The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-10-11

enterprising growth within the last ten or
twenty years can rebuild it again in as short q
time, or even in less time We hope she may
speedily overcome the terrible disaster that
has befallen her, and become 10 the end moro
populous, more prosperous aud more beautiful
than before.
True Rcforuors.
Many years before the present raid Upon
the municipal administration was commenced
the HERALD stood in the field, frequently alone
and unaided, as the determined enemy of
official extravaganza and corruption. We de-
nounced the Court House rascality from the
first moment 1t became evident that the ex-
penditure upon the building was to be worked
as placer for the enrichment Of an unprin-
cipled 'Rng" in the city government. At
that time the partisan journals of New York,
either interested or hoping to be interested in
the prolific job, neglected to espouse the cause
Of the taxpayers or openly defended the action
OF the plunderers We exposed other schemes
Of peculation concocted by city officials and
Boards of Supervisors and Aldermen before
their contamination and before the robbery Of
the city treasury was effected, and in many
Instances we succeeded in preventing some
sale of real estate to the corporation at ten
times its marketable value, or in heading Off
some other cunningly devised plot for the en-
richment Of individuals at the expense Of the
citizens 1t fact, tho HERALD has been from
first to last the advocate of wise economy
cipal affairs, aud has endeavored to induce
the people to lock the stable door before the
horse was stolen. To that end We urged,
years ago, concentrated, powerful and re-
sponsible government, making the Mayor in
reality, as he is in theory, the chief executive
officer Of the city, and holding him to strict
accountability to the electors for the efficiency
and integrity Of all his subordinates IF the
whole New York press had then united with
us in the labor of reform the city would not
be suffering in its credit and character as it
now is. But partisan journalists are unfortu-
nately precluded from an honest advocacy of
the interests of the people, and those who now
80 bitterly assail the municipal government for
political purposes, at that time defended 1t in
all Its actions from similar motives.
The present exposures are the result of the
failure to stop corruption in the city admins
tration years ago. They grow mainly out of
that scheme of plumber persistenlly denounced
by the HERALD, the Court House job. When
the war against the government officials COM
menced, we demanded thorough investigation
into all the charges against the several depart
ments, and the punishment of all unfaithful
public officers, no matter where they might be
found. At the same time We refused to join
in an indiscriminate assault upon every person
who CHANGED to hold prominent position
under the city government. Mayor Hall had
filed important and responsible trusts for years
with credit to himself and advantage to the
people, and we did not choose to denounce
him as corruptionist until some evidence OF
his unfaithtulness should be produced. Park
Commissioners Sweeny and Hilton had dis
charged all public duties conided to them with
zeal and fidelity, and we refused to regard
them as plunderers until their partisan assail-
ants should show something more than news
paper invective In support of the charge. The
Investigation into the management of the de-
partments justiies the position we have held
1t establishes the fact that the hotbed of
municipal corruption was the Office Of the City
Comptroller, and the probability is now strong
that the frauds committed upon the city origi-
mated in and were confined to that Office. 1t
was there that claims against the city
were purchased of the original claimants, and
it is asserted that there the amounts were
altered from thousands to hundreds of thou
sands Of dollars. 1t was there that entirely
fictitious accounts were put In against the
city, audited, allowed and paid upon forged
warrants and receipts 1t was from that Office
that an Auditor-the most responsible and i'm
portant officer in the department except the
Comptroller himself-purloined vouchers and
warrants and was still retained in position and
trusted by his chief. There are rumors that
the official signatures necessary to the success
Of these enormous and reckless frauds have
been forged 10 the warrants in the same nest
of rascality, as well as the names of the pre-
tended claimants. The HERALD demands the
immediate arraignment Of the head of this
corrupt department, Richard B. Connolly, in
order that he may prove his innocence il he
has really been the tool of his subordinates, or
suffer the penalty of his crimes, IL he has been
their leader or accomplice. The partisan
press and the politicians who have taken the
matter in hand and are endeavoring to control
the action Of the Committee Of Seventy screen
and defend Comptroller Connolly for their
own purposes, and continue to shower coarse
abuse upon other officials whose connection
with the disgraceful plumber 10 not only ques-
tionable but against whom no evidence to