New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-08-24
THE COMMITTEE on CITIES.
THE NETWORK CITY DELEGATION BEFORE TIE
COMMITTEE.

ALBAYY August %, 1867.
On Thursday afternoon the Committee on
Cities accorded hearing to those members Of the New
York City delegation who desired TO speak upon the
government OF that city. The Hon Ira Harris Chairman
OF the Committee, presided. ana Messrs Francis Ayor
ETastus Brooks aud Chesebro, present The follow
ing gentlemen appeared ana spoke:
Mr. EYARIS rep. New York. said they felt II was OF
NewYork should not be severed from Legislative control
The experience Of the past had not shown 1t was wise to
CITY government Nor viii the antlcipaons OF the future
correct or vary this feeling. II is also important tlt ~
nroyidur for The future control Of cities clause shall
be inserted the Constitution that shall leave
it within the power OF the Leglsiaturc, In
suffrage 20 impose such additional qualifications In re-
gard TO payers in municipalities, as in their wisdom
plastic without any fear The general vote OF the peo-
pie will always be able 70 control legislative MISTAKES
Constitution These two propositions are all that the
New-Iork delegation desire TO present.
the Legislature make rules and regulations for one city
different from those thai govern another! another ,.i g.
NV The desired that they should moi be turned
TO an Interchangeable constitutional enactment ioF Inc
Mr.. CHTsEBRo Dem. Ontario-Do you think IL
would be- safe 10 give the Legislature the power 70 dis
franchise any class Of the people!
Mr. EVARTs supposed every one knew the difference
between municipal and political suffrage. lie said poit
cal suffrage was established for Inhabitants OF city
wen as State When they came 10 the government of
ertv much should placed the hands Of property
holders, always remembering that general suffrage
Mr. ALyORD asked would you have general law gov
cruug all Cascsl
Mr. EYARTs said IT question that the Committee
must decide. We speak for our own city.
Mr. TIIDEN dem, NeW-l York. held that n the right
Of suffrage prescribed 70 all other places but cities
and that a certain class Of cities aud stu further 70
city whose political majority was different from that Of
the state It would leave wide discretion 10 the Leg
stature and would conraveue the article suffrage
adopted. such a provision as j. proposed SHOULD bt
placed in that article and certain offices should be made
app0ntve rather than elective. This Is too wide de
parture from everything known III the Government OF
Mr. PIERREPONT Dem, New York; thought the sug
CestOu not practicable a. made by MI LV&fis Inc
Committee would 1ud their peTpleMues 10 multiply as
they turned over the subject II the are 10
corrupt he had heard the people "3ub p' unH.llins
10 trust them with the management OF great rc city
Mr.. 1lLDEN desired 10 make an affirmative sc,ilon
He thought II would be wise 10 provide that tic mn
ucipal election shall take place IN tLe spring al Time
equidsant from the FAN elections. low ihe chahge
He would the city election from the exciting con
trOverses OF the political elections OF NovGmbsf !h,y
had such duplex ana tptN gOEeIHhcll III 'he Wy W
NewYOTE that 10 one Of the gentlemen VINO was present
could, even If he had large majority WIN nm
This the people cannot do and this he regarded a. the
cardinal Instrumental defect Of the Government Of New
YORK City. II the people ad chdhre nc thouEnI 'e1
would Work results for themselves Ihcy hdd
half dozen systems OF taxing powers, wholly IRE
spOnsible. So 10 with those officers WHO squhdctd
the public money. 1t all chaos; ana inc people
men should govern for the being. NewIork haa
responsible government Now, o1crIlnno I3
have a change If they wanted Under the sysleh OF ~
years ago. he believed they would have Iaf DetI cl
government one the errors of the past % years is
that we have now got II so arranged III many OF our
offices that bad officer cannot be gotten rd OF when the
people desire IT, without infinite trouble We have par
t6ued offices between parties and kept the dement's oil
offices foI those who held them so long as tc desired
their profits The reforms Of 70 years have almost an
been departure from the fundamental principles VI
democratic government. ,,.,-.
should rcmedied. The people Of NewNork are essen
italy busy people. When they have chosen tcr IueL
uyvrlta ua is b
for things that neglected and wrongs done ASH
to-day, they do not know TO whom to Apply 10 Iedfes'
MI DAILY Dem, New-Yoril did not agree with his col,
league Air. Evdrs). The government oil Ne" ORR u'cu
unsaaried and combined with Itself Board OF Aldermen
in the government Of the city AiterwaTd second boal
WAS added and changes made that gave ADDITIONAL
en GOVERNED But since the great changes have been
introduced which characterize 10. all responsibility
has been taken away. The Mayor mere machine IT'S
newer mas been taken away aud distributed among
number Of departments Of which, he was happy 10
saw were wei administered Now he differed WIN MS
friend from New-Y0rk Nlr Evarts 10 the point where
the responsibility should be fixed Zach department 10
day Is under different rule and there is no respon5D
ty anywhere what Is everybody business Ci, Goyn
uout distributed through multitude OF lhdepeiucHU
rrespoDsble DEPARTMENTS merely cOherug the basis
- Common corporation II will not cure the trouble 10
remove the government and the responsibility 10 AIpany
The city now Is exposed 10 the mercy Of any man VINO
chooses 10 come TO Albany seek 10 punder IT, CHens
lest they should Dc 0FerWheineu pt S0e
scheme suddenly sprung upon them from Albany Inc
remedy for the trouble should organic and should not
come from the Legislature. ,
Mr. EVARTs had only suggested very seriously to the
Committee that they shall not assist in making OF sue
ges 10 Convention 90 make. independent govern
,uent for the city OF NeW-YOrk II they make an lude
peudcnt government for the city OF New-10rk-a lnS
that has been dreamed Of much less cTeaedthe
czeIIs will nave no recourse against the reign Of evil
and oppression except violence. He would not
Weld In his knowledge that responsibility was
needed either 10 Mr. Tnden or Judge Perrep0ut. What
he had asked in regard representation Of the tax
naers was that should De left 10 the wisdom OF the
fgisatrre 10 decide upon IL II expedcnt As to changes
of the times OF election they had been made again ana
AGAIN three several times the course OF MS experience
SifL5ut any beneficial effect They changed backward
and forward simply for the sake Of change, and II made
mo difference in the general result -,
Nr UIfTCHINs Glep., New-YOr1 only desired u reply
10 some facts used by Judge DAILY. lie wanted toSo b
IA The GOOD old times when the Mayor ana HuhId nI Al
deI1nen administered the simple government OF Lht cly
Th would take us back 20 the period when the mayor Oh
lmt an