The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-03-24

nabeers-on to the government, without cieuis-
ton, influence or Importance.
TAs Froposed New City Gvversment -
Albany.
AN amended charter for the city of New
York is now before the Legislature ct Albany,
which offers some fair promise of q reform In
our municipal government 1t is decried In
certain quarters as the result of q combin stlea
between Mayor Wood and the republicans; but
what Of thats We care not a jot BY what
faction, combination or alliance sreform comes:
we require good government, which will insure
an honest expenditure Of the public money.
clean streets and healthy city, and we via
accept it from any quarter, no matter what Il
may be. The amended charter seems to CON
template Capitalization Of all the executive
power Of the government In the Mayor, the
Comptroller and the Corporation Counsel, and
this We consider to be the greatest blessing
which could be conferred on this much abused
and misgoverned metropolis. The three indi-
viduals occupying these official positions-Mr.
Wood, Mr.. Haws and Judge Bronson ARE
looked upon as reputable, able and efficient
men, in whose hands the administration Of
affairs will be perfectly safe. AT the elections
which placed them in power their offices were
esteemed the most important, and concentrated
the most interest The parties who nominated
them, therefore, were constrained to present
men of responsibility, character and ability for
the popular vote. BY investing them with al
the executive power which the charter autho-
rizes-all that has not been stolen from it by
Albany legislation-we will have some ex-
pectation ofgetting good and efficient city
government. This executive authority may be
divided between thsm-say all the financial
authority be vested in the Comptroller, all the
executive legal power in the Corporation Coun-
sci, and all the rest in the Mayor. This, we
conceive, would be the first bold step towards
q radical reform.
The Aldermen, as might be expected, are
making desperate attempt to defeat this
measure, which takes from them the prop that
supports their house. and thereby the means
by which they live-the power to confirm or
reject the nominations of oficials-which the
present charter unfortunately grants them.
The Aldermen have proved themselves incou-
petent to exercise any such power. They arc
ignorant, inefficient, and many of them corrupt
men. They have been selected from thelowest
rumholes in the city, and they have proved
themselves, from the speeches of Aldermsa
Brady to the fsticuffs of Alderman Barry,
wholly unfit to be entrusted with any power
whatever, especially with the negative power
which they now possess over the executive de-
partments of the government. The rotten
Tammany faction, too, are in full cry against
the charter, charging that it is the result Of
corrupt alliance between Mayor Wood and Mr..
Seward. This is all rank nonsense. For three
years the Tammany faction has been in COM
bination with the black republicans against
Mr. Wood. It was that combination which
brought about the infamous Metropolitan
Police bill, which was invented for the purpose
of weakening Mayor Woods influence. 1t was
that combination which beat him IN 1857. He
has beat them now, and thereby has shown
that he has more pluck and more sagacity than
them all.
We want an honest, efficient, and strong
government for this city, to redeem it from
corruption and disgrace, and insure safety,
comfort and health to its inhabitants We
shall. be glad to get that boon, let it come
from what party or combination of parties it
may; and if the rotten Tammany faction want
to howl, let them howl.