The New York herald., 1868-05-03
OUR CITY LEGISLATORS.

Among the many accommodating terms which
abound in the English language there is scarcely any
one so much used as that of "r0utine business"
All sorts of societies, clubs, conventions have what
Is called ''rOutine'' business and being known as
'routne' there is little attention paid to it en-
passant Our noble, virtuous, valiant and highly
enlightened city fathers in their assemblies have also
what Is termed "routne business, but their routine
is something more than the mere calling
Of the roll and reading Of the minutes Of
the previous meeting, for under their rOu-
tine are perpetrated at times many Of the
most barefaced swindles on the residents OF
particular localities the entire taxpaying por
tion OF the community. These particular classes of
resolutions at cursOry glance would appear to be
public benefits and they have become Of such fire.
quent occurrence that their introduction or their
presence s not needed by any but those who besides
the Official will be directly interested in their passage
by the Common Council, and who, in conjunction with
the accommodating legislator, have thereby made for
them Sits In the public money bags through which
they may insert their itching fingers and steal the
peoples wealth. And because of their frequent
occurrence they showed ahead as 'rOutine."
There may be yet some inhabtant living who can
remember when the position Of alderman was con-
sidered an honorary one when the matters con-
nected with the extorting Of money from
the people and expending 1t for the particu-
lar benefit of the ''ring'' and its adjuncts were
proceedings unknown. There some yet living
who can remember the fact that when matters con-
nected with the public business were agtated the
doors of the council chambers were opened to those
who were Obliged to pay for any improvements that
were to be made; and when the party who could
show the most reasonable and honest arguments
point would have the verdict in his favor, when
egislatOrs-even city Oflcals-cared something for
their good names, and could allow their speeches
debates to go before their constituents. There are
many who can remember the fact that the members
the Common Council advertised notices of the place
and time OF the assembling of the various committees
and when parties interested could attend and give
their views, so that the general public sentiment
could be known; but then bottle Of wnis6ey not
the presiding Ofcer OF the committee meeting, and
the reports OF the committees and subsequent action
OF the boards did not entirely depend the
OF money used as press to seal up document or
But how different Is the case at the present day
The wholesale rObberies by the national Congress
and the State Legislature are initiated as closely as
possible, as far rs the amount Of plunder will per-
nit by our municipal managers but with less attempt
| at legal covering, owing to the fact that while
the "heavy villains" In the former are polished, and
in many learned In the legal professions and
are enabled, therefore, to be more subtle than the
| on fierce looks heavy lp-hair, sl0uched hats and
| bravadO to strike terror into their victims, and
% s s ns
| although feeble protests, made generally very
thin paper and nd pressed s il by young attorneys have
| victorious march, the paper was so thin and the
weight of the abstruse calculations 1t so damaging
to the fabric that some OF the "ring masters have
always succeeded In puncturng 1t with one finger,
or have completely effaced the protest by crumpiing
10 read the printed reports OF the meetings of the
Board Of Aldermen or Councilmen or Supervisors, q
person would fail 70 discover, perhaps any OF the
nice 'tle games" that are run In or left out the
case may be, under 'routne.n Alderman McDildar-
REL from the Ninetynrst ward, introduces "ResOIu-
e street. & rom Ftyrss to FyeiSht awe avenue be-
regulated and graded curb and gutter stones set
sidewalks tagged space Of four feet wide through
the centre thereof under the direction Of the Croon
Aqueduct Department" This street may be at pres
ent located beneath the ''rOck OF ages" But what
Of thats There are some ravenOus maws to be satis
fed, and little Of the municipal pap distributed In
this way be made to several members Of the
third house. who are daily becoming more ferocious
| while observing the milk and honey flowing In such
huge quantities into the Aldermanic trough, and
positively declare the postives used being genersy
/ expressive though not always elegant expletives,
that 'f Paddy Mac don't get nothing for him he'll
git square on Paddy, and won't vote for none Of his
Fellows agln more'n three or four times nix election"
| This IL q fearful threat and 90 Paddy Mac looks
| about and consults his fellow Aldermen to see II
IIe's got decent young fellow wot wants Job and
w0t's hard up, and he's . worker you know and
he don't care about gittin him agin him cause he's
got two or tree dozen votes on de av'nen They find
l,954th street Is somewhat out Of the way
and might be opened on paper and then,
for there are several other places, and Tim O'Rar-
gan and Jerry McMurtigan and two or three others
fnow % ie y%uhg ~os e%s
| thrown ON the Presidents desk and when meeting
day arrives the title Of the paper Is carelessy and
| quickly read and the matter referred to the Com
| mttee on 'Street Openings or "Roads," or 'laId
over" as best may suit the friends OF the 'decent
young fellows wo want the jobs" In due course of
time the matter Is brought into court, commissioners
| of assessment are appointed, who estimate the
amount of damage and Of benefit TO the surrounding
property These commissioners are generally friends
| OF some OF the big guns In the ring"
The plans and specifications are made out and pro,
posals made by contractors and contracts awarded
after the stipuations settled that Paddy's and
Tins and Jerry's friends are to be made inspectors
or thew ' nav not know whether The work is done
according to the terms Of the contract or not and
the ei trouble to lind out what part Of the island the
street IL on; bnt they know where TO go to sign the
roll 20 anna s . enough them to Sno%
Three dollars q day for the onerous duty OF making
| "his marx" once or twice month e their look out,
and that part of their work they do as well they
when the streets are through there must be gas
arsanae%ent between some Of the ras Companies
/ and the representatives Of the adermanic "rng''
part Of the can De setted The or;
and all this done 'under the direction OF the Gro
ton Aqueduct Department. This latter depart
ment the people believe to be well and ably con-
/ Quoted and the Aldermen, knowing this to be the
popular belief throw the work on that department
and II must be performed because the Croton board
has no power voice in the matter and must do as
it Is ordered. Then there are the wooden pave
ment' jobsms =. " very @ recent invention The honora
business and as II Is patent pavement the hold
Five dollars per square yard gives the owners q
margin from which the grease for the wheels OF IeQi-
laton can be squeezed and the Jobs are scattered
around 30 that each member Of the "ring may have
two or three wooden streets In his district. In
fact, so handsomely and with such q full acknowl-
ledgment Of the rule Of ''honOr among theyesu are
things arranged In caucus ana committee that IL is
unnecessary 10 have any questions or debates the
matter In the public meetings Of the boards per-
son attending one OF these meetings everything
apparently honest; once In q while little Joke Is
ndulged In at the expense Of some of the members
who may not be destined to have share In
some particular haul and occasionally one
OF the worthy gentlemen who imagines ne
has not been fairly dealt with or Will not he
seen on some OF che Jobs will make little trouble,
and the matter Is laid over for the present color
OF legality and very slight color NAV be given by
adhering TO the rules OF the boards but the unruy
member must be brought around and so ne room Is
cleared OF all outsiders the Board ABOUT 10 mold
"prvate meeting " and In that meeting the affair