The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-06-15


the Case OF tho Tax Commissioners.
We published yesterday the decision Of the
Court Of Appeals Of this State in the case Of
the New York Tax Commissioners. The judg-
ment of the lower court Is reversed; Messrs.
Brown and Williamson are reinstated In Office;
Messrs. Woodruff and Purser, the new ap-
pointees, are declared usurpers, and accord
ingly elected; the fees and emoluments Of the
office are to be turned over to the old Com
missioners, and a referee Is to be appointed to
take an account of the fees and emoluments re-
ceived by Messrs Woodruff and Purser during
their brief term, judgment to be entered against
them for the amount when ascertained. This
decision covers every point and is final Thus
ends dispute which has caused great deal of
trouble and some excitement
The practical effect Of the decision Of the
Court Of Appeals is TO give Messrs. Brown and
Williamson the tax Office for life, unless tho
Legislature should pass and the Governor
should approve o special bill ousting them
from the position. BY some means or other
they have managed to retain the Office for
several years, and now they may consider it
pretty sure thing for the balance Of their days.
It is not likely that anybody will be found
willing to undertake to engineer bill through
the Legislature to disinherit them, while 80
many richer placers can be worked with half
the labor and greater profit Neither Is 1t
likely that democratic Governor, Senate and
Assembly will be elected for the particular
purpose of acting together against these Tax
Commissioners. They may, therefore, continue
their duties and calculate their profits in peace.
The Comptroller may object TO decision
which summarily deprives him Of o portion of
the patronage of his department and erects
totally Independent branch Of the NUM-
cipal governments; but he must obey the
Court Of Appeals, and he has little
too much business of his own on hand at present
to think of making fight against Messrs. Brown
and Williamson in the next Legislature. I'm
doubleday the Court of Appeals will follow Its
own precedent and decide that the old Croton
Board Is also fixture; and we should not be
at all surprised II the constitutionality Of the
Paid Fire Department bill were to be affirmed
by the same Court to-day. Thus, bit by bit,
the republicans are getting possession Of the
patronage of this democratic city.
| Looking at the tax commission business a. q
political squabble, 1t has no interest to us; but
the Office Ia most important one, affecting the
vital. pecnniary interests Of our citizens, and
we are therefore sorry to zee itmade the subject
Of any such partisan strategy. The decision
has moral, however, which is more worthy Of
| consideration than the decision ITSELF Instead
of having the municipal government parcelled
out among number Of commissioners, each
acting Independently of tho rest, and among q
number Of departments, each at variance with
the others, we ought to unite all the commits
sioners and departments under metropolitan
Mayor or Commissioner, who could select his
own subordinates, as the President selects the
members Of his Cabinet, and who eould b
held responsible for any abuses or negleots Q