New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-01-06

tain organic defects in the City Government And "a
suggest such amendments to the Custer AZ deemsd
essential to their removal. A years experience ia
ths administration Of that Government has coDraed
any views, both to the existence Of those defect.
and 10 the pfopriety Of most OF the changes then
proposed
Under the present Charter aud other State l,u,
sppettainDg 20 the cry there il total absence "A
that eymDietry and uD:y 80 esseDt al to Gle barno
nious ard efficient administration If al government.
Taey confer uloD the Cbirf Ma. .trale Of the city
% whom the people look for good government ana
the suppression all abuses httle more OF DO YER 70
accomplish sbese en0s than "a p0.sessed BY any one
II the clerks in his osce. Wsat iirtle power he no.
parakes moro of the nature Of moral power than Il.
being conferred b the tito Of bis Office rat -,
tnau by the laws under which he boldq it. The ess
ecutive power 10 disubNed sGcng the he ads OF az
eral dep ,rtments Of the City GvSernmen. proper.
and lie iadepen6ent commissions created by STATE
laws They are DOT amsnable 20 the Chief Execu..
tive for the faithful performsnce g their duties to
naiing no power 10 remove them. The Necessary
of this decentralization are inef iency
and lavish expenditure. We csnuot hope for eff.
;ieut and frugal city government untis these hsads
OF departments are placed IN subordaltion TO the
Chief Executive. They should hold hsir places az
his pleasure and he should be held responsible Tor
tie faithful administration Of their respective de-
par;ueats. speak thus strongly, not from ayy 10.
eire to increase my own power, but from convic-
ton that the change proposed is essential TO toe good
government OF the cry which has bonored me with
~ Chief Nagisracy. My own term OF Office il APP
preaching it's close, and II Is my liked purpose TO
neither ask accept a reelection. Bot tits con-
sider rot abafe y anxiety to the well
fare OF tie city promoted through an improvement
iu ito governments Dor does it preyent the desire
that those who succeed ne may have, what existing
laws 90 not confer me, the power Of meeting tho
expec lati,n S OF their constituents.
The division OF our local government under dls.
tinct municipal ,.nd county organza IONS appears 70
Tn, ha her ois q
ic laws. w ere the geographical bonudsr1eS which
limit the jurisdiction VI the two are the rafne, -
they are in this case. the municipal governments
could be readily ma 10 to answer every Useful par
pose OF both Or, if there are any Dlerests requir.
ing the cOutrol Of q Bossd OF SUPERVISOR, tho
Mayor, Controller, and Rscorder, together WIN no
Board of Aldermen, might constitute such Board.
This change would simplify our legislative ma
chinery AMI secure greater economy.
There n.o otLer changes IN the framework o! ouf
CITY government which sem essential ~ efficiency
AID economy. Some of these / pointed out in my
first communication % tho Common Councl;. others
nave occurred to since; but do not ceeln II use
FIJI 10 repsat them here. II you shall agrea win
ne that il is advisable TO ask for the revision OF the
Charter during tho ensuing session oi tho LelslA-
turs would r, spectful suggest the prDpIioty of
yonr appointing joint committee to conier win
me on tie eubect. We might DOT be able u agree
on all Loiuts but We Doubtless would on many. Ia
a. far ns we sLould agree, we could frame bull ard
send AZ 10 tue Legislature WIN JViht lty'et
which, il may be presumed, as Tue present State
C;oyernment IL constituted politically, would insare
iis passase in The Legislature aud the approval Ut
the Governor
do not share ia the desire TO have the supervision
OF our local interests parceed out among independent
commissions, appointed by The STATE. Ibis pony
seems 10 be growing in favor with many, but Cam
no. appreciate its wisdom or pFopEiety. True, tho
experiment bas proved in the Central PARK
Commission Tor the reason, am persuaded, that tho
gpteuen selected for that Commission are Of greas
Hurlty Of cnsr.cter aud have served without com-
pensatiJn. There are special reasons also for plac-
ing the Police Department under the same control,
on account of It's connection with the administration
OF the criminal laws of the State. But further tnan
this. think the experiment would DO unw,se. lie
people of this city certainly more FAMILIAR win
their ov L local Interests than the State au'houties
can be presumed to be, and the responsibility VI
officers selected by themselves II more direct; and 10
Remedy fol unlanfulLe,s more prompt and >ertain.
We either are or are not pablo u local sefgoYe..
uent. Ii .e are let us ask the stale to give Us .
l.. RECT charter and let see to II that We elect
lnest AL d cnpaOe men 20 fill the Offices nnder IT..
Ii We are not then let ark the Legislature TO give
us good charter and also good nlen TO administer
it. Either would, in NY judgment, be altoBe tder
preferable to oar preoent dsJVuted and InconGruous
municipal machinery. Bat ultil the needed improve
me- IS 10 our org ,nc laws are obta ned LEI us apply
ourselves reeouely to the difficult task OF producing
good government under C detective charter.
GEORGE OPDIhE, Mayor