New-York tribune., 1871-07-31

,yescaton into the real facts OF the case VIII show
that TO Republican legislation tho people
city and county indebted for vast amount Of tho pccu
etion mat IL charged In regard not only 10 the Court
House building, hut 70 tho rental and fitting up Of
armores, tbo furnishing OF public Offices, and in
other respects The Legislature at Albany has done oil
the legislation for tho city, until within year. for long
time past Its efforts have been seconded by non
partisan Board OF upcrvsors-consstng OF six Demo
Gratis six Republicans-until the City Charter,
by which the old Board was abolished went into effect
last year To hold kiayor Hall OF Tammany Hail respon
sijio for acts committed dcprcdaon5 connivcd at
before they into power under the reform charter IL
unfair and unjust"
Hear The W0rld sing tenor TO The Herolds
impudent bass:
Tho Republican Legislature exempted the Board Of
Supervisors from all checks of any kind by other officers
OF departments Of the government TIc Mayor in
deed, clothed with nominal veto; bat II was hollow
sham 60 appearances, which could not possibly
amount TO anything practice What was the nature OF
ths sham veto Why. IL the Mayor did not approve any
act ordinance resolution OF the Board Of Supervisors,
no required TO return IL with his objections. Well,
what theni Only this: that smpo majority which
first passed. tho Objectionable act, ordinance, resou
ton, could pass IL again tho Mayors vetol The
consequence was, that mere majority OF tho Board
could never 10 foied anything they undertook TO do
power OF the Controller bills created and au
ded by the Board of Supervisors, precisely like
undcr the authority of tho State Legislature II the
Legislature should authorize the payment Of $4,000 for
experimental steamtug for tho Eric Canal which II
DID not cost $1,000 to construct the State Controller
could not refuse to sign the warrant The Controller
ia required to exercise constant vigilance; but 1t
is vigilance 10 500 that money is paid out
OF the Treasury which the Legislature has not
authorized Over the action OF the Legislature itself he
has not the ghtest discretion. Tho only check upon
Legislature is the veto of the GoycrnOra really Of
fectye Veto it requires twohrds Of both Houses to
pass bill over IT, On the Board Of Supervisors, there
was real check ALL the Mayors veto was hollow
worthless form What the Mayor powercss to block
by his idle yoto the Controller equally powerless to
block az guardian of The Treasury II his business
TO that money paid which the Board had not
actually author6ed but he had power to 20 behind s
acts and aDnu S resolutions any more than tho Fed
era Secretary Of the Treasury has to annu the corrupt
and eXtravagaDt appropriations Of Congress For years
before the Board OF Supervisors abolished there
loud dcnunciaons OF its rascality; but 1t never
occurred 10 any human creature TO hold the Con
trOer answeIalc Tor aging the bills which the super
vsors had incurred. Tho only remedy was tho one dnay
adopted 20 abolish the Bodrdthot mOngrcl progeny OF
u Republican Legislature"
Now mark how plain statement shall
scatter these apologies TO the winds:
I. The old Board Of Supervisors ceased TO
be half Republican on the 1st of January,
the people having elected Smith Ely, ir
(anti- Tammany Democrat, over Isaac j. Oil
yer (Rcpublican) expressly to put an end to
the see-saw arrangement. II was ever alter
ward unquestionably Democratic
9 Its ruler and master-sprit was William
NJ. Tweed, for years chief manager Of the
Democracy Of our City and State.
3. The man who drew most of tie money in
question from tho Treasury was James ii.
mgersoll, formerly Twced's partner in chair
making, still his tI1Jsty henchman, always an
active Democrat, and last Fall appointed a
Commissioner of the New COurt-HOuse by
Mayor Hall.
L. Neither Mayor nor Controller ever OBJ
iected to one of the bills in question, though
either might have stopped them by refusing to
approve them and sending the holder to the
Courts for his remedy. An uncontested de-
csiOn of Judge MUllin establishes the right
thus to stop the payment of fraudulent bill.
If we can ever get sight of the Con-
trOllcr's exhibit, we shall see whether the bills
paid since that old Boards decease have been a
shade less exorbitant" than those fathered
upon that Board. SO far as we are enabled to
see, they have not been.
But what nonsense is all this talk about
the old Board or any Board of Supervisors
Did any Board compel the Controller to dis
obey the law which commands him to publish
detailed exhibit of his receipts and pay
ments at least annually9 Suppose he had
simply obeycd this law early in 1S7O who does
not know that the people would have soon
found OF made way of stopping the pay
ment of such bills as those Of Garvcy, Inger-
soil g. Co. 7
Mr. Connolly! please hurry up the publca-
ton of those accounts! Every days delay rem
ders the public more suspicious and uncharita-
bic. Give us your exhibit-keep back nothing
and then, if that old Board can help you in
your dilemma, the public will so judge. In
that case, Mr.. w. NJ. Tweed, who was Chair
man of its Committee on the New Courthouse,
whereby most of these mOnstrous bills were
audited and approved, may be required to
show why he should not repay the City the
Millions so filched from her Treasury. Give
us light!