The New York herald., 1872-12-27
The Committee OF Seventy and the 1Tu-
nicipal Government.

The city reformers are in bad way. The
Committee of Seventy, which has been ar
raigned by republican organ since election
as body of hungry ofice-seekers, insists
upon laying especial claim to Mayor Have
meyer, and, what is of more Importance to its
members, to the offices which Mayor Have
meyer may have to distribute. Recently q
delegation from the Seventy sought an inter-
view with the representatives Of the repub-
lican organization in this city with view to
proposing division of the municipal spoils.
The ostensible object was of course. to en-
deavor to agree upon charter for New York
city; the real object was precisely as we have
described it. The republicans were found to
be obdurate. They entertain the belief that
Mayor Havemeyer, who was the republican
nominee, was elected by republicans. and as
he received nearly the exact vote of the repub-
lican party in New York their claim ap-
pears to be well founded. They therefore
see no obligation to study the wishes of any
outsiders in regard to appointments, and, while
willing to listen to all the Committee of Sew
enty may have to propose in regard to a
charter, they positively decline to enter into
an arrangement for dividing the city offices
with the aspiring Seventy, or such of them as
ore still unprovided for. Wepublished in last
Sundays HERALD an account of this rumpus
and, while some of the cumulative reformers
have thought proper to question its correct
ness, our report is fully confirmed by their
own admissions.
1t is amusing to see half a dozen ordinary
citizens, without any prominence either in
point of position or intellect, setting them
selves up as the trainers Of charters for the
great city of New York and the dispensers of
its patronage The people would probably
like to know by what authority Messrs. Salo-
mon, Schultz, Eaton, Bliss and Gardner are
assigned to the duty Of framing laws for their
government and of deciding who shall and
who shall not be appointed to Office. The i'm
preston prevails that the Legislature is the law
making power, and the Legislature, the Gov
ernor or the Mayor the appointing power. It
is especially indecent for self-constituted re-
formers like the Committee Of Seventy, repre-
senting no one but themselves, and protesting
to desire nothing but municipal reform, to be
found scratching and scrambling after Office
and squabbling with every one who disputes
their claim to preferment. If the next State
Legislature were an honest and Independent
body it would rebuke these Intermediates as
beyond their province and enter the lobby in
their own interests, as they did in the last
legislative session. So far as the city govern.
ment is concerned the republicans have now
the responsibility for its efficiency, honesty
and capacity, and they have right to claim
full power over its affairs. With General Dix
in the Executive chair of the State and Mr..
Havemeyer in the Executive chair Of the city,
there is no danger of improper appoint
ments, however they may be made.
standing between the republican Legislature
and the republican executives. If the object
OF oil is good city government none need
object to the manner in which the appoint
ments may be made. AT present our city gov
ernment is in constant turmoil through the
JctlOuSlcS DctWeeu tuc uuduCldt
and all the other city departments except that
Of Public Parks. The consequence is disas-
trous to the interests Of the city, and the
restoration of harmony is the first essential to
reformed government AS the republicans
will now be held responsible for the future
administration of the affairs, both of the State
and of the city, it is for them to say how the
harmonious working of oil the departments
can be best secured and how the municipal
offices shall be filled. The Committee Of
Seventy have the same rights with other citi-
zens to express their views in regard to our
future government; but when they undertake
to enforce their special claims to Office or to
assume the role Of lobbyists they deserve
such rebuke as that recently administered to
them by the republican organization.
The BOARD OF ALDERMANIc SUPERVISORS had
warm dispute yesterday over the last bills of
tho coocon Tho Sheriffa pr,sapt and post