The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-11-28
The Past Of RepublicaniSm and the
Future of Democracy.
Municipal Government and the
Rights Of the Citizens.
Wide Field of Operations for the
Next Legislature.
THE POLICY OF THE LEADERS.

che successive republican Legislatures which have
controlled at Albany since 1853 TO hs close OF the
legislative session OF 1852 viii be Of particular
interest 10 the ctlzens OF New York at this time.
The result of the Stale ection held last November
has taken the coniroi IRON republican and placed
It once more IN democratic hands. For the first
time in many years the democrauc party goes TO the
legislative halls at Albany with the Chief Executive
politically allied TO IL and with working maJorties
In both CHAMBERS. There is most important work
before 1t, owing principally 10 the obnoxious Gen.
Trailing legislation which enanaed rom the Cap!
toll at Albany Tor several years past and which mas
year by year almost entirely deprived the cittzens
OF the Empire Cts Of thelr nallenaDe and chartered
rights OF seli-goYern,nent The people for
q time In vain endeayored 70 stem the
tide OF legislation whica was obteratiag every
vestlse OF tier PRIVILEGES aud prerogatives and II
was only whea tue danger spread and threatened 10
engllf political friends as well as political Toes
that the ballot box IesoIied TO q barrier to
further encroacnment. The people at the late cleo
uon pronounced most enphalcaliy their condemaa-
ton OF The radlcal legislation under which they
their most Cherished rights and privileges wrested
from them and by their votes defeated the party
that had with impunlty so long harassed and OPP.
pressed them. The democracy under the lead Of
able men aud statesmen mas now control OF The
three branches oi the state goyernment-tEe exeeu-
tive, the legislative and tie Judicial; and many
reforms are to be Inauguratea and great deal OF
the obnoxious legislation OF the republicans Is to be
repealed amended the attention OF all classes OF
our citizens VIII be anxiousiy directed to the open.
ing measures Of the new legislature in the hope Of
seeing the work before 1t well and wisely entered
upon and carried out.
TUE CHARTER or 1880
Under the charter OF 1880 the city OF New York
had reconnrmed to IL its proper local government,
and when 1t hal unlnterruptedly enjoyed since the
granting OF the charter to the city BY James H.,
dated April - 1855. THIS original charter was SUP
sequeaty ratified and confirmed by tnat granted
by Queen Anne, April 10 1905. The third charter
granted by The British monarchs 10 New York was
that granted by George H., dated January Is, $780,
and which is in reality the present organic law OF
the CITY. 1t remanea IN iuli force in all its prov
sions, all the rights franchises, privileges and i'm
munltes granted b. 1t beng faithfully Observed ex-
ercised and preserved Till 1880. just 100 years.
The charter OF 1879, following the words OF the
former charters rectes that New York be and from
henceforth forever hereafter shall be ANA remain
free city of itself, and that the Mayor, Alder
men and Commonalty OF the said city, ana their sue
cessors from hencelorth forever shall be and
remain one body corporate and polite IN re Jac,o
ct noratae by tle name Of the Mayor, Aldermen and
name they shall have perpetual succession. THAT
the said Common Council OF the said city for the
time being, or the MAJOR part OF them have may and
shall have ful power, authority and license to frame
constitute orla n, make and establish from time 10
time all such laws, statutes, rights ordinances and
constitutions which to them or the greater part OF
them shall seem TO be good, useful sary for
the good rule and government OF the body corporate
aforesaid" This charter Is very comprehensive In
lis various provisions reciting at length and pre-
else terms the rights iInmunitles and privileges 10
DO enjoyed and exercised by the mayors
and commodities OF New York, in per-
petual succession. The constitution OF 1777
ratified and confirmed, though It might be
said unnecessarily, all the previous chartered
rights, grants &C., inasmuch as 1t Is well defined
principle that chartered nights once conferred upon
people can never be taken from them without
their consent. No attempt was ever made to alter,
change or amend the charter OF this city without
nrst submitting the proposed anendme 10 the
people until 1857, from which date commence the
legislative inroads and violations OF the charter,
which have resulted IN depriving the properly con-
stituted authorities OF the city OF oil control over
their local affairs, ana have flooded the city with
commissions and boards that In their turn have
usurped The whole vested and chartered rights OF
the people. Thus VIC have commissioners OF police
and excise commissioners OF charities and correc.
zion, Central PARK aud fire department, commits
sloners OF pilots and harbor commissioners
Halem bridge commissioners, commissioners for
building new Court House, and commissioners
for laying out the city north Of 155th street. com
mtssioners Tor the erection OF a new market, CON-
missions for cleaning streets and for improving
Broadway, boards OF health, OF assessors, Of re.
vision and correction OF assessments, OF awards
and confirmation Of contracts. &C. The whole city
Is governed by these boards appointed at Albany,
and they are entirely independent Of and unac-
countaoe TO the people whose money they are
empowered to squender. These state boards
and commissions are radically wrong In principle
pernicous In practice and would he sure to lead to
the most denIorabe results had not the people so
wisely calmly and erectually interviewed through
the ballot box, not only 10 pat Immediate stop 10
further Entertainments but to provide the means for
the entire repeal OF all those obnoxious enact.
ments and the complete restoration OF all their
rights ana privileges in the government
OF the city and OF which they had been so long
deprived. New York had always enjoyed perfect
and c0cplete local government; that is TO ssy, the
people elecped the Mayor, Aldermen and Common
Council, to whom al the anties Of governing the
city were Tor the time being entrusted. Tba MAYOR
was the supreme offcer OF the city, exercising CON
slant supervision over ait expenditures Of CITY funds
and over all the subordinate orncers OF the mum.
cipailty, New York under this charter, az it Lad
eL0p. the earliest times under the previous charters
referred to, enjoyed all the rights, privileges and
immunies OF free ana Independent city. IL had
Its Governor, It's Mayors ana Legislature. rne city
government was perfect In itself; the people elected
the heads OF departments. and these were AZ all
times responsible to the people for their own acts
and the acts OF their subordinates.
LAWS RELATING TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT..
Under the law OF 1884, chapter 49, police force
consisted OF chief OF police. captains, assistant
captains and policemen, not TO exceed eight hun.
Cred men In all. They were appointed ny the Mayor
Common Council and the assessors OF the several
wards Of the city.
BY the amended charter OF 1ste chapter 1871. sec.
tons 10 and TO- separate department was organized
nnllca nurnnaaa OF which .inuox II IL IL.