The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-05-13


tured by the necessities Of poverty, can be sap
pressed; but only how woman can be made
cause Of mischief to the State by forcing her
into wrong position and depriving the family
household of its strongest prop by converting
the modest wife and mother into the brawling
politician. The proceedings Of these Women's
Rights conventions suggest the question a. to
whether these women have no husbands,
brothers, or fathers, who have influence enough
to keep them at home to attend to their domos-
tic affairs.
The Court House job, and tho Duty -
tho Governor Under the New Law.
Among the legends in reference to tho
events Of the middle ages is one which 40
counts for the failure to complete the church ct
Cologne, by the special interference Of The
devil. As the story goes, his Satanic majesty
wanted certain number of souls for his king
dom and made contract for them; but there
was some hitch in the ful6lnent Of the cor
tract and the devil interfered and declared that
the church at Cologne should never be coa-
pleted. This legend gave rise to the universal
custom during the feudsl ages Of charging u
failure to complete any great scheme or public
work that was undertaken to the special interfbr-
ence OF the devil. In those days some imposing
edifce, such as church or cathedral, would be
commenced, and contributions would be taken
up for the purpose Of its construction. Thou-
sands, tens of thousands and hundreds Of
thousands Of dollars would be raised for that
purpose, yet but very little work would b
accomplished. The funds would somehow
slip into the pockets OF those interested
and turn up in the purchase Of sites and tho
erection of private houses, chapals and monas-
teries. These were always built with astound-
ing rapidity, while the edi6ces for which the
people contributed hundreds Of thousands Of
dollars, made but little progress. This sings
lar state of affairs was always accounted for BY
the special interference of the devil.
The Court House job of this city bids fair to
be to the present century what the church as
Cologne was to the middle ages. When it,
construction was commenced our citizens were
informed how much 1t would cost to build It
That amount was raised; but before the public
could see any evidence of the expenditure 81
the money they were notified that the funds
were exhausted, and that several hundred
thousand more were necessary to complete
it. The additional amount was raised, and in
the course of twelve months the foundation Of
the building was so far completed that tho pub
lie could form some idea Of the size on tho
ground of the proposed structure. With this
the funds again ran out, and another call
was made. Several hundred thousand were
once more authorized. The indignation wa
SO great that those engaged at the work found
| it necessary to make a greater show for the
money raised. Thus it has dragged along year
| after year-just sufficient work done to keep up
appearances; but the call for additional funds
| is regularly made once year and the demand
| acceded to; but still the Court House is net
completed, nor are there any very strong signs
that it ever will be. An ungratefdr public
charge those connected with it with being
corrupt-that they are nursing the job to enrich
themselves, and point to rich palaces which
have been constructed In remarkably short
period, while the Court House has been Do
layed.
| Now, il seems to us that these charges and
insinuations against our Board Of Supervisors
and those engaged on the Court House are
neither orthodox nor just. The devil may
have had hand in this job the same as he haa
in the church at Cologne. The circumstantiak
evidence is very similar, at least 50 far
as the large amount Of money contributed
and so little to show for it is concerned. Under
these circumstances, and in view of the fhot
that the charge of corruption is constantly
being made against the Supervisors, their
friends the rings, and the builders Of the Court
House, 1t strikes us that 1t is the duty Of Gov
ernor Fenton to Immediately exercise the
power vested in him under the municipal inves-
tigaton law. He should appoint commits
sioner to make thorough investigation Of the
whole affair and furnish the public with care
full report, giving the cause Of all this delay.
If 1t Is ascertaned that II Is the devil that ID
keeping this building back, and that his Satanic
majesty is playing his role Of the church al
Cologne over again, then let the fact be known,
and thus remove the odium from the Board Of
Supervisors and other parties concerned. Under
such circumstances the public would be chart.
table enough to exonerate that Board and tho
builders from all blame. By all means let this
question be settled. The Governor has Il In
his power to decide 1t, and be should do it
without delay. Let the commissioner be SGT at
work forthwith.
How TO GET AT THE GAS MoNoPoLIEs.-We
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