New-York tribune., 1868-04-10
THE CITY TAX Levy.

In the middle of corruption at Albany 1t is
an inexpressible comfort to find an officer and
a legislator honest enough to do what Gov
Fenton and ex-Speaker Pitts have done to
| force the Assembly to report the New-fork
City Tax Levy. The Assembly has needed
neither of them, but they have made the CALLED
jades vince, and even Mr. Frear was compelled
to promise the people a speedy hearing. The
Governor reveals state of things worse than
we suspected. We know that the tax bills
were passed without engrossment. But he
states that even when sent TO him they are not
engrossed, but are signed by the legislative
officers with all sorts of interineations, riders
pencil writing, &c, &c. No one can tell when,
how, or by whom these additions and altera-
tions have been made, and ii is most appal-
ling consideration for our laboring population
who pay their taxes through landlords, butch
ers, grocers and merchants, that even after
BILL taxing their hard earnings, has run the
gauntlet of the Supervisors and the Legisla-
ture, it is liable to be swelled enormously and its
wholesome provisions to be stricken out by the
rascas of the Ring and Lobby. The Democrats
of the Assembly showed their guilty conscious
ness when they refused TO order the bill to be
reported, and treated the Governors cOnstltu-
tional right to call attention to the matter as
an act of usurpation. They would return the
message with contempt; they would teach this
insoent Executive his place; one Solon even
limited at impeachment; Jacobs was furried.
Ready was worried, Prince was stirred to the
depths of his wisdom; but, after consultation
between the knowing ones, the message was
finally referred to the Committee on Cities.
The Chairman of the Committee on Cities Is
Alexander Frear!
How much good the people will derive from
Mr. Frears permission to let the bill be ex-
amined in the Committee room, and how much
attention will be paid TO any objections that
tax payers may there have made to 1t, those OF
our readers who know something OF lcgisla-
tive swindles can easily imagine. The Tax Levy
is a splendid job which the Ring do not pur-
pose to surrender. There are twenty millions
of dollars in il. Ii is stuffed full of swindles,
thefts, and rascalities enough TO make the for
tunes of half the rogucs in the Assembly.
They will never, if they can help 1t. permit
the bill to be canvassed in open Assembly,
it's infamous provisions to be exposed to the
light of day, or impertincnt Radicals to inter
fere with their little Democratic arrangements.
lican members; it is Hat burglary To
call it up and expose 1t prematurely.
When it becomes law, in the midst
of the hurry and confusion of adjournment,
you may abuse it you please, and we will
then prove it the act of a Republican Gov
ernor and Senate. In fact, so far as the Com
mittee is concerned, the job is all arranged.
Examination and objection while the bill re-
mains in their hands will be mere waste OF
time. They have had it since January. They
will keep it if they can till it is too late to ex-
anime OF amend it, The people demand that
it be reported and printed, and submitted to
the fullest examination. They will repeat their
demand until they force every man who votes
for keeping it back to do so at the peril of his
reputation for common honesty. Once more
we say: Gentlemen, report the bill.