The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-11-30
CITY POLITICS,

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Grand Mass Meeting at the Coouer Insti-
decentralization or Fern.ndo Wood
Tor Mayor-spccch OF tie Mayor. &C.. SC.
grand ratification meeting Of the Mozart Hall demo-
cracy held last evening at the Cooper Institute for
sno purpose II i~tlyiyg the nomination Of Fernando
weed for Mayor Of New York Nearly all the wards OF
the city wero represented by Delegates and any number
Of banners was observable both inside and
outside We Cooper Institute. Tho scone outside
tho Institute very onlivening Crowds Of people were
thcro congrcgated and Torches bonares, &c. were the
order OF the hour Tho hall Of tho Cooper Institute never
appeared crowded AZ II this occasion. band
Of music was stationed the PLATFORM and played seve
val patriotic airs during tho pauses OF the speakers.
James wadsworth, Esq, presided over the meeting,
which was called TO order shortly before eight O'Clock by
Benjamin Ray, Esq. Mts
The Chairman having explained tho object OF the moe
IN! ing, and Mr. Hankman having made few remarks
Mr. wooD presented himself amid storm II ap-
piausc, and spoke a. fOilows.-
SPEECH OF THE MAYOR.
circumstances Of peculiar smsarrassnent Being tho in
camoent o. - once 10 which am candidate for no
election, would seeM oct Of place for appear IN
public assssAbagc who're necessarily must myself per-
sonally be se sabiectf comment Yet believing that
the people, frc.A whom cmanates all power have the
their own Aps sssryShiDs appertains 10 matters of
public charseter u whsh they specially interested
has always Aesn my practice to address my fellow cit
como herstoghs say allow words in reference tho
approaching dccton and would that could address you
many ehinesa would like to say upon subjects Of deep in
ssres to ts community which my personal position
- well e other
carnations both TO my motives and actions,
I nnd 1t did,cdit to attempt anything lest the
&H0o nxkeu ~ A.
text upon (which 70 base renewed caumny. will how.
10 my prac tioe, speak plainly frankly and
deem necessary aad important to discuss al this par,icu
lar time. You again about pass upon the subject
Of the Mayoraey and in looking At the question mere
y from q maAeipai point Of view, It may with truth
be said that under the existing laws 10 a matter Of
little momeNs whether myself any other person 10
che ncumbent Of the Office By the amondmsnts
have been 'rsade to that ancient Instrument tho urs
diction Of the office has been gradually frittered
10 now bnt empty honor Although called the Chief
Executive it is absolutely without executive duties ut ALL
Although ostensihy the head Of the city government
10 the weakest or the city officials II has little to
do with directing the affairs Of tho Corporation as the
ngars head upon "a ship has in steering its course
am aware that efforts being made TO confuse the
public mind as TO the true responsibility for the
Grease Of the public expenditures. effort il being
made by ,he abolitioniss to place the responsibility Of
reply. The Mayor does not handle dollar Of the pub
nc money he does not expend or appropriate cent Of it,
He cannot contract single public obligation. His whole
financial power consists in the countersgning Of
rants, which is alleged in judicial quarters to be
mere clerical duty, that carries with 1t discretion
whatever. l would not aude to the accusation at
all but to refer to the fact is singular how those
who, having been chiefly instrumental in creating the
difficulty, by unfair legislation, the very
charge their own offences upon me- for is well known
that is by decreasing the power Of the Mayor by
ing the departments of the city independent
OF him and by the appointment Of Independent
commission without responsibility TO the Mayor any
other municipal power that our expenses have been
tn fSuplu arntl in
1850 Any one convcrsant with the subject knows that
thrceourths OF the taxes paid by people paid
that have thor origin in the State Capitol State
reasons Of partisan character Therefore, it ia ex
ceedingiy unfair and iberai in those who have pro-
duced the evil TO thas charge upon officer who has
not had the slightest part its existence Without an
amendment to the city charter clothing the Office Of
as the other So far as The duties Of that ONCE
are coneerned either OF the gentlemen opposed
municipal aspects Of the case have but little 70 say er
ccpt that far have had authority my intelligence
would permit have during my term Of Office discharged
funy and faithfully IN every respec Were thero no
other questions involved than that which appertans to
the ote hold would sit down without troubling you
there il another question; there is OF vital mo-
ment not only to the people Of the city Of New York.
the people OF the whole Union Il is not merely oucs
ton Of the election Of Mayor Of the city of New York It
involves principles much higher and OF general and
eryadng interest. II there issue at tho last
Presidential election which thought important la
there now In this local contest issue grave
pendous in its consequences 70 the people OF tho
whoe country Tho issue is conservative nationalsm
against abolionisn II is issue between those of our
fellow citizens who desire reconstruction OF the Aeri
can Unfon who desire return Of the rebeious States
their duty and their allegiance who believe that while
the war should be prosecuted and the sus
tanned with all the matetia aid and power at the COM
mand OF the people, yet the same time that while the
sword carried in hand the olive branch should be
carried in the other. claim to be the representative Of
that principle. Against what do contend2 There is
arrayed aganst the other side abolition faction
who believe that this should be prosecuted for the
purpose Of accomplishing orcibe abolition of slavery
AMI the destruction Of the South They believe not only
in the prosecution Of the for this object but also
in its proiongaton They would continue IL long as
tnere dollar Of the public money to be expended
which they may participate and long there drop
Of southern blood TO be shed provided they
gcr MY friends in the revolution Of parties and Of govern
ments there never has been political before
which combined the peculiar elements Of that section Of
time While setting up the highes. claim to national
morality while pretending TO be opposed human bon
dage and in favor OF the emancipation Of tho ncgreby
violence II neccssary-yet, at tho same time they
the largest participants in the expenditure Of the public
money growing out Of the Now my friends against
this faction and against the representative hs fac
ton, contend. l do not believe that the American
people are ready to give up this Union ! do
not believe that the American people are ready
this character. believe that the whole object OF
this war; and Of the people OF this city in sustaining
government IN this crisis, is to maintain it's authority
and force recognition of upon tho South crush out
this rebellion by the exercise OF every it's
command II was not designed to carry crusade
against tho institutions OF the South We have not given
up our lives and fortunes for the accomplishment OF any
such policy. The forty thousand brave men who are
now representing this metropolis the field are there
70 fight the battles Of abolition fanatcism They did
not imagine they to be used as Instruments for
the destruction of the civil institutions or the South.
nor can believe that this government, which directs
thls war upon our side, will declare ORDER They
went at tho call OF the country sustain the govern
ment; they went to put down the fanatics Of the
SOUTH no more dangerous TO the Union than the fanatics
OF the North And when the rebellion shall have been
crushed and the mutous States compelled to return to
their allegiance, hope our government will use every
means IN its power to restore the prosperity Of the South
States and to win them back into fraterna bonds
with their brethren Of the North. New York-which
may fairly be regarded the great national city OF the
Union, hope the thirty four stars restored in
all their former brliancy TO the national banner-New
York must not do that by this election which would