The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1871-02-25

| stream,
And drink of its waters and wash and are
clean.
The Imperial Ring.
During the long Republican ascendency
i'll this State the Democratic party con-
stantly alleged that the city of New York
had been virtually deprived of selfgovern-
ment by the system of commissions APP
| pointed by the Governor and Legislature.
| The people were implored to save the very
principle of free popular institutions by
overthrowing the Republicans and bringing
the Democracy into power. At length the
| Republicans were defeated We are now
entering upon the second year of Demo
cratic supremacy in the State, and popular
government in the city of New York is
already practically subverted. An imper-
alism has been established here as absolute
as that Of Louis Napoleon, and it is for
mally sustained, as his was, by an occa-
sional ple5iscte called an election. De
Tocqueville, that acute political thinker,
contemplated with the utmost apprehension
democratic state Of society without hon
est democratic institutions. He thought it
the worst form of tyranny. This is the
spectacle which the city of New York now
presents, and it challenges the thoughtful
attention of every political student, as of
every American citizen who is looking
candidly to see with which party in this
| country the just development of the Amer
lean constitutional and popular principal
is most assured.
There are in the city of New York four
well-known persons-Mr Tweed, Mr.. Swee-
ny, Mr.. Connolly and Mr. Hail. and the
most conspicuous of them, Mr.. Tweed, has
been described often and at length in one
Of the organs of his party in the city, the
New York World, in terms wiz. if not
justified by knowledge, we're the most wan
tonly injurious that could be applied
to any man. And it is one Of the signs
of the power of which we speak that
the World is now rs utterly the spaniel of
the imperial Ring as Paul de Cassagnac's
paper was of Louis Napoleon. The four
persons whom we have mentioned are the
authors of the present city charter, which
was passed last spring by the Democratic
Legislature-many Republicans voting for
it because of a registry law which Mr..
Tweed permitted to pass for the purpose
of procuring an appearance of unanimous
support for his charter, and which he now
intends to repeal.
The charter vests the executive power in
the Mayor and heads of departments The
Mayor is elected for two years and the
system by which Tammany controls what
are called elections is notorious. The Con-
troller is elected every four years. The
heads and commissioners of departments
are appointed by the Mayor to serve from
four to eight years. The charter was
passed. and took effect Immediately. The
Mayor was Mr.. hall, and he instantly
appointed Mr.. Tweed Commissioner of
Public Works, and Mr.. Sweeny the head
of the department of Parks. In Novem-
Der Mr.. Connolly was elected Controller
Thus these four persons, known as the
Ring, and who by familiar means nominate
and elect their agents to the Legislature
and fill all minor offices with their adhe-
rents, were placed by the charter which
they had prepared and which the party
under their control had passed, in the chief
executive positions in the city. Their Off
cial terms are four years. except that of
Mr. Hall, which is two. They will con-
tinue to hold the offices at their pleasure
So efficient is the political machinery of
| Tammany Hall, and so well adjusted is it
to Democratic voters, that no man whom
the imperial Ring does not nominate will
be elected Mayor, and it will nominate no
one of whose obedience it is not sure.
The next step is now to be taken in the
formal subversion Of the popular system.
The imperial Ring has introduced bill in
the Legislature which constitutes the Mayor
Mr.. Hall, the Controller (Mr. Conolly,)
the Commissioner of Public Works Mr..
Tweed, and the President of the Depart
ment of Parks Mr.. Sweeny) a Board of
| Apportonment. which, after providing for
the interest Of the city debt, and for the
city's proportion of the State tax, shall
appropriate at its pleasure all the money
that it raised by taxation in the city. To
make this extraordinary grant Of power
more acceptable, it is decreed that the
amount raised in 1871 and 1872 shall not
exceed sum equal to two per cent of the
valuation already fixed for this year by the
| Commissioners of Taxes and Assessments.
And it is further provided that no bonds
and stocks of the city or county, except
! those already authorized, shall be issued
hereafter except by this Board. But it is
| by their will alone that the rate of taxation
! is limited for two years to two per cent. of
the present valuation. 1t will rest with
them alone to determine what the rate
shall be after the two years are ended
or to amend their law next year by striking
ont the limitation for 1872, and leaving the
valuation wholly at their pleasure.
Meanwhile, to divert public attention
from this practical imperialism which the
Democratic party has thus established, it
initiates the policy of Louis Napoleon, who
initiated the Roman despots, in amusing
the people with games and public displays
while they destroyed liberty. Thus there
is 4 show of care about the public grounds,
and an anxiety to complete the system of
water supplies. There is an ostentation
of charity to the poor. But while every
man is glad that suffering is relieved, he
shrugs his shoulders when he is asked if
the money that relieved it was honestly