The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-11-19
CITY POLITICS.

and His DecIluatton for Recollection His
Letter and its Hearings Barnard
for CemptroiIcr-The Cisixens' Associations
and its Opcrations-Thc Charter Election,
&c.
the Developments In local politics OF tho past week
have had more tho character Of earthquake than
ordinary Political revolution. The vast fabric OF the
Tammany Mozart ring" composed OF pillars which APP
peared unsaakabe and with a dome soaring Into the
Clouds and covering beneath Il more corruption aud pr
vais tyranny than was before gathered together
under the roof OF any political edifce. has suddenly
come crashing TO tho ground, and like the baselsss
fabric of vision left no trace behind.
niE WITHDRAWAL conrrRoLLER BnHssAS.
Comptroller Brennan, It is believed, has withdrawn
from tho contest for reelection In good falth though
thore st many credulous people who believe that
he may yet and himself compelled" to acceds To tho
demands Of the enthusiastic Of thousands who DO
eve that the hnances OF city be sase IN other
hands. Tho Parthian arrow which no discharged, IN
his iettcr Of withdrawal against tho Citizens Association
Is One Of the most ably conceived and subtley evasve
documents that has been In many years. Il 10 not
rnere piece OF ordinary special pleading, but
plea 10 bar Of public judgment, which
condenses In every paragraph tho thought and
observation Of many months, and none who are
quainted with Mr. Brennan and his surroundings can
stand In doubt for minute who ID its real author
Its attack upon the Citizens Association only tell
isg, but In grea, part true and there has been
apiece Of stegy adrot local politics than that
by which tho laaried Superintendent (who Is all Of the
Citizens Association that has any vitality, hum.
plugged into sending down accountants to hunt FOR
deficiencies flaws In the books and records Of the
Finance Department OF course thsy found mono. No
man OF ordinary intelligence believes that tho Comp
troiler has paid out money for which he could not
show trplcae vouchers having the appearance and In
some degree the actually Of beng legal but the ques-
ton remaus wero the claims which tho various pay
ments made honest claims anything approaching
honestly and did each individual contractor who was
credited with large receive that In faii or
what percentage had he TO pay, or for whom did his
knowledge OF the Comptrollcry
the EXTRAORDINARY POWERS oy THE COMPTROLLER.
Tho chief OF the Finance Department has plcnary
power wholly Irrespective of tho Corporation Attorney
District Attorney and all the courts Of law TO contest
whatever claims against the city he see nt TO dis
pute That no exercises ths power In very many
cases Ia well known; but tho exercise or
II Is invariably directed against claimants standing In
political hostility 10 Tsmmsny Eall Of all tho other
claims and suits amounting during his term 10 many
thousands, probably. which tho Comptroller, by his
simple nat and tho head tho Corporation Coun-
how many may have been wholly unfounded; how
many FOR twice aud three times the proper amount
how many would have been either thrown out OF court
or enormously reduced In judgment II they had been
allowed tho ordinary form OF trial. cannot DO stated but
Comptroership lies Such questions, however, cannot
now DO OF any nso to press, since Mr.. Brennan 10
longer candidate for reelection; but Il may be
QtEsfllS
IN decide whether the power conferred upon
tho Finance Department when the laie Rober, r Hsws
a republican, was Comptroller wisely given not
and u Is altogether probable II a democrat should bs
elected on the 9th day OF next MONTH that Iegsa
which they arrived at eight ago In favor OF
errng upon Mr. Haws all but absolutely unlimited power
over the public property pledged for tho payment Of the
CITY dep aud the annual resources by taxation OF our
island city,
The Withdrawal Of Mr.. Brennan leaves the Tatnnlany
Hall nomination for COMPTROLLER all al Judge O.
Barnard OF supreme Court b urgently pressed for the
place by tho bcs, Tammany Hall and reliable outside In
crests. man Of tho people, % good legal attain
ments and financial ability but his ssgacious
rieuds great obstacle 70 his In regard 20
what ought his ground Of namely
hg decisions Ia favor Of tho consftutonsy Of tho Elk
else Law, aud against the bone boiling and cattle driving
nuisances and his efforts TO sustain the Board Of Health
during the last summer Politicians too much Of the
honest Judge and man about him TO make him popular
with the oasiiy swnycd mass OF voters who usually
managed by machine mon.
Judge Barnard Il the upon whom oil parties ought
10 concentrate order ~ put at tho head OF the Tinan
The above stated should be sufficient for Judge
Barnads acceptance by the Republican Convent on and
tho gentlemen composing the Loyal League, ard that
great deiusion OF city life which Is called tho Citizens
rnE nrlxESs ASSOCIATION
This association consists 81 one hundred gentle
men, OF OF less ~esth. who willing 20 pay
superintendent, and such help ho may think
say for making occasional clamor 10 regard to popular
reform IL 1.-THE gentlemen composing the CIrens Asso
citation bad all OF them. hair them tho activity
and public spirit Of Peter Cooper and others Of his stamp
Is notorious that nlsc tenths OF them take no other
interest In the management of the association than 10
furnish subscriptions towards paying the salaries u tho
few oficsrs who act In their name and that on tho
greatest OCCASIONS and then with the greatest difficulty
anything resembling quorum OF the association be
dragged together 81 eyenlng from their handsome
dining halls and libraries when burnediy assembled
Twelfth street, broadway, 10 set the ap
proyai or any intelligent sanction Of whatever may
l,a sent md YtfA mi hat lad he.
tore them. II they worid only meet more fro
quenily. give their personal attention To Matters and
Robert b Roosevelt Thomas q Acton, Washington r.
vermiiye, supervisor Smith Ely. Jr. Councilman ste
schultz and other gentlemen who have tho ci,ys
interest st heart there can b. limit conceived OF the
rood which they might accomplish. u belcyef that
10 not tie fault but the misfortune Of the officers 81
the association thai tcIr has not been wiser
Than II has been found They do tho very bet fhey
know how and a. their experience 10 political snairs
viii avoid such blunGers Ia future here clearly
pointed ont md unden'hy true. 10 the card OF vndca
tion published by Comptroller brennan
TBG cosiTn0fLsEsgrf.
The democniic ur'on party haze nominated fgr the
once of Comptroller Police Justice Michael Connolly, Of
TIE r~enty -secoad wafd and appointed committee Of
twenty two 10 ,cnder HIN the nomination. This com.
mle has poser Y confer wi,b Other orysnzaons WIN
ca~ ~ Gcnefs Hapne last election day upon
nsms fer ,hs chars contest 10 Dcember
fno German organization ravn nominated Supervisor
smith Fir, Jf. who hope likewise 10 be endor-cd BY
tho republicans md varl. Other reform bo1les, Dciuf
ing the Loyal Ieagss CAB Of Union rquars
and the Citizens Association Among the radicals
there n dspps'isB a. nominate straight ticket.
VIII Pohee Jufco Rchad koly A. li9 standard bearer
With This they hDI~ IN between tho divisions n
the dsmocrailc party Justice Kelly, n " the held,
would incline certain fammsny Hal interests 10 snsaln
him Will, sncl REPRE- entef b. Police Justice
Dow'inr and by certain oher rhiefs ~ the police aud
civil courts by neat Thwssr nlgbi Y y probable that
the lines % battle FOR Oh. mixed contest will base
assumed shape.
Richard d. Connolly spoken Of the Tamtnspy
nominne Tor tbs oHiss, sni y Understood u
no ~ stained BY C0liecor sinythe. Ia wboss "a
ronai hank hc has hae1 employed Ter ~ome time
M dtcount clerk Nr fonnoly twice held the vain-
ahis Office % County dcrk AM was q candidate
Tor re~isc don lie also member ~ the hiaie zen
ate, and held many other positions, sucb ~ Commission
OF ~ Rccords commfAiorr % humorous gtreei open.
ings and Offices ~ emolnmn, ami prOnt tour year
20 va candidate for Comptroller againSt Mr. v a.
D0oc. but vas that ocrn0n defeated in pitched
battle by the iaio City Inspector. who subsequently, ~s
Induced 10 resign 10 M. BrsrnAns tavof The npres
sion prevails In the community .hai no prominent 81
on1cchodfr will BE- an Available eAndldate for n.rt