The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-05-12

Mayer Hoffman and che Remedy Ter Muni-
cfpaI Misgevcrnacst.
In bis recent speech to a delegation of Ger
man liquor dealers Mayor Hoffman offered
his panacea for all the evils Of municipal mis-
government under which the citizens Of New
York at present suffer. He believes that agi-
tation and monster meetings. great demon
stration of fifty thousand citizens determined
to insist upon their rights-will have the effect
to "rebuke the intolerant spirit" of the State
Legislature and Of the Excise Commissioners,
and give freedom to the people of New York
and Brooklyn. OF course he counsels these
gatherings to be law abiding, for ne has
punished rioters heretofore and has no SYM
patty with them. But although he deprecates
an explosion he has no objection 10 set fire to
the end Of torch, stuck in barrel Of gun
powder. You have been deprived OF your
liberties, says the Mayor. in subs lance, and are
ground down under odious laws by oppressive
| usurpers. Your chosen magistrate is stripped
Of all power. Gather in m0bs OF ffty
thousand to denounoe this. but keep the peace
and obey the laws Your rulers treat you with
unnecessary rigor and harshness; you are
singled out from all the people Of the State to
be stripped Of your rights, and are made the
victims of intolerance and bigotry. Get up
| monster crowds some fine afternoon and stir
| up mems minds with these wrongs, but keep
the peace and obey the laws. The Excise
| Commissioners are unreasonable and unjust,
and make the perfect submission of the people
the pretext for new exactions. Call together
acters Of the city (for Mayor Hoffman knows
that such meetings always contain these ele-
ments), TO demand their freedom; but always
keep the peace and obey the laws.
There is q far better and less dangerous way
within the command Of the people of the city
Of New York to secure good, an honest and
q responsible municipal government. Monster
land, where they are the only weapons within
| the reach Of the masses wherewith they can
strike for their rights. But here we have the
ballot at our command; and that, if properly
used, is far more effective in correcting abuses
and removing evils than any number
Of mob assemblages and demagogue
harangues. The absurd, unpopular and OPP
pressive Excise law, and the inefficient and
irresponsible commissions under which many
| Of our municipal departments have been placed
are not the only Objectionable features Of our
city government. We have corporation "rings"
preying upon our substance, corrupting the
State Legislature. turning all the executive and
legislative business left within their range into
| profitable jobs, and swelling our local taxes to
over twenty million dollars annually. Let the
people march w by nfE thousands to che polls
ct DE next election and vote for new organic
lsw That will give W. . thorough reform in our
| city government, Let them sweep away by
| their ballots In November and December next
eyesy vestige Of q venal corporation, and wipe
out Of existence the old political organizations
that have heretofore forced, upon them noml-
nations not ct to be mads. Monster
meetings can do no practical good, and
are only calculated to excite the popu-
lar passions in . dangerous degree. They
are used by demagogues and designing
| political "ring" men to divert the minds of the
people from the real evils Of bad government
and their remedy, by directing their indig-
nation against particular measures and indi-
really desire to reform their local government,
to do away ct once, not only with the offensive
Excise law, but with oil our irresponsible COM
missions and corporation plunderers, they
must bear in mind that the means Of doing SO
are within their own reach. II the new consti-
tuition shall recognize the right Of the people
Of the city to selfgovernment; il 1t shall pro-
vide for the election Of Mayor in whom shall
centre oil the appointing and executive power,
and who shall be directly responsible 70 the
people for the good conduct Of the whole oy-
eminent IL 1t shall con6ne the Common Coun-
Gil stricsly TO legislative duties-it will efectu-
ally remove every evil under which we suffer,
and give us substantial relief The people
should not allow their minds to be diverted
from this fact by any popular excitement that
may be raised over the offensive Excise law or
the vagaries Of the puffy, fussy, fretting and
bombastic Superintendent of Police The Cor
poration and Tammany "rings" would gladly
blind the eyes of the electors to the real issue with
the dust of personal indignation. Let the tax
payers Of the city. and all who desire to put an
end to the existing corruption and anarchy,
turn deaf ear to all incendiary appeals ad-
dressed to them by the desperate 'rings" who
already read the handwriting on the wall, and
secure by their united votes in the next elec-
ton substantial reconstruction in the city and
| State.
British Referm- Another Tory Triumph.
n.~~ csol txaln nf fnrAo
nounced among other things that the govern
ment Reform bill had been advanced another
stage. Some few nights ago certain amend
ments, including among Others ledger fran
| chse, were proposed by the opposition. On q