New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-03-02
OUP cry COVERNUENT.

When the present Charter of our City was
before the Senate last Winter, the Editor Of
TIE TRIBUNE went before the Committee
having charge of the bill, and argued most
earnestly against its passage. He, some
hours later, attended meeting Of the Repub-
lean Senator's, whom he urged to unite with
the two or three hostile Democrats in defeat
ing that bill Returning to this City, he was
somewhat astonshcd to find a journal like
Tie Erening Post asserting that he had really
favored the bill which he did his utmost to
defeat
Mr.. Joseph T. Narnum, who had been asso-
ciatcd with him by the Union League Club in
tie dcputation sent TO Albany, wrote to Tile
Post most emphatic contradiction of its
strange misstatement; and we supposed that
was conclusive. Others offered to write to the
samo effect but we could not suppose it ncccs-
sary. Yet The EreniRD Post now asserts that
The TPIBuNE defended ills instrument when
" il was before the Lcgislature,' and reterates
that assertion in various forms, as though some
point were to 10 made by it. What can this
meant
IL is true that we were far more intent on
such legislation "a would efieCtually stop IL
legal Voting than on any alteration OF the Char
ter; and we may have said that tho Republic
can minority might wisely do much to secure
such LEGISLATION. We may have said that some
features of the new Charter wcro less vicious
than uiose they superseded But that We ap-
proved this Charter, aud wished it adopted by
the Legislature, is very great mistake, which
we will thank The Post to correct.
The object of this Charter was 20 concen-
l Int. 81 han IL of I'm
NJ. Tweed. Peter b. Sweeny, Richard Il. Con-
molly, and A. Oakley Hall. That object was
fully accomplished. Since its adoption, there
has been nothing like an election in our City,
and there rW be nothing like It while this
Charter is upheld. The Democratic Primaries
and the Nominating Conventions thence result
ing simply register the edicts of Tweed Il Co.
And an election simply gives form to what
the oligarchs have long since decrecd. Hence,
we regard with cOmplacency the bill which
proposes TO transfer the taxing power over
our City explicitly to Tweed, Sweeny, Con-
molly, and Hall. OstenSbly this is an out
rageOus proposition; yet, since IT merely
declares and formuaes what was already the
fact we shall not regret its passage, though
we could not vote for it. But The Posts talk
of this Charter as returning the government
TO the people, is rather too much. Did the
people of the lower Congress district insist
that Mr.. Robert Is. Roosevelt should represent
them in Congress- Who does not know that
he was nominated and elected over Gen. Me-
Mahon by VIM. NJ. Tweed, either of whose
horses would have been chosen from that dis
trict if he had said the wordl
That the new Charter has some good points,
we have never denied. That it has many
very bad ones, VIC have abundantly shown.
Its essence is the transfer of all power to the
four already named; and it subjects them to
popular control much us the Directors CLASH
fication act subjects the Erie oligarchs to the
control Of their stockholders.
The Post We infer, has gone completely
over to "the Ring" So be it. Indeed, we
consider this preferable to its half-and-half
course for some years past. If Iammany has
a mind to run Hoffman for President, ii may
count on The Posts help whether by open
adhesion or by stabbing the Republicans in
the back, as it has missed no chance to do
for some years past