The New York herald., 1869-06-24
MAYOR HALL on THE COMMISSIONS.

Mayor Hall has caused to he transmitted to the
Board of Fire Commissioners the following commu-
nicatlOn which explains ITSELF:
MAYORS OFFICE, NEW YORK, June 49, 1859:
To CHARLES E. GILDBRsLEEvE, Secretary OF the
Board OF Fire commissioners
have the honor tO'acknOwledge recent from you
OF the following request addressed to the Mayor
instructed by the Board Of Commissioners to invite
you day when 1t will be convenient for you to
meet with the Board Of Estimate provided for In chapter
24s Laws Of ls65
The Mayor has already orally declined to attend.
Lest the Board should mlsapprehend the message,
or lest the Mayor should be suspected OF any disre
spect to the Board. or OF anything revolutionary
or ds0rganizing he desires me to give his rea-
m 81
tiles have, repeated occasions claimed, and still
claim the right to x their own estimate for their own
expenses, and are willing to accept the sole resp0n-
sibity. That which they claim Tor themselves they
desire to extend TO Others. The Board OF Fire Com
and It solely expends its moneys, it solely audts its
own bills, and the law OF its existence provides
money without the Necessity 81 applying Ior sss
is clear therefore, that the Commissioners ought in
fairness, to take, as the Comptroller and Mayor
spend. 1t il true that the law makes the
OF Estimate. Their attendance, however, Is not
necessary to make quorum. They might be ever
nevertheless the latter would have the power to
overrule them. Therefore the Board can lose
disrespectful nor revolutionary. 1t was certainly
very kind Of the Legislature to give the local author
ties the onus OF sharing in the responsibility OF rails
ing money which they were neither to audit nor to
spend after 1t was raised. and then to deny them
any In the discipline or government OF the Fire
One Of the members Of your Board (as the Mayor
understands very good naturedly, not long since,
SAID that was not consistent for the latter to OPP
pose commissions which he had years ago, IN
dividual, favored and insugated. Allow the Mayor
as good naturedy, to say that neither as an indi
vidual nor as politician nor as lawyer did he
instgate or favor the present system OF State
commissions II is true that as lawyer. In 1857, he
! Police bill OF that Year But the idea Of the first
Police Commission, rs everybody should remember,
never contemplated an isolation from 1t OF officials
who locally elected or locally appointed. BY
the original Metropolitan Police bill the Mayor
| was not only allowed voice In police
the Police Department. should "enforce aud
obey all corporation ordinances applicable to police
a@ainst sSs remonstrances Of many Original friends
or counsel OF the first actl omitted the Mayor from
administration, and BY quietly repeating these Two
words "to obey, totally removed the police from
| any municipal legislation. The original theory OF
the Police Commission was that the relations OF the
superiors and members OF the force to each other
should be entirely direc.ed by and come under the
exclusive discipline Of the Board but that the rela
Of r. the police snS S s Rc should be
Soon afterwards any addition OF definite and
aiding State legislation for the police was continual
obey the s @ RDd there %ss mo-
supplementary Legislation In their place the usrpa-
"a o urdsrs
often ingeniously emphatic. However to condemn
whatever conflict ls produced With local govern.
from the original plan as they are, 1t is not
sary TO moot discussion upon the motive or equia-
ins 40 many vital municipal concerns from the mar
ticipaton OF local authority Because all unpreudced
men who investigate tho workings OF the Albany
commissions appreciate that their action IL defec.
tive not SO much by reason that they independ-
of the city authorities as that each Is independent
OF the other Political sympathy has so far In their
history invited between them species OF cordial CO.
operation; but this latter quality Is not a legal ne
cesslty Of their organization should the police all.
thores from Jealousy, or plque, or malice, refuse
TO aid the health, fire or excise oficias In dread
emergency there Is no power TO compel reciprocal
It would have been ostensbly fair for the Legisla
ture, when II had determined not TO repeal the com
missions, to have allowed some one municipal Onice
participation In the deliberations Of metropoli
tan boards as territorial delegate participates ir
the discussions Of the House Of Representativesl
ample, the Recorder might be ocio In the Polio,
board; he Is an official who necessarily obtains con
cally directs the results OF police action. The CIT,
Judge might be e1 oncso an EXCISE Commits
ss legal exper,ehce TO- the mea,cai lore aa, .
the Board Of Health-a body that always walks upoI
the verge OF litigation IN whatever action It takes
| The Comptroller and CrotOn Aqueduct Enginee
might be admitted into the Commission of the Uentra
Park, with whose doings the funds, real estate an,
reservoirs of the city are 80 largely connected. Tn
street Commissioner might be an ez oNc,o Fir
Commissioner. And the Mayor might exercise owe
all the commissions the like approving or dsap
| proving action that he s allowed over municipal Il
Rislati0n. The Mayor could at all events only do tn
harm OF compelling resfirmahce OF measures 10y th
same vote Of original adopton after he had invite
toward them pubic attention and press discussions
Nevertheless propositions for even such small act
OF participation have often been presented 10 IN
Legislature, but have teen always rejected throug
the influence OF majority Of the metropolitan CON
missions, whose members naturally prefer powe
per se
I trust these explanations and dgressions wi
satisfy the Board that the decllnaon n conssten
and respectful beg to add that after full and FIRE
consultation OF the Mayor with the Comptroller G
the city. who has also received a similar nvitatio
rom you, the latter entirely comedies with this con
! municatlon Very respectfully, your obedient sci
want, CHARLES o. JULINE, Chief Clerk.
NKP0rIsM IN VIRgIsfA.-At Charlcstown, Va, on
family seems TO have monopolized the ofilces. Tl