The New York herald., 1870-04-11
Osr New CITY Govsrnment-The Mayors
Appointments and His Explanation.

| aDle space this morning 10 our NC" city boV-
ernment, including the Mayors appointments
of the heads of the various departments, his
reasons for them, the work under our new
Charter assigned to each department., and
some brief personal sketches of the individuals
selected for the offices designated, the whole
forming chapter Of practical information Of
the highest importance to the people Of this
island, of all parties and classes.
The Mayor, in recognizing the high trust
so unanimously reposed in him by the Legis-
lature, accepts it as involving an 'honprable
obligation to respect the political minority of
his constituents, so far, at least as to reap
point few Of his political opponents W hose
past services to the public additionally deserve
| the recognition He pleads, likewise, that
| there are some among these appointments,
such as those Of the Police, Fire and Health
departments, which Sought not to be at all
controlled by partisan Influences Hence he
leaves the Board of Police Commissioners
untouched, ''but with the understanding that
there is to be q new democratic executive
head" in the place of Mr.. Kennedy. Further
more, in accordance with the general views
suggested, the Department of Charities and
Correction has for its management three demo-
Gratis and two republicans, and so has the Fire
| Department, while the Health Department is
composed Of five democrats and three republi-
cans. The other three departments are en-
tirely democratic, the Mayor urging, in regard
to the Department Of Public Works, the large
patronage involved as properly belonging to
the democracy, and in regard to the new
Board Of Excise, that cit represents the
system almost entirely advocated by the
democrats
Upon the general considerations which have
thus guided the Mayor in these appointments
they are surely calculated to give general
satisfaction. But the Mayor has evidently been
impressed with other and higher considerations
than an equitable party division of the polti
| cal power and the spoils involved in these
| appointments. We see from the character
and experience, and from the special fitness of
the men, with very few exceptions, selected
for these important public trusts, that capa-
bility has been the primary consideration, and
that throughout the Mayor discloses a proper
appreciation of his great responsibilities in the
selection Of men to conduct the various de-
partments commanding or entitled to the
public confidence. Thus upon the Commission
! of Docks for instance, he says that ''all the
gentlemen appointed have acquired some
especial knowledge or experience upon
a subject so vital to our CONNER
| cial interests" So it is with the reor-
| ganizaton of the Fire Department. AS for The
new Park Commission, embracing such men
as Peter B. Sweeny, Robert j. Dillon and
| Andrew II. Green, there need be no further
apprehensions of a deterioration of the charms
| or discipline of our beautiful public pleasure
| grounds. We are particularly gratifed with
| the appointment Of Mr.. Dillon, for we remem-
ber how much the city is indebted to him for
| the creation Of our great Park Again with
such professional men as DR.. Stephen Smith
and DR.. Ceccarini as the physicians Of the
Health Board, we may feel assured of a salts
| factory administration of the delicate and din.
! cult duties of this department
The Mayor congratulates his constituents of
the city upon the restoration Of municipal
departments, placed under one responsible
municipal head We are all gratiied with tho
change from the incongruoas system Of mixed
and irresponsible State and city departments,
and are all hopeful of great reforms and
better administration of law order and hon
esty, touching especially our city expenditures
These expenditures are now nearly double the
H. II.
| government of the United States under Pres-
| dent John Quincy Adams. Since the
| introduction of steam for transporta-
ton purposes by land and sea the
| great cities Of both Europe and America have
increased in population, wealth and power at
rate which is almost appalling. Since The
general introduction of the electric telegraph
aud the enlargement of the field of the metro
politan newspaper press to cover all these new
demands both Europe and the United States
have experienced still another impulse of con-
centration in these great metropolitan centres of
trade, fashion, money, intelligence and power;
and hence, in Europe and America, one of
the most difficult political problems of the day
is, how are these immense and still increasing
masses Of people in these great and growing
cities to be govern ed now and hereafter, SO as
to dispense justice, maintain law and preserve
order among them!
Under the strong and skilful hand of Louis
Napoleon Paris is admirably governed; but
London, with its population exceeding three
millions, has become perplexing puzzle, with
| the fearful accumulation of its destitute and
wisest heads Of England, and the evils which
they have so far vainly sought to remedy are
still increasing upon their hands. In this
broad view this new experiment of ours in the
local government of this metropolis becomes ex-
| cnedinn nlv intarestinm and imnnrtant IL dnnends