New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-01-08

SO ample grant of political and corporate powert
light naturally have awakened jealousy on me par
OF The iost Of the prO,iDce, but IN the year '3! me
Colonial Legislature gave s ratification TO tDls caf
! ter Of Gov Moutgonerie. Thus constituted, claim
for Il is city The distinction OF municipal corporation
| s,feAi,ling and sustained by IT'S own inherent ana
po er yigOr. Tie people Of tie State, IN The Cohs'
iuliOe Ct l7i2, S and 1916 have recognized tDe va
idt, Of ese anc:Dt charters, and the general pr'vI
ZION forl ifding their annulm6nt j. ncurpOredn three
OF 1, csc deliberate Expressions of tho sovereign WILL
Tbs very acts Of the Legislature which mirage 'hese
chiters expires " Itserye them from repeal III mort
however bF conceded that the cpaticn 81 any SDiTOcI
Cons sioners independent Of She corporate authOii-
tier % thc iy il au annument Of the charters to toe
extent fthe public fuFelions and privileges conerrea
tie body thus Improperly lcgisatea INTO pohi-
cal ext ienoe Take these charters and read them win
the protecting clause u The COnsttr.n OF the state,
ard tLei. can be no doubt that they exist in Legal
force, uIimpaiSed and unGininishec. Through them
The city eTsessts perfect right to establish AMI ay
Oh a COM Lte Mmi,iEaf Government without let or
hndante. What the effect of Legislative in reference
Las e,n il ~ the vast Increase OF expenditure the
EIupliciIiCn of Offices the strange complication OF
the admin isir;ton If public affairs ard consequent IL
,l ieucy. IL there remedy Time and the course
Of r, eHs may idsd by the justice OF Onr clse, bring
il sorncr than cou6 have been anticipated. We should
omit to appeal to the people Of the State for redress
foi NJ manifold glsyan,es, presunng tat Their rep
Iescualvcs lave erred not altogether willfully In
Il Csc violations OF car cha tered rights.
Il j. MT aloue the ualierabe right of self-gOvern-
n.cnt that has been tuus wreslsd from Ms, but our
taxes baye been largely increased, while The protec-
ton tO life and proIeriy has decreased The more
tie Ieoyle REFUSED to pay, She less return Is re-
ccived ~ tie way OF good government. bref ret
eIen,e to the simple question oi taxation aud us
causes vii Justify tbs assertion. The present lax
sy-iem 6 muni,ipal control all traceable to the ac-
ton Of Tho Iel isatue, s too well known TO require
any calculation. Ii ~ "A living notorious, pregnant
fact. Bot ~ tie additional burdens imposed are not
realized by al classes, propose briefly to refer to
them in oeiail.
Tie fiat aggressive action Of the State upon the
municipal ight7 OF the Corporation was the seizure
# the auction Cuies, which were formerly devoted u
tie support d the city poor, by when the State has
taken ON rs tie Of So SiS,2i upto lot January
1850.
The reN step IT, the same direction was in taking
from tie Con- Grafton the control Of the Aims House
Department and giving il to "A Board of Ten Cover
nois who were lst appointed 10y the Leg Stature for
a term of year, ard ~ arranged that neither the
IeOl H. nor the Corporation have ANY jurisdiction
over H. roeeecings or expenditure Ihii BODY no"
,alled BY another maze, but possessing all the oiions
ioatures OF the Ten Governors, expeHds nearly
- coo coo aDnuaIg without accountability.
Another gggressive measure was the seizure OF the
Police Department, dycs.ibg the ciiy 81 any control oil
n important bran,h 'f IT. Government. The only
G., nucdin the Corporation bar with the matter IL the
one accorded by the Ligt waynan 10 his victim, to
stand und deliyer-that IT, To pay over such sums rs
an irIe-pons H. Commission may demand. The ex-
Icrts Of this Department We're last year over
$4,000 NJ against 100000 when the police WIS
under tie MAYOR and municipal control. The current
,,qi il viii be- over u, 100000, and ifthe addition
40 demaI ded by thc Commissioners shall be allowed
le olCIrlous rtm OF S2,Ot0OO0 will be required on
II il account Ilore making $l,2o0OOO incrase since
tie State Lac taken the police under charge
Another and one hat touches the most sacred
records OF city the ap continent BY the safe of
% Commission, equally irresponsible to the people or
lie Corporation They ARE known as The Colnlnlr-
-ipeis oi R,co,ds aud have power to make contracts
that lind tie iiv Will out the of the Corpora
fl,r. has
u,ed ibi- power 10 tho extent OF about SOlJ,OO
TIE Con m Si,rerr Of the Central Park il another
l,dy app iutd by The State. Tlcy are also entirely
Lryold lie cott0l of the COrpOrutiun and with whom
the Civ Government has no other communication
han TO rse tie amount required to dcilay the oils
Of eXIeu-,s.
Tie HaiDor Commissioners were another body Of in
d,JendeHt men which the State seat from s remote
InT's t. pie-cii tie limits of wbnrver, and how
Iar tie CoiToIa ou -uuld be- allowed 10 extend them
The Pilot Conn ir,iouers nl-o created by the Lrd--
hiurc, Lave powers ami l. that If ever exercised,
would dcl1e tie Corporation Of all jurisdiction over
lie ior- ard whnrvc-. By their action, the City of
NeW-lok, IN IL coIoiale capacity, could DE entirely
cot ~ from tFutarbor The Commissioners have the
power 10 condemn ANY sysiem OF Wharfage we might
alOI ana thur compel RECOMMENDATION Of all piers
AZ H. su,h mode ~ they should preserihe.
Tie thXcs required By the State very unfa Gly
auouiui cd ulln Il j. city through the agency of n
{, nuis,ion Who a.-ess the property Of the other
,run ir- 81 tie State Al Vcry low amount and put
very high valuation here. By this means, our city
l. I,cd to contribute this year 49, ,SJ to the
State.
The contribution. Of hi, city to the State on this
count have been a. follows
lr,a.................f ~ elS .......f noI@
t'...... ........... IisiJ l8jl....... l2a0l
Ia..... a'Jl H0...' .'...'''''' Zplo''
TIE city not only bear its school expenses, but,
IN addition la,g, run- are PAID to The Nute to too used
in other counties. The -um To be rred this year for
Tie Tuuoee will be SI,7E,GN.
Me Couoraion are entirely Invested os all power
over the Common SCHOOL, of The city, although com
TeiG by lax 10 re whatever ihe Board of Education
may demand Thee rums have been "a follows for the
year inGra,d:
n ............... $40 eco 260l3
l4lF..............l 0l i5t s9.......... l2hn0D
40 0Go.... lii3,5Bl
Nor should the Organization Of the county as di-
yded from the City Government, thus creating two
.eaiac lOl legislature, and vastly increasing the
nml # III ard the amount ofeXIenSe, be forgot
ten tie list 81 0ryanccs. Either the one or the
oier al these rival rer Of magistrates should be abol-
shed. lie burden of this double Government-Ihe
eulousy and the contests thus engeDdered-Gre sum
,ie reasons to rcel delvemnce from absurd sys
ten. All the functions required of body to perform
the duties imposed on County Legi-atnre might be
discharged ~ previously by one of the Boards OF the
Con mon C,uucil. Tie motive Tor creating tins
County Corona in wa dolbt pollii al, 20 that the
minority OF the electors could be represented to the
same txter, M the ma"rly thu subyerng tue Aolnd
IcpnblIcan maxim that the majority should govern.
Even tie erection Of a new City Hall could not be
rerfslr.d without the Intervention of Board OF Com
i..ones Two acts for this purpose have been passed
the former 30 utterly rrcconceable with the state
Constitution that il bad to be given up and the latter
20 IL, fcaeous that a necessity called Tor impertiycly
by u wants ofthe people and FIR want OF winch the
admin isrlion Of inslire cannot be deceatly carried
out, app,aIs 10 be- unattmnabe.
The Supervision of the safety of the buildings and
edifc, OF Il city should be- part of the Municipal Gov
eminent ard under the control OF ~ authorities Dh
this Der arment of public regulation has been placed
in tie bandr Of IA Board headed by Superintendent
and ected loo.y with the city that it i to be
wondered why their salaries are drawn from It's
Treasury . ..
Of he hnanlifnl and diXersiied strin