The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1864-01-06


UNION or THE EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS OF THE
METROPOLITAN GovERNMENT-The city of New
York has now q chief magistrate who has been
elected to his position by q catering vote
of his fellow citizens, independent Of party
cliques. regardless of secret cabals and juntas
and irrespective Of plundering and prodigate
high-contracting "rings" He is the magistrate
in whom our citizens should place confidence,
il they could not conscientiously in any pre-
vious chief magistrate for many years; and to
him might be confidently entrusted preroga-
tives years ago filched from the city and
usurped by the State government. At present
the Mayor of the great city of New York is
little better than an automaton. His execu-
tive officers, between whom aud the chief magis-
trate the utmost unity and confidence should
prevail, are selected or appointed without his
advice. He has no control over them. His
supervisory direction is q nullity. There is no
harmony or union in their movements. The
one is not responsible for the doings Of the
other, and, for all practical purposes tending
to the city's good. New York might as well be
q colony Of Great Britain as the appeudage to
the State government at Albany which it now
is, The Mayor may give advice, but he can
not afford redress. "The extreme point Of dis.
union has been reaehed."
Now. how can these things be remedied
How can a reunion between the executive de-
partmeuts Of the government of the city ofNew
York be effected! This is no time for tho Legis-
lature at Albany 10 encourage disunion in
any shape, but, on the contrary, to do all
in its power to maintain the cohesiveness of all
our governmental organizations, local and
State, as well rs national. To be effective, to
work tremendously and smoothly and swim
mingly, to discover and punish corruption, to
unearth the contracting rascals who have been
burrowing for years id the city treasury to
exact strict accountability fromvall officers in
the discharge of official duties, it is necessary
that the appointing powor of the chief execu.
tive officers in the city government should be
placed in the hands Of the chief magistrate Of
the city To secure this it will be necessary
to revise and amend the city charter. And now
that the Legislature will take into considera-
ton the matter of the imbroglio iH{v which the
Police Commissioners are involved, it is q pro-
per time to consider the suggestion OF a com
plete overhauling Of the city charter, so far as
the powers and prerogativss Of the Mayor are
concerned. The charter should be amended 80
as to vest in the Mayor the appointment OF the
Comptroller, the Police Commissioners, the
Street Commissioner, the Croton Aqueduct
Commissioners, the Commissioners Of Public
Charities and Correction, the Counsel to the
Corporation, the Commissioners Of Public In
struction, &C., all subject to the approval Of q
majority OF the Board Of Aldermen. BY this
means We shall have a strong and effective
municipal government-one department acting
harmoniously and effectively with another. and
all working for the benefit Of the city and the
reduction of the burthens imposed upon tax
payers.