The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-10-23

being advertised. The republic of Mexico
has come to this market - the most favor
able for subscriptions TO its bonds The
Fenians are also asking for loan, and thus we
find New York rapidly becoming the financial
centre of the world, and, in less than one year
after the suppression Of the rebellion, two
foreign loans presented to our capitalists. We
may soon expect to see every government on
the Western continent applying for financial
assistance in our market, and at no distant day
some of the Powers of Europe will be in Wall
street with their bonds.
Complication OF Our city Governments.
The reference made by Mr.. Brady, in his
speech before the Governor at Albany, to
the patchwork government in this city, really
strikes ct the root Of all our evils Through
the intrigues Of politicians for place and the
jobbery Of the lobby around the Legislature
our city charter has been tinkered and over
hauled, new departments created, and the re-
spOnsibility divided and scattered around to
such an extent thatw now present the anomaly
OF some half dozen separate admins
trations, al working on their own hook, re-
sponsible to no general head, and In many
instances not only conflicting, but pretending to
perform the same duties. In some instances the
city is obliged TO pay two parties for the same
work, and then not have 1t half done. The
checks and balances have been, through this
system of Albany tinkering, SO generally re-
moved that no person can be held responsible.
Whenever an effort is made to hold an off,
.cial accountable it is thrown of on the shout
.ders of some one else, over whom that official
has no control whatever Thus, between the
numerous commissioners, supervisors and coun-
ty government, city departments and the Com
mon Council, our taxes are rapidly increasing,
and there is no possible way, under the pre-
sent law, to arrest it, since there is no way of
holding check upon any of the half dozen
administrations.
The Supervisors and county officials push
along by themselves, and have full au-
thority to do just as they please and
spend all the money that they wish, upon
their own edct Tie police, fire, excise and
charities commissions make their expenditures,
present their bills, and there is no power that
can say yea or nay. The finance and tax de-
partments the same, and such is also the case,
to greater or lesser extent, with all the heads
of departments. Amid oil this stands the Mayor,
like dgurehead upon ship, perfectly useless,
except as an ornament He may do very we'll as
( q clerk to the Common Council, attesting to
their ordinances, visiting ships or receiving
guests from abroad, but beyond this he is mere
cipher. II no doubt sounds well abroad to
have II said that we have mayor Of the
city; but in the administration of the city
government he is, under the present compli-
Gated laws, Of no account whatever and is
actually prohibited from doing any good
should he be ever so well inclined. This con-
,dition Of affairs is q disgrace to the city, and
should be remedied at once. The Mayor should
be the recognized responsible head of our city
government-not only in name, but in fact
and all the commissions and departments SO
many cabinet officials, working under his eye
and amenable to him for all their deeds. This
would ede ctually put an end to the conflict Of
authorities and the payment Of two depart
tments for the same work. Whenever anything
goes wrong there will be some chance to cor
rect the abuse; for there will be a responsible
head. The Chinese government-which is said
% be the most democratic Of any in exist
ence-has several distinct cabinets, not only in
their general but local administrations. Thus
che Emperor has cabinet of war ministers, q
cabinet of foreign ministers, a cabinet Of finance
ministers and 30 on in every department.
When any question OF war is at stake the cabi-
net of war ministers are called together; in
Ansnce the cabinet of finance ministers are
consulted. Each Of them is responsible to
khe Emperor for oil that 1t does. This form Is
said to extend down to the smallest municipal
administration in the empire. Would not this
plan be infinitely better than the conflicting,
irresponsible, headless half dozen municipal
governments through which our city is ruled at
present and continually swelling our taxes
without Its equivalent
PRESIDENT JoHNsox's PLAN OF RECONSTRUCT
TIoN-The recent speech Of Secretary Seward
ct Auburn was more ingenious than ingenious.
In one passage he attempts to claim for him
elf all the credit for President Johnsons plan
of reconstruction. lie insists that 1t is not q
new plan; that ii Is not Andrew Johnson's
plan; but that ait is the plan which abruptly,
yet distinctly, offered itself to the last admins
'tration." Yet in another portion of the same
speech, speaking Of the clemency granted to
the late rebels, which lies at the bottom and is
one Of the real foundation stones Of the recon-
struclion idea, Mr.. Seward asks, "Are you
aware that President Johnson's terms OF am
nesty to offenders are far more rigorous than
those which were offered by Abraham Lin
.colns" Now, If the terms OF amnesty are more
rigorous, how can the plan based upon those