New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-09-05
Jos. BLUMENTHAL,
II. HAyEMETER,
ELpRID0n QERRY.
JOHN FOLLY,
GEO. W. VAN sLYCK.
SOLOMON MURLACH,
OF JUDGE EMOTT.

SPEECH OF JUDGE EMOTT.
Mr.. PRESIDENT AND FKILow-CrTIZKNB: Never
have stood In the presence Of o more imposing OF
more important municipal assemblage than meets
our eyes tonight Here are citizens Of New-York,
taxpayers Of New-York, as has been said by our
respected President Of all nationaties OF all creeds
of every party, who have been aroused by the dis
covery Of the conduct Of their public servants and
the condition of their public finances to determined
effort at reform. And these fellowcitzens who are
unable for want of room to assemble with us here
tonight, the laborers, the rich and the poor
Of this great city are waiting and watch
ing to see as your President has asked you, what
we are going to do about it; what we can DO, and
what we will do to see if free institutions are pos.
sible in great cities In great countries when great
cities are growing up. For this Is question, fellow
citizens which the existence OF Tree instl
tutions In the world, and no man who has at heart
the cause of liberty who has watched the progress
Of government can feel unconcerned when the cues
ton Is deliberately proposed to q community ike
this, whether great city like this in which we hive
has q public conscience, and how that conscience
Now we are confronted with the startling discovery
that the debt of this city and county has increased
until it has reached an amount at least exceeding
SlOOOOOOO0; that it has increased $6S 600 under
the present government of the present Mayor, and
within two and a-haf years past. But what IS most
amazing and what is most alarming Is that this IS
discovery; that this has been secret and an un-
known increase that there exists a power to
create debts, to issue bonds to mortgage your
and neither you nor can know to what extent that
is being exercised. believe, gentlemen, there ls
not an OF S bslv Of tbe ex IL
world where debt has ever been created, where
bonds have ever been issued, without notice or
was lying in the
power of men who can mortgage your property
secretly and without limit, and you know not from
your honest industry, nor when you may be called
to bear them.
DANGEROUS POWER.
Taxes gentlemen, are nothing. 1t is easy to de-
ceive the people with the story of two per cent
year. Even the enormous sums which seem to have
been taken out of the public treasury to fatten
certain favorite ones are comparatively insignificant
when you consider them alongside Of this great
power Of mortgaging the citizens property without
their knowledge and consent. Now, gentlemen,
this city lies like a great whale stranded on the
coast, and devoured piecemeal by sharks. Inc
few. but they are very voracious.
You know that for many years, originally for con,
been carried on in two branches-its city and its
county affairs. For the year 1870 that branch of its
affairs which s known as its county affairs was IN
condemned by everybody, and which is to be the
the d Board OF p Sat nsu
ton and certainly have not but it was set aside
aud it was followed by another which my friend Mr.
read. described as an interim Board that sue
ceeded to and inherited its powers, and that seems
to have fully Inherited its disposition; That Board
and Mr. ly-and it has been distinctly charged
by my persistent friend Foley, in that communica-
not denied s% han1 asH know S ySns
might say in few ooom minutes, those three
signed SSSSt of your money
III ess ought Ito P this %s COST
S SOt for building IT, but for n and decorating
1t. IF any Of you belong to our militia regiments,
you know you have armories and drill-rooms, and
That they have cost BE- And it is said to have
cost you 900 for printing, and S95 600 for
%hsn nnS s Rha high pd{ to b
WE'LL do MT know that they are in the cOuT-Honse
but saFss aYs by ySS
But the worst Of it is that is $Ss5OOO more than
stated would suffice to carpet the whole Of that
Court House. Where the carpets went to that we
paid for with this it is perhaps your duty to
assist us to furnish the means to answer.
Now. who got the money! That is another curl
part Of the inquiry There s.i s Mr. IL y:h he
sIes in gs7 onq making GO over Sc in two
years received by this fortunate pasterer that is If
be was fortunate enough to keep the whole of it,
which to BE oSyss to the
party that do; but shall not speak any the more
kindly of him on my account, for you must feel ana
public prints, this is partisan meeting We come
here to speak the truth OF men. whether they be
called Democrats or Republicans, OF nothing at all.
But the men who have plundered this city have not
done so because they are Democrats, but they are
Democrats because that affords them the means Of
getting office and plumber Mr.. keyser received IN
But the happiest man of all ID the man VINO deais
in furniture; and there is reason for that which
these tyrants of the common veal the King OF all
made his first appearance on the scene OF human
affairs as chair maker; and lngersoli o. 20 nave
armories, and drill-roOms i'll 1869 and 1870 over
WHO GOT THIS MONEY!
Was it all paid to or kept by the men in whose
names these bills were presented Do you believe
iti [Cries of "No, no! 1t is our money! 1t sug-
Qested, gentlemen, that honest men do not succeed
in getting their bills paid. THE speaker was here
interrupted by disturbance in the hall. and loud
cries of put him out" Quiet was, however, restored
in few moments, and the speaker resumed
When millions have been paid to ingersom q
Cornelis who carry on the business of iron
manufacture. have been unable 10 "ring rom sneSo
ipTs, the few thousands Justly due them. Nov. fell
, @lty~am I not tight in assuming iti Voices,
What the TSes made by p thsss
men tS these changes sbse do plead guilty. TIE
sSa4Ses are e'' made ' BY newspspsIs-wsI
DO suppose that thy my oi Gf s tss
anne To these men and put these questions and de-
that they m %Su ,o hvs
Sai Voices Vol mo, mol Public officers gentle
msn. are on trial and ought to stand on trial at the
bar Of public opinion every moment OF their official
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