The New York herald., 1870-01-04
Tho Now Regime ut AIbany-Mceting Of
tho Legislasure-ntayor Hail's Expecta-

tions-
Our State Legislature meets at Albany to-
day. It is democratic Legislature in both
branches. 1t is backed by democratic Gov
ernor and a democratic Court of Appeals. 1t
is the first full swing that the democracy have
had for twenty odd years in the government
Of this State, and it is the result of the last
November election, which went by default,
two hundred thousand. or one-fourth Of the
voters of the State, not feeling sufficient interest
in the election to go 10 the polls. Thus through
popular Indifference the most important politi-
cal revolution in our local affairs Of half a cen
tury has been achieved. We say revolution,
for to the State but especially to this city, we
expect that the changes coming from this CON-
prehensve democratic control over our local
affairs viii be almost as thoroQghgoing as the
changes which, under the restoration OF the
Stuarts in the person Of ''the Merry Monarch,
followed the rigid, reprcssive, remorscless and
uncomfortable Puritanical government OF
Cromwell
What will shis democratic Legislature do2
It's first proceeding On national affairs will in
all probability bs the resembling Of the resolu-
tion OF the last Legislature (republican) ratify-
ing the fifteenth amendment to the federal con-
stitution, which provides for universal negro
suffrage, with power TO Congress to enforce 1t
by appropriate legislation. Conceding the
point Cthough not admitted by Mr.. Seward, as
Secretary Of State that State may recall its
certified ratification of . constitutional amend
ment), the recall of New Yorks ratification will
practically amount to nothing; for the CON-
plete ratification of this fifteenth amendment can
and doubtless will be secured before the adjourn
ment OF this session of Congress, without New
York. The democratic leaders say they have
no objection TO negro suffrage, but that this
power to Congress Of appropriate Legislation"
may take away from Tammany, for instance,
the inspectors and canvassers Of all our cleo
tion districts, and that objection is sufficient to
make this fifteenth amendment "stink in the
nostrils" of the unterriied; and so the rescind-
ing resolution indicated will be among their
first proceedings at Albany.
But what of our local affairs? The schedule
VIII doubtless be communicated to the two
Houses in the Governors Message. What his
recommendations viii be our readers may par
tially guess from the address delivered yester-
day by Mayor Hall to our new Common Coun-
Gil. In this address he congratulates the two
boards ''that the results of the recent State
election will probably terminate those incon-
gruitics Of our municipal government which
have been increasing year by year during a
long period, and that ''the experience of Gov
ernor Hoffman during his several years OF
Recordership and Mayoralty viii now become
valuable guide to the Legislature in their
expected task Of reorganizing municipal gov
ernment upon u sound constitutional basis"
does not care to anticipate the plan of muni-
cipal consolidation that will probably be
adopted; but he thinks that tany plan should
provide that all officials Except judges who
are paid out Of the city or county treasury
should be grouped under appropriate depart
ments Of the city or county government, and
that they should hold their appointment
from uniform source" Then, he thinks, 'the
rights of local government will have been
restored"
The ''incongruities' by name referred TO
by the Mayor are the Police, Health, Fire,
Excise and Education Boards, embracing
substantially five extra county treasurers,
each distinct from the other,' with financial
vouchers filed in diverse Offices. Under a
uniform municipal system the Mayor says that
there will be distinct accountability, and that
through this condensed accountability many
abuses will be corrected. AS we understand
it, all this means that we are to have o new
city government, democratic out and ont;
that its various departments arc to be made
subordinate to the Mayor and the Common
Council, aud that the Mayor is to be the
responsible head of the whole establishment
with FIRST rate salary.
The trouble which was apprehended in the
choice of Speaker for the Assembly did not
appear. On the contrary the caucus arrange
ments, including Hitchman for Speaker,
passed OFF harmoniousiy, and so the prospect
for the complete success Of the Tammany pro-
gramme is all that the chiefs of the Wigwam
could reasonably desire.