The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-06-08
Our Albany Correspondence.

he Snr@pIors-HoW and for What Purpose the Coun
" soas pespcited Of its Prroga,ipe - implicitly Of
Se~a'd AID Morgan IN a.e SctenseThe Plan for Shift
ing the Bsude~ y 2iratton from The Mlonaires TO The
Sho1''drs II NE Working Glasses Up 76Un- Hon. The Nao
TAG Boad ioas O'Gansed--L Mere Any Legat Authort-
y 10 Impose 2dxes NeD Fork This ?-7he Uncasai
n!'ozaliy Of the Comptroiler's AppentmenrsTae Nc,o
Registry La0 dsd the flaw which May Dtfeat IL in the
Cty-Shall We Haze Too Boards of RsgistratioR?-Da
T'icatc Elections and Toc Contesting Sets Of Officials R.
tuned Jy Too Sets Of Inspectors, dc.
NJ return here suggests TO me variety OF topics,
which, when the Legislature session. and was IN
attendance as one Of Jour correspondents puzzled
good deal these subjects have since clear
positive character where before they kept altogether
shady to be reliably discussed print am tempted
during my temporary eiure here to allude t. few Of
those which should think will not be out OF season or
destitute Of importance.
have already informed you Of the very curious
ner IN which the tax Office of New York city was re-.
organized for the benefit Of the ncumbents Of that
Germ The reappontment, of the whole body of those
officials SINCE by Mr. Haws has well borne out the cor.
recinefs OF my statements. The bill has already deve.
oped Itself Of the most extraordinary obs which
hiss passed the Legislature. Its aim is fully en-
bodied the fact which but limited heretofore but which
now aesert upon the d ec authority Of the officials OF
The Tax Office that the intent has been TO
the taxable valuations Of property in the city Of New
York for the benefit of the owners OF the large ia
the lower end Of the CITY, by HERALD Of yester
Gay that my statement 70 this effect s sustained by tue
proceeding in the Board Of Supervisors The matter will
no~ doubt'ess undergo thorough overhaulng II was
well known here by Governor Morgan and Others before
ne signed the Di that its object TO take million
apiece from the valuations in the First wards
wrote 10 you during the late session Indicating how the
burden Of taxation was by means Of his b be shifted
from the stores and warehouses down town, belonging
almost exclusively 10 the milonares and corpor ATOMS
that still larger proportion should fall upon homes of
the Industrious classes, who have taken refuge
upper part OF the CITY have the best authority for
stating that not only rs il in contemplation add the
iweny odd millions TO the valuations up to wn which Su-
pervisor Pnrdy speaks Of but say moreover, upon
acknowledgements from the lips Of the parties engaged u
the work OF the spporonment that year and each
Of the five for which the Board procured
lis appointment, is designed 10 carry like process
for the benefit Of the same Interested parties.
Tue new tax bill engineered through here bye
delegation y officials from the tax office The scheme,
have reason to know, conrocted even previous TO
the organization Of the Board Of Supervisors as sepa
raio body, and The peculiar transfer which that
Board has undergone were but preparatory steps this
deep laid scheme The parties have attended here
personally, or by deputy upon this matter for three
ters The hand that drew the Jaw organizing the
Superv sors IN their present form Board, drew
the TAX ana Assessment BILL and the first act Of the
eoreaDzed BosTo Of Tax Commissioners establish
this particular legal draugh,sman upon the footing OF
"oeputy at 81 goo year, TO act couns to the tax
Office. Such was the adroness with which the work
manageo, that the bill was scarcely known to be in
ls.esce by any person except such as were in the
TO be referre1 TO the COmmiiee of the Whole in
either house, although 1t was among The first to
be introduced and the last TO be passed and
signed. The great point, and most difficult such
important bill, conceament The most material
stages its progress were put through at tunes when
seens had to keep watch with the midnight sessions
when the bin might bear reading without attracting
poce to is extraordinary provisions and objects. To
illustrate the necessity Of this procedure let me state the
points of the new law and their very singular bearings
This bill prosdes that there shall be appointed by
the Comptroller Of the City of New York (that is by
not attempted Of saying the comptroller OF the city
and county three Commissioners, who shall form Board
for she city county Of New York" Mark that this
Board established for the city ana county, that is 10
FAY, Corporation officer, elected at separate charter
election, and specially created under local charter, shall
have power 10 set aside the regular constitutional county
authorities IN their vital and sovereign prerogatve OF
levyrg and apportoning the taxes Of the State and Of
the county.
Then it is provided that the regularly ap-
pc pted functouaries, and also the power aud CON
Of al vesns IN ,Ss Boa to the
the constitution and the decisions Of the highest courts
(h'''eaa w. Mayor Y, Comstook, p, 4s6), shall be
taken away, Abolished and " vested" this corpo.
ration board.
II IS also provided that these corporation functionaes
shall only discharge the constitutional duties deuti
cal and nseparsole according to the dec sons of the
highest courts with the powers and obligations of the SD
pervsors e. the power OF taxing and the power of ap
portoDng taxation identical iuseparaDlen Peo
pie VS.. Mayor Of Brooklyn Comstock D. PAD but IL is
also contrived that this tax board shall determine all mat
work, by means of clause which gives them power
nre indefinitely any number Of at twelve hundred
dollars year. ourth section), say many the Ne
tropotan Police force the Seventh regiment or the like
they think proper. And this section that such ex
pendture shall be paid by the Comptroller out of the
Besdss sbOshiDg" the regularly constituted County
BOARD Of Assessors forthwith is PROVIDED that the
Comptroller shall appoin. s. Immediately" and for Ave
years the new board who thereafter have accounta
Diy him. any other power their acts or for
the character Of their subordnates the limit OF their
Unrestricted powers Of expenditure short Of criminal
proceeding under the general laws, where may pos
sbe TO find evidence them for msdemeanors This
act 10 the Clause which contryed that m operation should
begn Jusf at the juncure when the had
peted their returns to the Commissioners exhibits au
other Of the peculiar specimens Of sharp practice which
characterize the whole purpose of proceedings Had
the law been made to take effect after the rolls were
delivered TO the Supervisors very different organization
OF the Board would have been made by the Comptroller
Al first he disposed to delay his appointment until
July when the years work of the tax offices wo ild be
completed and The officials could have hng to do for
monihs after. But he found the old organization was
abolished; there was no one who legally authorized
10 furnish the assessment rolls unless the Comptroller
should immediately eppont. The Old Board could alone
be expected at days notice TO sign the returns and
within month or two present them completed the Su
feTvisors. Thus the law necessated 40 mme hate an
rOnment by the Comptroller, compe led also In the
nature OF the case that the old ncumbens should be re-
appointed.
The friends OF the Comptroller DESTROYS Of securing for
nirn some control where he seemed saddIed with 30
much responsibility, had idea that might allow the
Commissioners 10 bold over without appointment that
Keeping bis power TO appoin, ia reserve, ne could
dictate who the should I've, and prcsid-
ING over The dongs of the be in reality
iis head. Bot hint Of proposed wandamus (Which
Has circulated at the timel together With the
extraordinary outside pressure which brought TO
pear, decced bin, probably, to comply with the inevlta
ole design IN which he made instrument, and his
fesppoptment of the old Board rcluc snty made
can hardly have space at this time ia detail
the nature OF the pressure ~hcn brought TO
upon Mr. Hsws. | may hereafter 20 tue subject
ana show Row repeatedly and urgently Governor Morgan
interf.reo, both here and in New YORK. for what
specal repsons WILL perhaps, discussions
on tins sueect at the Aston House. showing
senator Seward ss OF the last arrangements ade
before bis departure, joined Governor Morgan over
IuDg Weed on the distribution of the patronage under
tue new bill with an exclusive to the shes OF GER
tam heavy mionsres whose subscriptions political
enefGences past ana to come decided to be of
more weight than the scamperpg usefulness any Of tn,
WORKING politicians who were candidates. There may be
more biting occasion for publishing the real estate
owners who, 70 the extent of twenty five thirty mil
ions represented on the tax books peitoned and per.
eonsiy backed the demand for Of these reappont
nens. II the Supervisors despoed OF ali their
powers ~ tire local Legislature of the county OF New
have he