The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-12-05
AEm AOnA fIAANIhs.
Speech by Fernando Wood.
Hoffman and the Democratic Ring"
Responsible for the EXtFaF-
agance.. -sF1s

The New Y Ork HeT0td OF NoFem-
Der Both contains an account of an
immense Democratic meeting at
Cooper Institute, the evening before.
We copy that portion of FERNANDO
WOODS speech on that occasion
which has reference to the extrava-
gance of New York officials, and
placing the responsibility of the same
upon the proper persons:
SPEECH OF MR. WOOD.
Mr.. Wood, when the enthusiasm
which greeted him had somewhat
subsidized, proceeded to address the
meeting in substance as follows:
FELLOW CITIZENS: This immense
gathering which has assembled inside
and outside Of this building is dem
,onstration which [ look upon with
pleasure, and accept as a sure harbin-
ger of success. You have grthered
in and around this hall with no other
object or principle than public gOod
in this view | accept it, and appreci-
ate it the more Two weeks ago, in
response to the unsolicited action of
leading men in this hall, | stated the
GROUNDS L
canvass. [ reviewed the short
bent, and showed his incapacity,
if not his indisposition, to relieve
the people of the oppressive burdens
under which they now labor. | pre-
sented a tabular statement of the an
nual expenditures for thirteen years,
and showed the enormous increase
under him, and proved by the charter
that he had the power, and it was
made his duty, to prevent this-a
duty and a power which he had ut
terly failed to exercise, and hence
=, was, responsible. | charged that,
having been nominated by the ring,
he was necessarily its creature, be-
ause the men who compose that i'm
maculate body would not trust any
man in the position of Mayor who
would not do their bidding. [ further
stated that he had made no effort to
protect this city against unjust and
improper legislation at Albany; that
he had failed to evince the requisite
energy and courage. required to meet
an enemy so insidious and SO unscru
pulous as that which had imperiled
the rights and interests of this city.
| quoted from the public records and
laws to show that no moneys can be
drawn from the City Treasury with
out a warrant signed by the Mayor,
and showed that | had resisted sue
cessfully an effort to obtain possession
of a portion of the public funds.
That a mandamus was issued by the
Supreme Court, and that defeated it
in the courts. These allegations
were made In this hall over two
weeks ago. How has he answered
them? What is his defence to the
charge that the taxes have been enOr-
mously increased, and that he. and he
alone, is responsible for it? In his
labored defence of himself, made at
the Cooper Institute ON Wednesday
night, he attempts to show that the
State Legislature, and not himself,
has spent the money. He attempts to
put the whole increase on the Board
Of Commissioners, aad none Oh him
self and associates of the Tammany
ring According to his figures the
municipal departmentsunder his man
agement have spent but about four
millions, while the others creat6d by
the Legislature have spent the re-
manning twenty millions. After Civ
ing an erroneous tabular statement,
he concludes by saying that he IS only
chargeable with the balance, amount
ing to about four millions of dollars.
From the resistance made by me
against that mandamus OF tie Su-
preme Court, 1t was proved that an
absolute veto power was vested IN the
Mayor against the improper ex-
penditure of the public money.
According to the Comptrolier's
report for the year 1866 the
total of the city expenses for that
year was S10. 1885, 01. Legislative ex
penses required of this amount ehe
sum of $552,518 05; expenses OF tbe
Mayors office, SIT ,634 80; the Fl
nance Department, $685.. 693 81; the
Street Department. S163, 6S5 81; the
Croton Aqueduet Department, $500
184 10; the Department of Public
Charities and Correction, S1067, SS9
0S; the City Law Department, SCI
626 A; the City Courts, S176,600 10;
the Public Schools, 81, 454, 327 81; for
miscellaneous disbursements, 81. 266,-
735 70-making an aggregate of mu-
nicipal expenses of $10,266, 7S5 20.
This Is for the expenditures of the
city alone, every dollar of which is
disbursed under the direction of
Mayor Hoffman and his subordinates.
The Street Department, which is pc
cullarly managed by his co-ordinates
OF the ring" spends over 81 GOO. 900.
This is no small sum to pass through
the hands of Mr.. Tweed In one wear.
Doubtless it has all been honestly ex-
pended. 1t is alleged, however. that
orticles furnished Co. tbo+ L.. -