New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-01-25
THE MAYOR VS.. THE ALDERMEN

Just now there is lively little contest IN progress
at the City Hall, between Mayor Wood and the
Board of Aldermen, for the patronage of the vari-
GUS Departments of the City Government Upon
his accession to power, it was given out that the
Mayor intended to make a clean sweep through all
the Departments for the purpose of appointing his
personal friends to the vacancies. This announce
ment scattered terror and dismay in the ranks of
the municipal offce-hoders. For the purpose Of
efecting his object and consolidating his power,
the Mayor sought to secure the cooperation of
enough of the Aldermen to give him majority in
the Board But, whether the Aldermen would not
trust him, or whether they thought that they could
make better bargains with the heads of Depart
ments than with Mr. Wood, we do not know. At
all events when he sent in the names of Gideon j.
Tucker for President of the Croton Board, and DR..
Bradford for Health Commissioner, the Aldermen
laid them on the table, cooly remarkng that before
the Mayor ventured to make appointments he must
consult with them. phis was just the way that
they had checkmated Mayor Tiemann before,
thereby keeping their friends in Office in spite of
him, and perhaps they hoped to be equally sue
cessal in the present instance. But they will find
that in Fernando Wood they have different man
to deal with. Instead of quietly submitting to be
stripped of his power, as his predecessor did, Mr..
Wood has quietly gene to work to effect his pur-
pose in another way, The Aldermen meant, of
course, by rejecting his nominations, to either COM
pei him to come TO terms, and give them the lions
share of the spols to extort the same concessions
from the present heads of Departments, as the
price of maintaining them in office.
Mr.. Wood is too old fox to be caught in any
such trap. While the Aldermen waited to see if he
offered any concessions, he cOvertly communicates
with the gentlemen whose Official decapitation he
did Lot find much difficulty in convincing them that
the wants of one man are much more easily salts
fed then the demands of a dozen. The result is
that, like Capt Scots coon, the game has already
"come down." A number of subOrdinAtes in the
Croton Department have been notified to prepare
for dismissal, and the City Inspectors Department,
the head of which is that redcubtabe Tammany
brave, Col Delayan, has been laid at the feet of
the Mozart chief Already four of Mr. Woods
friends have been appointed, bonded, and sworn in,
and four Of the friends of the Aldermen made to
walk the plank. Others have been warned 10 pre-
pare for official dissolution.
The Street Commissioner, on the other hand, is
said to have gone into the Aldermanic camp to
save himself; and the result is that many Of his
subordinates have received warning, and will soon
be obliged to make way for the camp-followers OF
the Aldermen. How long Mr.. Smith will be able
to Withstand the assaults Of the Mayor remains to
be seen. Mr.. Morton held out for few months
by giving all that he had in exchange for his official
life; but when they had sucked him dry they threw
him away like a squeezed orange. So it will ulti-
mately be with Mr.. Smith, if we mistake not. The
truth is, that the Tammany leaders are dreaafally
, fraid that Mr.. Wood will whip them at Charles
ton, and the caving in Of Col. Delayan locks as
heueh there would be an attempt to patch up
ruce between the opposing factions. Taken Alto
gether, I is q pretty quarrel as it stands.