The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-10-18

II. CITY CnADRLAW,S DEPARTMENT.
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Letter fire. mr.. Peter b. swsssy In Reply
g the Charges Of the CitixonS Associa.
10 sus Crssrsxs o. NEv YONG:
The ,a.s. q ne s and es1s'y e Ne. yc,s hs,s IN
&: e. os pss for ass o.
y. &c
ag between The cOnUOlsr aad The Broadway Bank. ana
cut The foregoing article from the editorial columns
ii .0a wS .ss ysss1
stated unfair and pavts communication from ths
manager. Of cti.sa. Association :: being "currsasly
swaysd By the same parsan influenced The paragraph
quoted furnishes with hitting opportunity refer
70 tho ocs hold and i's duties Of which nov avail
received on Tuesday afternoon long communities.
ton signed .Pstsr Cooper Chairman Richard n Henry,
Secretary" and headed 'caixens Association OF New
York. In regard 70 the Affairs OF the Offices Of City Cham
berAin and County Treasurer, hed ey me, concluding
with Q request for early answer. That after
noon without waiting single instant giving any op
portunity whatever 70 sanswer,n the Communication
was sent the press and the next morning appeared
eli the daily journals Tho "Ctsens' Association In
question: in it, controlling members composed Of
tam number OF republicans Who in political affairs are
ultra parteans regard matters relating 70
city government arrogang sort OF supreme autocrsc
control claim 10 DO dsnterested, Influenced by
but the public good How far their acts compor with
these high claims TO public confidence leave the citi
gems Of New York 70 determine Il the design had
fairness would have required that when an answer
was asked IN regard to supposed condition Of AFFAIR.
currently reported, that answer should be awaited
before the public were called on to decide. think IL
DO apparent that answer desired and that
the long prepared accusation Was At sent the
press that NO reply should be allowed before the public
mind concluded that the ends OF political partisan
ship might be secured and tho pretext might be given
for art mel N thA ih,uS
Tho managers Of the Association labor 70 establish that
the ONCE Of City Chamberlain has duties Of any
sequence attached TO it. or. Is the Tribune up
their statement that as its incumbent am paid for
"doing nothing" They say that the duties limited
TO opening account with the Broadway Bank and the
bank keeps the accounts"
This il not true The City Chamberlain is the trea-
Of the public moneys and responsible himself for
their safe keeping give 10 the city and State $3.50 900
security and my deputy 5000 000 keep the
OF the city and county funds which my hands,
each appropriation by itself and charged with the
duty Of paying the public debt and the interest
accrues and all know who hold any city securities
draw my own checks for these purposes a.
many az three thousand Al time furnish weekly
statements to the Comptroller Of al moneys received
and disburscd under each appropration-my
checks each other and guarding against irregular
payments loss of the public moneys Beisdea I am
ploySs except ocals appointed By ordinance Who are
paid by warrants am, in addition, . commissioner Of
the Sinking Fund where have important and response
BILE duties 10 discharge employ five assistants besides
my deputy some OF whom paid large salaries their
duties beng arduous and Responsible In regard to my
ted to publish the following letter. which the Hon. B.
Connolly, the Comptroller, has kindly sent mo-
c o. nxr ySs1 e., o.
To , TT. CITIZENS Or NEW YoRK;-
which sweeny may The Citizens Associaton,
trust may be psdhoned 10 performing an act Of justice
gnteer The Associs their Of
office Of Chamberlain important and that Mr.
Swssny services are not valuable 70 the public Ny POSI-.
Of the Board Of Sinking Fund enables
The Keeps Sis BOOKS and in
ress 70 III c many % and matters OF &C
lie deb. and interest and The paymssisr charged
reported to my department The system adopted between
check the other and efccuay guards the pub
But !! Is member Of the Sinking Fund Commission
that desire 70 refer 70 Mr. sweeny In this Commission
HI. FRS. act on coming into Office was the introduo
Ss a @s SOLD :. snS s:
Of the city thereby largely His
the public deb, depends has been most faithful and en-
~ H. h AZ, ns OF rs,1 resasa
which promise srea. public adSansse
consider that Mr. sweepys services have been invau
deprecated and nansnc. broken down those
public officers Mr. Cooper has evidently been m,sled He,
am sure would DO no man wrong. and he will thank me
send this 70 Mr. Swecny that be make such OF
RICHARD B. CONNOLLY Comptroller
shall not enter into any further consideration Of tho
duties o. my ONCE leaving THIS brief statement and the
letter OF Mr. Connolly 70 answer the allegation Of the
Tribune, that am engaged 10 : doing nothing"
agree with Mr.. Connolly In regard to the fairness
ana bountful goodness Of intention or Mr. Peter Cooper
with "cnarity for oil and malice toward nons; but
submit that with oil his gueessness. DO 10 very credu
ous and easily imposed upon DESTROYS himself 10 be
public bsnsfactor, he willingly allows the OF his
name by arttul partisan schemers without suspecting
thai they are hiding Their own schemes under cover Of
The managers or tho s'cnzeus' Association in their
communication go as far back As 1888 in their quotations
early period Of its history, with citations from Lord
Loughborough and other historical Characters, to sus
tain their position But they carefully conceal from the
public the law which particularly applies to my Office
and which was enacted close at home In the state
OF New York. and al late period the year 1866
! cannot suppose that these managing gentlemen were
ignorant OF this statute and leave the public to judge
Of their motives for deliberately concesllng and mis-
The Law which refer was passed on the 18th day
OF April 1865 and may be found In the second volume
quires that Chamberlain Of The city OF New York
shall by written notice to the Comptroller OF said city,
designate not less than three banks in which all the
moneys OF the city and county shall be deposited. IL
then goes on 70 provide a. follows:
srcnos The bsnksin which such deposits shah be made
me ocs rent Of sd Chamberlain the salaries to De aIsd
oy HIM o. his clerks and : Deputy Chamoerlain al d
dismiss Se -''-' : "''''
Here is a Law which has been complied with, and
which directs that the deposits shall be divided up
among several banks and requires them part or
duty 70 pay the expenses OF my ONCE and yet these
managers Of the Ctzens Association with full knowl-
edge OF the subject deliberately say that all the moneys
are kept In one bank, and NO advantage to the city
derived from their use
Ny deputy pays the salaries Of the clerks and the
pensss OF the office aud rscsves IRON the banks desg
mated whatever they pay When the gentleman now
holding The once OF deputy appointed BY me had
received . comparatively small amount from these
sources, which paid over 70 him, he has 70 this
time managed that entire businssa have not yet
csivsd and applied 70 my own account single dollar
beyond my salary.
A. the last session Of the Legislature an effort
made BY certain gentlemen, 70 have Law adopted ro
curing the city funds TO DO put out q tnterest to
the highest bidders for the same, and relieving the
Chamberlain from oil responsibility for keeping
and This the Lsgiaasurs refused 70 DO IL
oensidered ~ risking the city monep In dangerous
speculation for obviously the rotten banks ooud
afford pay the highest interest the money keep
them up, and the public moneys would eventually be
swallowed up IL some bankrupt institution II was be-