New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-09-24
THE UNION MOVEMENT.


So far as we can judge, three.fOurths Of the
people of our State prepared to unite heartily
in the movement which has for its object the
maintenance Of the Union, the Constitution and
the Laws, irrespective Of party organizations and
platforms. II can only be defeated, even par
tially. by the seizure Of its machinery and its
watchword, by men who rcpe public confidence
by failing to deserve it. The People are for the
Union at all hazards; but il does not follow that
they will vote for notorious jobbers and the
hacks of public plunderers because they may
have jumped into the uniform Of the new popu-
lar movement. The inestimable reserved right
of BoHing-of scratching bad names off good
tickets-is to be exercised this Fall with free
dom quite unusual, and many an aspirant will
have incurred large outlay Of effort and in
trigue to get himself nominated for coveted
post only TO receive most unnattering verdict
from the ballot-boxes. We beg the gentlemen
who thus expose Themselves to modification to
remember that we gave them timely warning.
In our city there are several Offices to be
| 6lled-thOse Of Sheriff, County Clerk, &c.-Of
which the emouments are deemed quite too large.
We give notice that these emOlunents are TO be
| reduced this Winter if Legislature can be OBJ
tanned that will listen TO the prayers Of an over
taxed community. Let no man, therefore, spend
ten TO twenty thousand dollars to secure his nomi.
nation and election to one Of these places, eI-
pecting to plead that expenditure as bar TO the
curtailment Of HE fees, for we trust that no such
plea will avail. II we can learn that any one
oht.;,s tLo ITn;on mamma tinn nv any sucb outlav
we shall hold that fact a warrant for opposing
bis election At all events it must in no case
prejudice the claim of the people 10 q reduction
Of his emolumcnts.
We presume the Union CITY Ticket, like the
State, will be 80 composed as to include men of
diverse political antecedentS and Sympathes; but
this is Of far less consequence than that they be
capable aud worthy They must be men who
have led useful and reputable lives, and have
earned their bread by something else than run
ming with any party machine. As general rule,
We think paying Offices, like those above named,
should be given to persons in moderate If not in
digent circumstances, while positions of trust and
responsibility which are not legtimately lucra-
tive, should be assigned to men of substance who
hetnIJ Itel TUG VI ClusuIHB IOuu VI
taxation and are infeXibly resolved on their mi
tigation. Our property-holders are now called
to face levy of hco per cent on the assessed
value Of their Real Estate, though much Of it is
earning nothing and has seriously delreciatcd in
value within the year. After paying this, they
will be called, within month or two, to face
Federal collector with another tax-bill. Ii the
value of property is not to be wholly eaten up
by taxation we must make stand, and make
il at once.
We cannot but hope that our citizens of emf
nent wealth may be induced at this crisis TO
accept seats in the Legislature and Common
Council. They ought to be therc-they have no
right to refusc--if properly invited, we trust
they will not refuse. But to ask such men to
descend to the arts BY which nominations are
usually secured is of course out Of the question.
There might be, there should be, vast savings
effected in the management Of our City affairs.
We have far too many stpendaries, and some
of them are paid exOrbitantly. Why, for in
stance, should the Sheriff Of our county have