, 1859-01-08
POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY.
Tom DFer's Charter of the City of
Chicago.
A Bill to take the City Government
Away T, ON the mn1 1or1ty Of Voters and
ToI'RAy erH.

A B1u to take the CITY Government
Away t, ON the Majority Of Voters and
TaI'RAJ ers.
fpoecL Correspondence OF the Press and Tfbune,1
EPRxGF!E1p. Jan. 6, 1852.
The new charter Of the city has turned up in
the hands Of the gentlemen who are here to
press it upon The Legislature. The ingenuity
exercised in drafting it 80 Is to put the a1fIrs
of the city beyond the reach of the Taxpayers
End to perpetnate power in the haada Of the
men or party tha I tirst get possession Of the
government when it goes into operation, Is cd
mirable; but The bill itself is worse than infa-
nous in all its parts. 1t divides the city, atter
making additions not desired by anybody, into
tEenty-one wards, each one Of which is to be
represented in the Common Council by one Al
de1men. The whole tweuty-ooe Aldermen are
to be elected in March next, eleven OF whom
hold tbei. offices for two years, aud ten for one
wear. After the first election the ten and eieFen
Aldermen will be chosen in alternate years.
That il to say the Aldermen Of the ed, 4th,
9Th, sih, 10th, 18th, 14th, 10th, 18Th md c9ta
wards, will be elected in 1859, while no e'ee-
tions will be held Until 1861, in the Wards rot
enumerated. This is thus fixed to favor TIE MI
gratory hnbits Of voters who sre cot usually
content with deoo.itinz one ballot at any one
election. The ttb'ys' who decide our political
contests will know how to distribute themselves
about every year 60 that they will vote for al"
dermen all the while This is 8 radical aad IT,
tai objection. II opens the door. to frauds, the
like Of which Chicago has never seea before
and that the advantages to be gained by this
rnprecedented aud shabby method OF doing
business haye been closely calculated, there cen
be no doubt; because tie appointments CT oil
officers ere in the hands Of the Aldermen thus
chosen.
The Mayor ia robbed Of I'll power. Lie cs7sea
to preside over the deliberations Of the Cor1e'''
is sho.n of his patronage, his control over tae
police, mad Of his ealary but re.sins the veso
| power Ia his place are three Police Co2.zs's'
s;oners, chosen by the Council, who have ent're
ind exclusive control Of poiice nfai1s, the sI-
| pointnent Of an army Of capzains, sersesnts
ond patrolmen,
The Board of Sewerage Gem n;zzicsess Is
| sbolished, the Water Commissioners are super
| seded, and ahe Street Commissioners turaed ont
by Board Of Public Works, alEo appointed "
The Comnion Council, ind clothed with e1trao7-
dinary powers.
! Now, see how the thing will work; and what
chance under such o system, taxpayers Will
bare to ensure the government that they need.
| Elections held in half the wards each year, at
| which all the aoating and pugchaseoble rabbie
| r1+o IN rofop
thus cast elect Board Of Aldermen, who, no
mater how chosen, nominate the officers that
tho people now elect, and who, when elected in
the manner which this bill provides, will be re-
spoDsible TO nobody but COMMITTEE OF the
Council. This is downright robbery Of the
rights tha: the citizens Of Chicago be!ieTe them
eelves competent to exercise. u is commeat
] upon the much Wanted principle Of popular
sovereignty, which this Legislature, strongly
partisau as it fs will no: make. But lsss Follsi
cal feeling should prevail over the rlght, IT.! the
ta1 payers Of Chicago bestir thetnselves.o 10 re-
sia: this iniquisous proceeding.
send you the boundaries Of the Wards pro
posed to be created, which take from rlEl
which accompanies the charter a!nendaleut
BOUNDARIES cE TIE HAEuS.
1st Ward, North By main Inc OF Chicago
Rirer. East by the Lake Shore, s nth By Matl
son street, West By the South branch
ed Ward, n. by Madison, T. b. Lake. souts
by Harrison street, ". By South Branch.
81 Ward. u. bY Harrison, E. By Lake, 5. b!
| 18th streeth, ". By S3uth Brunch.
9TH Ward. n. by 18th street, E. By Lake, 5
by Cross street, West by South Branch.
5th Ward, n by Cross street, L. by Lake, 5
By Rio Graude, n. bT South Branch.
9Th Ward. y. by Rio Grande street, T. b.
Luke, $. by city iine-io tier Of SECTIONS bein;
added below .hs present south boundary, e1
tending c!ear across from the East to Wes. lin
Of the city,) n. By S. Branch and ualstea.
7th Ward, North by South Branch, L. b.
ualstead street, S. by south By city line, v. b.
city lirc. This ward includes much new terri
tory, about two sections.
s:h Ward, u. by North street, E. by lnissed
S. b. South Branch, ". BY city line.
9Th Ward, y. by Harrison, L. ard 5. by :
Branch, ". by ualsted. -.......
10th Ward, Y. by Harrison, Z. br ua|stcd,
By North street, ". by city line.
llth Ward, North by Randolph, L. by Greer
S. By Harrison, y, by CITY line.
l2th Nard. y. By Randolph, I. By Soul
Branch, .. By Harrison, u. BY Green.
18th Ward, n. by Chicago Avenue, L. by II
River. S. by Randolph. II. by May street.
: 14th Ward, y. By Chicago Avenue, L. By III
street. s. By Randolph, " By city line.
r l5:h Ward, n. by north line Of Section 8
ian nddition,) E. by n. Branch, i. BY Cb:cas
> Avenue, ". by city line, [Sec. 81 inc'uded.)
10th Ward, y. By north line Of city, E.
| ualsted, S. md ". BY s. Branch.
, 18th Ward, n. b5 north line of city. +.
t sedgwick. S. By Division, II. By ualated.
: 18th Ward, n. by Lake Shore and city lac,
. tv Wolcott street and Lake Shore. $. by Dis
= sion. ". By Stdgwick.
le.h Ward. \. by Division, Z. by Lasae,
by the River, {ma1n and north braacacs,)w W
y. Branch.
eoth Ward. n. By Disisiun, E. By Wo1cott,
i By River, ". BY LsSale.
. 2lst Ward. The old 9:h !.'-rd withou. chacg
G | jrino hatTeen Notcntt and the LIKE