The New York herald., 1870-04-04

held IN It's ina on Saturday the merits or tie new
CITY charter were luly considered and discussed, and
Tie following memorial prglDg ITS adoption was
unanimously agreed upon:-
ClTizESs' ASSOCIATION OF NEW York;
Sl3 BROADWAY, April q 1870. !
TO THE HONORABLE THE PRESIDENT AND MEM
BERs OF THE SENATE OF TIE STATE OF NEW
GENTLgMEs-Tne Ciuzeas' Association, which has
been neaged for SIX years IN tue e1n:. 20 ootan q
good nlunicpai 60 yernUe:t and GoOu local OlicerS
Tor lne Guy New fuik legs leave respectfully 10
address Jou on the sub ect Of the proposed charter
GA led IAN act TO reorganze the local government
cI The city OF New York; wAch passed the Assembly
the sCta oi March and Is now before your House.
1ne Association fully expresses the opinion OF
large body oil citizens ana taxpayers OF this city In
sla5ng tnat change ID Inc iorm oi our local gov
einment Is absolutely necessary.
Nothing Is 80 subyelsye OF oniciai order and we'll
power 10 which Complaints oi oniciaI inlsconduct
caa &c when cause arises, Is an absolute me-
eessiy. The public olAeer who Is derelict in duty
must feel tnat he Is 70 be neld 10 strict accounta.
biiity. The liking OF responsibility Is The beginning
OF honesty. me same power 10 set Their affairs
right and discharge dishonest pubic servants as
must re secured 10 the people at iarge regard
local officers. This inestnabie priv eye is secured
posed new Charter by section twenIy.nine
OF which II is proyded mat the Court
saaus q our oca rsas oer s aad al the cASes co
sustain the charges the once becomes vacant; ana
also tnat tne Mayor snail nave pows. oi inpeacning
Iii heads OF departments and tue Common Council
shall have the power OF impeacb,ng the Mayor.
Tnis provision IS FAR IN advance Of any reform ever
cures to us a tribunal before which al complaints
ca be lad. which IS OF high judicial character, s
IN the midst oi our people easy OF access ana unap
proacnabe by improper infuences.
Tue association Iar back as 1866 prepared plan
by which the Uroton Aqueduct Board and the Street
into one Office, TO be called the Board ol Public
works, III order to elect The following reforms.
Ea'S, Avoid the conaics OF Jurisdiction which
hnd at that time existed as Ito tue puoc streets
ykp
melts.
second-Put stop to the various ingenious
schemes by which contractors Tor either OF those
departments aided each other IN one JOB and re-
ceyed paw from both sources for II.
THd-Cuftah the immense iorce OF men under
pay, wnicn could be reduced II one head directed
the work Of both boards.
E0uYth-Reaace the expense OF keeping up two
distinct sets OF ocers To direct the wok which one
man could elect.
The ASSOCIATION perceiyes that the proposed new
Charter carries uy thalupart OF the plan which
the Association urged SO long ago. BY section
seyenty,sesen W these TWO present departments are
saary of S37,5 500 are replaced Dy one commissioner
~ salary Of 7,5Jo and "Board of Public Works"
aulshed on the principle OF That IN success.
iu operation IN London, with the balance OF econo-
my In favor OF our own.
During the years 1855, 1866 1851, 1868 and 1859
bhe GilZeDs' association made repeated efforts TO
obtain es abllshnent OF separate BOARD 10 have
exclusive charge OF the Inauguration OF new
and perfected system OF wharyes and piers
NJ for the growing necessities Of our CON-
merce and commeasarase zen. with the Importance
have board OF live persons appointed to take en-
tire charge of the DOCKS and Slips with fun power in
relation thereto. Such board Is established by the
new Charter, and the authority Is given to the Com
mssioners oi the sinking fund by the Legislature
the new board
In addition to these beneficial provisions which
seem TO be conceived III q progressive spirit and
VITA the fa,ing idea OF municipal improvements the
association nnos in the new Charter the following
sautary enactinents-
Fsyst-ThaS 10 taxes can be LEVIED or imposed
upon our people ana no money shall be borrowed
or debts contracted IN the name OF our cty except
the Legislature OF the State gives special authority
therefor.
Seco.dTaat all the powers of the Common
Council shall be subordinate to and be exercised IN
conformity with such restrictions and limitations as
the Legislature snail prescribe.
Th,'d-Ihat the Board OF Aldermen, which con-
trols tie legislative power OF our CITY, Is made
elective upon general ticket instead OF as now
beng composed OF ward politicians. 1his change IS
one Of the most important the whole Charter
ii carried ont II Is virtually the redemption OF the
good name Of our city. Board OF Aldermen CON-
posed,of respectable merchants, such in former
times saved city iOr tue honor Of II without
pay IN that capacity, viii oe the greatest assurance
trayaganr proceedings as those inaugurated by the
present Common Council IN the matter OF paving
over $500, $50 OF assessments Will pe fastened on
our citizens and THIS In the past three months.
fonyfa;-Ilal any ordinance oi The Common
only be passed by thlee-fourths vote; and no
money for ce eeoratlon-, PROFESSIONS or entertain
menis except upon iournitns vote and no addi-
uona allowances beyond legal claim Of any
party shall be MADE except BY a unanimous vote.
These provlslonS are lar more stringent than any
which now exist
FJlh.-ihat all the ornamental parks OF our city
are placed IN the charge OF the same Board whic h
this association mas oiten recommended as the only
way to insure the usefulness and beauty OF oil tne
lower parks.
Sirth.--Ihat no expenditure shall be made or liza.
biity incurred by any department., whether ordered
tion has previously been made therefor. This pre-
vents the local officers running The city In debt, and
strictly eaied @ d oa, pn,s an e@d 20 the name OF
Seenth.-fhat the psy.sons q me present cSo--
Ter as 70 Improper proceedings BY local onicsfs m
proper Legislation bj lne Common Council. bribery
and the Protection OF city property are preserved.
Eioht6.-That the Mayor OF the city OF New York
has the power of appointing all the neads Of depart
mentS mentioned ~ The charter, being eleven de.
partmenls, with total or thrty.two heads to ap-
point, thus MAKING him responsible in the most
ulequivoca manner jor the good character, high
standing and competency OF the persons appointed
aud for The elective and honest government OF our
This plan, as also the plan OF Board Of Public
Works and separate board to have charge OF the
wharyes and piers, was. recommended to the late
Constitutional Convention in memorial by the fol-
lowing comnt.tee appointed by the Citizens' Asso-
clatiol, August %, 1867, to prepare basis gen.
eral plan for the local government OF the city OF
New York:-Jaraes Brown, CHARLES Tracy, Benjamin
w. Bonney, horatio Allen, samuel Wllets, James
oagh Paul paor Murray HOFFMAN hlsy Soas y
Powers, James Lenox, William NJ. Vermllye. Willard
Parker, Robert Colgate' George f: Noyes, j. r. D.
"
Robert l.. stuart, Benjamin ID. Sman,
George A. Wicks Alexander Hamilton Jr, Thomas
Ii. ralle John Taylor Johnston, Paul n. Spofford,
John q. Williams, William Wood, James M. Consta-
bic. Noses e. BALDWIN, samuel s. Constant Peter
Moner, Howard Potter, A. k. Wetmore Stewart
Brown. lie Grand Lockwood, Allan McLane, John A.
Weeks Unsres a. Marshall Moses E II. GrinneL, John
3 Sss = ensre, sss H.
tervet, Joseph W. Alsop, H. s. yerbell, John H.
SHERWOOD, Charles n. Talbot, William Bloodgood,
mon, David Stewart, william A. Booih William
Dotbout William Is. Dinsmore.
the commissions Is changed all the beneiicial nro.
visions of the acts creating them are Retained,
The association would staGe that there are SO
many provisions in the proposed new charter which
are decided improvements upon the existing local
government that the association respectfully asks
enactment Into law at your hands the greatest
benefit can obtain for this community. Very
respectfully, PETER COOPER,
FresideIt OF the Citizens Association Of New York.
Petition in Favor OF the Proposed Charter.