New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1871-05-04
Review of Tammany Legislation.
The Republican Members OF the Legisia-
ture 10 their Constttuents-A summary OF
Frauds and Enormities.

general course, and to some of the promnen
characteristics, of the legislation carried through
by the dominant party during the session just
closed. The organization of the assembly by
the election of Democratic speaker, and the
appointment OF partisan committees, was ac
complished through the counting out OF Iwom
bly, and the counting in of Carey-an undls
guised fraud amounting to political crime
By this act the Democratic managers selzed
the control of the entire law-makng power OF
the State. The opportunity, obtained by cum
ming and force, has been unsparingly used by
those who obtained ii to enlarge and consoll-
date their power to sweep away all existing
protection against them, and to perpetuate the
Democratic ascendency under their dictatlon In
the State.
To accomplish their objects they, by Demo
cratic votes, and against the efforts and votes
of the Republicans of the Senate and Assem-
bly,, have amended the registry law so as prac-
tically to abolish the registry OF voters IN the
city of New York, thus again throwing open
the ballot-boxes of that city to the unlimited
corruption aud fraud which evidence has
proved and Democratic representatives have
admitted to have formerly existed
Fearing the restraint of officers acting under
authority of laws of Congress, and the pub
LEFTY which would follow the presence OF IN
dependent inspectors, they have amended the
State election laws so that ballots cast for
members of Congress and Presidential electors
shall be placed in boxes separate from those
cast for State and local officers, and have pro.
vided that the former shall be estimated and
canvasssd - first in order.
They have, by amendment to the charter OF
the city of New York, taken from the people
the right Of eleeting commissioners of the com
mon schools, and have made the Commits
soners of the Department of Public instruction
and the trustees and inspectors of these schools
subject to appointment by the Mayor. They
have, without public consent, extended the
term of office of the Controller, Aldermen, and
Assistants, and Corporation Counsel. The
right to elect any Of the important municipal
officers, except the Mayor, Aldermen, and AS
sistants, has been taken from the people, and
the terms of these officers have been extended
to the year 1873 The Department of Public
Docks is relieved from its former responsibility
and is given unusual and dangerous powers.
The Boards of Health and Police are given a
partisan bias by constituting the Mayor mem
Der of each. New boards and bureaus are
created, additional officials are provided for
and underlined expenditures authorized.
They have enacted, by the new tax law, that
four officials, three Of whom hold their positions
by appointment. shall dictate TO the Supervisors
Of the city of New York the amount of taxes
they shalt levy, and to the people of that city
the amount they shall pay for the support OF
the government and the general and special
and underlined uses of the city and its officials.
These officials, or a majority of them, control
the appOrtionment of the funds, the provision
for the payment Of the salaries of the officers
and employees of the city, and the disbursement
of the great charity fund-in short, the interests
of the city and its people, its public and its
private property, have been legisated into the
control Of those officials.
Not content with the control Of the city of
New York, they have trampled upon the rights
Of other localities, and especially those Of the
city of Buffalo, where, by the enactment of an
amended charter and police law not asked for
by the people, they have initiated party
scheme of city government intended to benefit
the officials at the expense of the people.
The Democratic fraudulent supremacy in the
Assembly was temporarily suspended by the
passion and violence of two of its partisans, 10
consequence of which one Of them was forced
to resign, and the Republicans believed for q
time that the bills containing the measures
above mentioned would fail but after short
and severe contest between the parties, one who
had been trusted by Republican constituency
suddenly deserted, became traitor and Dem
ocrat and continued the Democratic party in
power.
,
passed a law providing for filing the vacancy
created by the resignation above referred to,
but refused to make it of general application.
Therefore, In case OF a special session, the va
cancy caused by Mr.. lrving's resignation will
be filled, while those caused by the decease OF
the late Senators Blood and Harpending must
remain untitled, and the constituencies of the
18th and 10th senatorial districts uurepre-
sentcd.
Dpr ornono,.o baoa,,o IL ouatol;ona &c a.
canals of the State in 1868, and finally acquired
full power, through all departments of the gov
eminent, with the beginning Of 1870. Under a
Republican administration, the constitut ional
sinking funds were kept full by the revenues OF
the canals, which, with the aid of very light
taxation, were in excess of the requirements for
maintenance and repair and the extraordinary
repair budget, until 1870, did not 60 beyond
S75O,0OO. In that year it at once leaped up to
81 900, and this year, under fear of pOpu-
lar indignation, and not from an honest desire
to economize, it is barely kept down to
100000, while the charge for ordinary re-
paration and maintenance, at the actual cost of
last and the estimated expense of the coming
year, ID at least 80 per cent. in advance Of the
most expensive year Of Republican rule.
The Comptroller's statement of general de-
hclts OF State revenue to pay our Indebtedness
placed the ameupt on January /, 1871, at
S5,OOO, O0O He estimates the State liabii-
ties for the coming year at 81 900 900, not in
Guiding therein the canal deficiency bill of
$500, 600, which swelis the sum to S2l 500,
900. For this the Legislature has provided a
general levy of 81 mills, and a special extra
ordinary canal-repair levy of one-third of one
mill, producing in all in round numbers $l2,-
OOO, 900. All other resources Of revenue, ex-
elusive of canal tolls, will not aggregate $780,
Nm Tins lpavinu daft Of le nDn ruh; oh
the Democrats have not the honesty to &C
knowledge nor the manliness to provide for by
taxation. And there is almost certainty that
the supply aud charity bills, and an inevitable
deficiency in the canal revenue, will swell the
amount TO the sum of at least $4,000, 900, to
be met at last only by increased and grinding
taxation.
The net receipts of the canals for the 10
years, ending September 80, 1869, average
over 5000, 900 per year, while the net receipts
Tor the year ending September so, 1870, are
below 1914, 900, and the actual receipts for
the working year of 1870 do not pay the ex-
penses.
Our opponents have repeatedly shown their
unwillingness to trust the people. They have
refused the city all voice in the raising and dis
bursement OF the funds to be provided by taxa
ton, thus enforcing taxation without represen-
tatlon. They have denied to localities the
right OF deciding for themselves the question of
local prohibition of the sale of intoxicating
drinks. They have refused to permit the peo-
pie to pass upon the proposed constitutional
amendment prohibiting the appropriation of
pu6llc moneys to the support of seetarian
schools, and have reserved the power to make
such appropriations, to an unlimited extent,
by the amended charter They have central
lzed In the hands of the men who control the
m mr. oil