Daily national Democrat., 1860-03-11
Changes in the Citr Charter.

We perceive that the Legislature. without
consulting the Council of this city. have
changed the City Charter in several very
material respects. The duties Of the Marshal
have been increased without, we believe, in
creasing his salary. which is well enough.
The salary of the Recorder has been reduced,
which is also we'll enough. The City Attor-
neys office has been abolished. This was
unwise We think it ought to have been
continued. but with only moderate salary.
Give City Attorney $500 n year. and it is
likely that he would do service for the city
which an ordinary lawyer would charge a
thousand dollars for. lie could be consulted
at any time by the Judiciary Committee in
regard to little questions of law which FIRE
quently arise in matters referred to them by
the Council, and he could advise the city in
various matters which frequently arise from
time to time. To go and hunt up lawyer
and ask his advice in all such cases as these
would be to involve the city in a heavy ex-
pense, when it came finally to be footed up.
- bHN 10 bllhN W IlNH hOOllShSs
the office of Captain of Police and limits the
number of policemen to four. 1t is not
enough. One policeman to stay in the Sta
tion House. (for having no Captain, this is
necessary, and one with the chain gang, there
are t0o policemen to guard the whole city
This will never do in the world. The peace
and good order of the city cannot, by any
possibility be preserved under these circum-
stances With the duties which the Marsha
has to perform, it will be impossible for hin
to be ut the Station House to attend to th'
duties Of the Captain of Police. Consequent
ly, there will be no duties of Captain o
Police performed One of the policemen
will have to remain at the Station Hous
to take charge of it, but, having no authori
they please, and ask him no "ifs' or lands
:; in the premises,
= But, the worst feature of all these amend
ments is the exemption of the owners @
suburban lots from taxation. This will re
5 duce the revenues of the city thousandsI c
J., dollars, and overthrow the whole basis of th
a assessment for the present year, involving
D vast deal of confusion and difficulty in tn
d financial concerns of the city. 1t will ais
5 withdraw much of the present taxable prop
erty of the city into the suburban or exempt
ed limits, for men of wealth will immediate
" remove their residences into the suburban
lots, in order to be relieved of their taxes
and nothing but the central business portion
of the city will be left to afford revenue. 0
r course, the owners Of suburban lots and thos,
who expect to purchase suburban lots ar,
IS very much in favor of this exemption, bu
how such policy is going to benefit the city
g it is difficult to determine.
The City Council as we have said, hav
never passed upon these amendments at al
and we belve that that body ought to hav
. been consulted. We think the Council ough
a now to demonstrate against some Of thes
: changes in the Charter, and request of tn
h Legislature their repeal at the same tim
suggesting such modification of the Char
ter as is desirable. And such action oug
e to be taken speedily.