The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-01-18


AEST-WHAr IS TO BECOME OF New YORK? -The
government, of the city of New York is reduced
TO mere succession of petty quarrels between
the coordinate boards Of the Corporation, the
county boards, the Mayor, Aldermen Super
visors, the Police Commissioners and execu-
tive officers OF the departments. Some one
branch Of the government is perpetually at war
with another; to-day it is the Mayor and the
Board OF Aldermen that are in controversy; then
II Is the supcrvisors and the Mayor while the Ie-
gislature and the city are always engaged in q
conflict Of one kind or another. Meantime the
finances are in jeopardy, the police establish
ment is wretchedly mismanaged, and the whole
fabric Of government is going to ruin. Where
all this is to end it is not easy to see. All
around us revolution is progressing, and the
total destruction Of the confederacy is threaten
ed. There is q probability that the country
may be divided into two separate confedera-
cics-that Of the North and that Of the South.
81 a..r,v."v,o . Ua,aiui.y may De avertcd, yns,
viewing the condition of affairs in their present
aspect, one hardly knows where to look for
hope or aid to guide us out Of the difficulty.
And If it must come to ths-if we are to have
two republics instead Of one--in such an event
what position is New York to assume? We are
not prepared to advise the secession of the city
from the State, as has been suggested in other
quarters; but there is another and q better
course which might be pursued, and yet main
tain the independence, the prosperity and the
dignity Of this great metropolis. If the Union
be rent asunder into two confederacies, the
federal property and the archives Of the ma
ton must be located somewhere besides in
the present federal capital. Washington must
be abandoned TO the government Of the South.
Why not, then, construct new federal district
here? Let US take, for example, the counties
of New York, Kings, Queens, Suffolk (the three
latter comprising Long Island), the counties
Of Richmond and Westchester, and Bergen, in
New Jersey, including Newark, aud make Of
them federal district-a new "District of Co
lumbia," or ''District Of Washington" If you
will--or to be called by any other name. Let
the Capitol be erected on the heights Of Wee
hawken, a magnificent site, overlooking the
noblcst prospect perhaps in the world. Let
the government Of the entire District be en-
uurttu W tut uiius VI TIC SOuKTtb5 OIL
Northern republic, and then We would have
some chance Of a government which might be
called such-secure from the tinkering of the
Albany Legislature, and the squabbling of
conflicting authorities in the Corporation.
Nature has marked out this locality as the
great centre of the country, and in any event
New York must maintain her commercial su.
premacy, whether II be in republic of thirty
three States, one and indvisible--if Providence
shall so will it-or in confederacy limited to
fewer number, north Of dividing line. In
The event Of separation, then, let the seat Of tho
federal government be located here. As for
the buildings now occupied by the government
at Washington, they could be disposed of al
auction to the South for whatever they will
bring