt and bargaining leaders
Of Tammany Hall will find that they have made
great mistake in protesting to serve one cause
and endeavoring to advance another. They will
find that they have sold themselves, and not
their master, and that they have only the thirty
pieces of silver, with the contempt and scorn of
the community. While they are running after
such ignis fat,a as squatter sovereignty, the peo-
pie will follow the President in pursuit of the
solid advantages of the country, and there
will he new deal of political leaderships all
round.
The Approve hing Charter Eiection-shan the
City Government Continue In the Hands Of
Knaves and Foolss
The State election has taken place, and we, in
common with the people Of New York, rejoice
that ii is over There was no question OF any
Importance involved in it, but it was merely
general scramble among the factions for office.
As we said while it was pending, it mattered
little to the people which candidates won or lost
But it is not SO with the charter election which
is to come Of on the first Tuesday in December
next. 1t is of vital importance to the citizens Of
New York to see that the government of this
metropolis shall cease to be confded to the
hands of thieving officials. 1t is a matter of the
deepest moment to them to see that the men to
whom the important legislative and executive
functions Of the city are to be committed are not
unworthy of the trust, and do not seek Office for
the purpose of enriching themselves and their
coniederates at the expense Of the common trea-
sury and the common reputation.
The highest executive Office to be filled at the
approaching election is that of Comptroller. The
recent exposure of frauds perpetrated on the
city treasury, through the imbecility iucompe-
tency or conniyance of officers in that depart
ment show how necessary it is to elect to the
Comptrollership one who is not only above sus-
picion in regard to his individual honesty of
character, but who has the financial ability and
activity requisite for the proper discharge Of the
who will neither cheat nor allow others to cheat.
One of these virtues is not sufficient. Both must
be combined. The frauds Of the last few years
are enough. we should think, to arouse the peo-
pie of New York to a sense of the Importance of
having the Comptrollership filled by the best
man that can be had in the city. The term of
the Office is four years. 1t now costs between
three and four hundred thousand dollars to
collect the annual revenue, to say nothing
of the sums which, through the dishonesty
Of the collectors and the imbecilty of the Comp
troller, stick to the fingers of these collectors,
and never find their way into the treasury.
With proper system, and an efficient Comp
troller, the assessments might be collected at an
annual expense of $4,000, and all attempts at
peculation might be promptly detected and frauds
prevented
In the legislative department of the govern
ment there are nine Aldermen and twenty-four
Councilmen to be elected. The Aldermen are to
hold for two years, and are to replace the men
who now represent in the Board the numerically
odd districts: those representing the numerically
even districts hold over for another year. The
whole Board of Councilmen is to be chosen anew,
to hold Office for one year. Almost all the pub
lie odum and disgrace that has been brought
upon our city within these latter years has been
owing TO the bad character Of the men who con-
sttute the Common Council. If there were no
other cause than the necessity Of redeeming the
character of this metropolis, that cause, in ITSELF
were enough to incite our citizens to select none
but respectable and worthy men to fill the places
in the city councils too long occupied by rowdy
politicians. But there i another and perhaps
more powerful reason why this should be done.
The Common Council have direct control over
the public expenditures Of the city, and can
diminish or augment them just In proportion
~ lie members are honest or dishonest. If
the proper sort Of men be elected. our
gross expenditures, instead OF being increased one
or two million dollars year, as has been the
case for the last five years, can he cut down in
that ratio until they are reduced to what would
be a reasonable figure for an economical and eff
Let not that fact be lost sight Of in the approach
ing election.
Besides the Common Council and Comptroller,
there are to he voted for two Almshouse Gov
ernors and one-half Of the Board Of Education.
Both those boards have much to do In determin-
ing whether our taxes shall be increased or d.
minished; and the same rule that applies to the
selection of Comptroller, Aldermen and Coun-
cimen. should be sternly applied to them-that
is, that a. an indispensable condition Of their
eligibility, they must be honest and honorable
men.
OF course efforts will be made to have men
elected to these various Offices on party aud po-
litical grounds We should not be surprised to
hear Of Lecompton and anti-Lecompton can
didates for these charter Offices. We trust, how
ever, that the citizens Of New York have