New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-08-03

ever Wnere, ara II comparatively ho'uiees Dut
when the nost influential and wealthy mon 10 ths
city favor and securo tbe choice Of lawmakers,
not upon the ground Of their honesty, but solely
because they can be managed, Influenced, COZ
troed, or bought, wherein is the conspirng e'ector
less guilty than the less prominent tooli lndeeI
is be not TIE baser Of the tVo'
To come to particulars, is there man in the
city, c0snizant OF the circumstances, who does not
firmly believe that the Lowber sale, the WARDS
Island purchase, and other jobs of that SORT were
b,ibed through tire Common Councils Not one.
But who are the guilty parties behind the curtain
They are among the wealthiest aud most proml'
lent business men 10 New York. They own
blocks of houses, railroads, banks, and unnum-
bered shares of stocks. They buy and sell Com
mon Councils, end even Legislatures and seem to
consider it toleraby legitimate business. And
then, when by their own acts, their assessments
are doubled they are among the first to complain
of extravaganza and corruption. These men would
feel them selves insulted by being called upon to
take Office, for none so well as they know the
degradation involved in the title Alderman
Our readers will have no difficulty in recognizing
some of these men, certainly none In remembering
their lawIess chief whose operations ia this busl-
ness have been enormous, and who can at any mo
meot bull or bear the market for Aldermen beyond
the views or means of any single competitor.
Now, if leading capitalists and merchants, other
wise beyond reproach, ore to systematically tempt
the hungry creatures they have made Aldermen
ard Councmen-if great spectators base their
operations upon the known venaty Of such officials
what chance is there for yirtuous Government
in the City Hall7 A thousand-dollar bill is
owerfulargument with needy rum hole politician;
and if it be true that every man has his price, it
must be admitted that the price of Common Coun-
cilmen is pitiiully low. Our shrewd contractors
AID SPECTATORS determine upon their operations
years ahead, and off ;es are filed AUD laws are
ma6e or twisted to favor the desired result. The
railroad grants, about which so much noise was
made last Winter were planned seven years ago,
and every subsequent step toward the end was
deliberately and surely taken. All, except the
Broadway liUe, are chartered, aud that will come
ere lopg. What did the city and State Lawmakers
in the mean time know of this? A few were
necessarily in the secret; the majority were co.
trey ignorant; and it is only after the result that
they can account for the devious steps which they
were requested or Influenced to take.
Is it not time to pause in this course Of bribery
The heavy dealers are setting fearful example,
end host Of small adyenturers are following at
their heels. 1t has come to be generally believed
that the easiest and quickest way to get law or
ordinance passed, is 10 buy it through at once;
aod the men who do it, however they may despise
The wretch who sells bis vote, consider the pur-
chase Of that vote fair business transaction, aud
the buyer clever fellow. If dozen men hereto
fore and DOW engaged in Orbing Common Councils,
were to shut of the supplies and pay for no mans
vote hencefortb, there wOnld soon be radical
change in the City Hall. Starvation would break
Up the Ring, aud give honest men chance to try
their bands at the long desired but Low improb-
able work of city reform.