The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-11-22
The Municipal Hi-rtscn-Thc MnyoraIty
and the Common Council.

The Municipal Hirctson--Thc MnyoraIty
and ahe Com mOn Council.
Between the nominations of the different
parties We have plenty Of candidates for the
May orally, and in choosing from amongst thom
there can hardly be any failure in getting an
acceptable man for the office, u that were
matter Of much Importance; but, with the little
pswer now in the hands Of the chief magistrate,
1t unfortunately is not These candidates are
all respectable and able enough. Fernando
Wood is an efficient man for Mayor; so il
Havemeyer; Ogden and Draper likewise are
efficient enough; but their abilities cannot be
counted good for anything under the present
municipal system. On the other hand, the 60
lection Of the Aldermen, Councilman and
School Commissioners is matter of vital i'm
portance to us all; and as these nominations
are not yet fully made, there Is time enough
for the citizens of each ward to pick out Q
respectable class Of persons for these positions
and Gust the nominees ofthe gropshop keepers,
rowdies and pugilistic governing classes
What Is the Democratic vigilant Association
doing on this subject This Is just the time for
them to act. Let them select such men for Al
dermen and Councilmen "a w. B. Aston, Hamil-
ton Fish, Luther Bradish, the Grinnels, Mesrs.
Minturn. Blatchford and others of that class
These men would insure an economical govern
ment; but the persons nominated by the
shoulder. hitter fraternity 60 into the Common
Council to plumber the city. They cannot afford
to take Office for any other purpose, and they
readily accomplish it by means ofcorrupt jobs
of all kinds opening and widening streets for
instance-in which the spoils are divided be-
tween the contractors and the members of the
boards, and for which property owners are
ruinously assessed. We have no doubt that
the campaign of jobs for the next Council Is
Among other jobs in prospect, there is the
widening of Nassau street, on the pretence that
the business of that locality requires 1t, whileN
is notorious that Nassau street will be too wide
for the trade down town in few years. Then,
Washington Heights is to be cut up, and its
rapacious spectators; the city is to be over
run with railroads, which it is confidently ex-
pected will net some millions to the parties in
terested; the revenues Of the city from mar
kets, ferries, and other sources, are to be made
matters of profit, not to the city itself, which
sadly needs them, but to the harpies of the
Corporation. Such operations as these ii ID
that have formed the principal business of our
Common Council for many years past, and it Is
the scent Of the spoils to be shared which has
allured all the corrupt and ignorant loafers to
seats in the city legislature, like vultures 70 a
feast of carrion.
But this tide of corruption and rascality
can be stayed if respectable class Of
men, such as we have named are elect
ed to the Common Council and the time
is now ripe to accomplish that desirable object.
Candidates should be chosen in every ward for
their honesty and good standing in the CON-
munity alone, irrespective of party preference
or prejudice. There is no party issue involved
in the municipal election; no question of North
and South, abolitionism, or niggers in any
shape-we are not afraid ofniggers here; neither
as it anything to do with the Presidential cleo
ton. What we want is simply good and eco
nomical local government, protection for life
and property in our midst, fair and equitable
taxation, deliverance from the hands Of the
rowdies, loafers and vagabonds who control
everything, and the utter demolition of the
fraudulent system of jobbing and specializing
at the expense Of the people, for the benefit Of
a few miserable politicians and the worthless
rufians who elect them to Office.
All this, we believe, can be yet accomplished
by the selection of respectable citizens to the
Common Council and School Board of next
year. What says the Democratic Vigilant As
ISOLATION? What say the property owners and
admirers of good government, law and order,
in every ward of the citys