The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-04-08

proper.
THE New CHARTER PASSED BY THE HOUSE,
WHAT THE CRY GOVERNMENT OUGHT TO Be-
Yesterday we adverted to the new charter, and
the system of despotic legislation pursued at AL
bony in reference to this great city, with its
100000 inhabitants. To-day tie reader will per-
ceive The obnoxious bill has passed the Assem-
bly, and unless the Senate reject 1t, the atrooious
tyranny will soon become law Why do not the
citizens Of New York, before it is too late, stand
up Tor heir rights, and hold an Indignation meet
ing 10 denounce this bad bill and to propose
good one In its stead?
The best kind Of government for this city we
have often pointed out Its charter ought to be
like the constitution Of the United States, and
like the constitutions of our State governments
the legislative and executive functions ought
to be kept completely distnct-the position Of
the Mayor ought to be analogous to that
of the President of the United States, or
of the Governor Of State-there ought to
be unity and subordinaton, instead of hav-
ing so many executive officers Independent OF
each other and of any head-there ought to be
but one executive head, and the other officers
ought to be subordinate to him. and, finally,
the system of appointing commissioners to do
this and that In the city is absurd, unconstitu-
tional and common nuisance 1t is, moreover,
q source of fragrant and corrupt jobbing.
Those who have read he HERALD need not be
told that such are the doctrines which we have
promulgated for many years, and if there
be any change at all, it ought to be revolution
of this kind, and to be submitted for approval to
the vote of the citizens of New York We do not
want to have the city government eternally
bad to worse. What, for instance, can be more
ridiculous than changing the Almshouse Cover
nors for Almshouse Commissioners? What
worse than taking away from the people the con-
troll over their own taxation? Thus do the Al
bany despots
Work their wantonness in form Of law.
Half the time of our State Legislature is con-
sumed in undoing what they have done, and in
rendering the laws 80 unstable, uncertain and
intricate that nobody knows what the law is on
any given point at any given time. II any per-
son, with the help of lawyers or without, sue.
eeeds in unravelling the tangled skein to-day,
and satisfies himself on some question that af-
fects his own interests or the interests of the
people, tomorrow the whole thing is changed,
and becomes involved in greater obscurity and
difficulty than ever. 1t reminds us of the story
of 'Penelopes Web" Her husband, Ulysses,
Prince of Ithaca, had gone with the Greeks to
the war of Troy, which lasted for ten years, and
after its termination the ship which bore Ulysses
home was tempest-tossed and driven about by
so many contrary winds that he was detained for
ten years more, and his return was despaired Of.
Meantime the hand of Penelope, who was very
beautiful, was sought by many importunate suit
ors, who endeavored to persuade her that her
husband was dead and would never return She,
however, proved faithful to him; and, to battle
her lovers, she promised each one that, so soon
as she finished piece Of tapestry she was weav-
ing, she would marry him. But what she wove
during the day she undid at night, and SO the
web never made any progress 1t is thus our
State Legislature weaves laws in one session
which they repeal and change in the next If
they did as little mischief as Penelope, there
would not be much reason to complain. If they
did no harm we would be inclined to excuse
their doing no good. But their tinkering legs-
lation is extremely mischievous, and every day
grows worse and worse