New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-02-21

sboud not pass But His Honor the Mayor has been in
diced and will have to before jury OF his
trymen and therefore will not trouble him any more
tonight. Then, I understand tne f0nGe COMMITS
sioners are opposed TO the Charter. Well, consider
ing that that Is the last stronghold OF Tammany
think can't expect any support rom those gentle
Aldermen and Assistant Aldermen opposed TO it
Now considering assisted 10 erect some OF these Al
dernen il seems 90 ungratefu that they should OPP
nose onr Charter II seems to the most ungratefu
thing in the world that this BODY OF gentlemen should
refuse 10 perform the only function for which they were
ever elected-namely to expire [LaughterI Then the
Aldermen and Assistant Aldermen stand In the way Why
they %eTe 1t o g and at one time we BOWED theme
down in the alley and we made 1Ostrlke. Well then,
gentlemen Of the Legislature and the people
Who demand this Charter. on the other side,
politicians oppose 1t. Now that is about the
Whole question when you getbeyono the material amend
ments We don't object to their making material amend
mens to their swallowing our camel and straining at
the gnats If they please. That Is the whole
When thew come together next week-the only
question between them and the downtrodden people OF
this city. And we shall who will prevail, and
whether they will rise up redeemed submit 10 DO
bound hands and feetto the ohcehoders and politicians
tApplausel
SPEECH OF wM. E. DODGE.
FELLOW CIrIzENs Absence from the country for the
past eight months has prevented from participating
with you in the you have been wagng against those
who had Joined hand in hand to rob our city. But,
though absent have deeply sympathzed and watched
with all that has been DONE for assure you
and thousands of others all Europe have been look
ing to the result Of this struggle with the corruption Of
our city with intense interest They that 1t involved
the very existence Of our system Of popular government
They felt confident when they heard OF your great
gathering I'm this hail. and they reoced in the victory
which thew felt Won had gained in the November election
often was asked, Can it be possible that what we
read is true men under your FORM OF government
combine to rob your city of such vast sums and the c
zens aware of it, and have no power to prevent IT, or to
punish the men who used their position in offices TO
punder the public treasury and with the stolen money
to perpetuate themselves In powerf can assure YOU
felOw-cuzens that It was very mortylng 10 DE asked
such questions and not until after your November
election that we could make satisfactory reply We
felt then that the citizens OF the entire state had aro9
and were determined deliver from the power OF the
Ring and forgetting, for the time party differences TO
the enacng of such laws as would secure us Tor
The appointment Of the Committee OF Seventy Of our
prominent citizens to examine into the extent Oh he
frauds suggest for the arrest ana punish
of the who had brought our city to the verge
OF financial ruin ana also 10 report soe pan Ti oT
Quoting municipal government, was hailed win
satisfacton and these long and responsive duties nave
ton OF the people All felt that the Charter which was
by those who under It, were able TO carry
out such wholesale robbery was NOT sale one 10 MOh
out the necessary reform. The Committee OF seventy
as far as possible the defects OF the present and
give security for the future This Work they seu 10
subcommittee Of fifteen equally composed oI he WV
political parties representing the professional ana prhc
teal ability Of the whole Committee an InIOIucu
that they spent six weeks in preparing tne present
Charter holding 80 prolonged sessions Ihey called
to their aid experts ana prdcuOdl men eApeIICLCc IL
elect TO the Legislature from the city ana leadng men
Of the different political parties participated III the de
ported to the whole Committee, then discussed APP
proved modified, and IL was at last after iu discus
vote which has since been withdrawn. III this manner
it was approved and sent TO the Legislature Inc great
object was to secure the citizens OF newborn hys-
TEN under which they could ~ least nope 10 gheous
govern themselves This. ellovczens, IS the Charter
inns carefully prepared aud which you with confidence
presented to Legislature, and had every reason to
anticipate, view OF the recent state "oua ne
4 ,r,fl I'm
disappointed, unexpected 0pposiJlOh AdS D-h Ili
tested and we that, after all, those now holdlS
office under the present Charter have more influence III
Albany than honest citizens who desire CITY reform.
CTowds WHO have long been prominent in sustaining the
Ring and holding various positions uuGeT II, now claim
10 he Strong advocates for good Chte' put tHs oc
will never work They tel our members nom the ME
rinr mat il is the work OF few, but that the citizens
generally are opposed To it, others tHai II j. an
Fentnn nHvement:" and Others that it is got up by
tbe Conliug men :" them again, il is all Republican;
and still told that II j. got up IN Je ihiIta
Want Is his Cnarer It may DO in all respects per-
feet but rs said. IL has been most care1uly prepared
The fact is. after all the exposures OF iraId
after such evidence would have in almost any country
world consigned the parties 70 couSt r
permitted them to go FORWARD, snu DSS O o
nonev ana used II in the hands Of their families ahu
friends TO provide their bail and II Iac walk aDoLt
saving at least by their actions Wen, WHAT arr YOU
f 70 do about il % and putting up their old associates
and supporters to oppose the tharter because 10y
Rac nTay become bold and defiant and all who ear
tie new Charter will not provide place Tor thehli arc
Nov feIow-citizons there IS but way 70 meet al
this and il we fail here al is lost, The honest tzens
who not for spolls but for the rie WeIe o! va
civ must disregard for the time all National or Ste
notifies and look simply to the welfare OF Qhl Ci n
doing this will do more for the state ana the Ntllon
than we can do by devotion TO any party or men
and when this Is understood IN Albany we snd NOT nav
and save our CITY, FelOwCitizens, there never was
time when il important that New OH, me
Thousands OF miles Of rail ways are constructing IN
every direction looking 10 our CITY New llrs Ol aeIh
ton Of the vast business which Will naturally
seek Our mort but IL we cannot have economical CITY
Government cannot make these improvements 4Hl
docks disgrace 10 such commtTclal cshteT we
ness cheaply or In spite OF al our natural
trade Will seek other places rev cents On g fd o
market. Already many Of our large merchants are
sending their produce and importing teir 6oCS ny
baltimore and other cities, because OF lle saving III
handling and the convenience In shipping SPEAK WhhI
know on this point. Then we mus nave stl'S ii
6ecliue None need honest admins tatoh Oh our
municipal affairs more than the honest aDonS cssses'
An expensive dishonest government increases taxes,
raises 5ents I ANIMATION If they understand IT, will
I've their influence in favor OF reform Let all fellow
Citizens look 10 the true interests Of our great cltN Lev
that always be first aud party politics never be o"sd
head of our CITY Government. When We 40 nus, We
6 never ask anything necessary to this end that we
cannot get et Albany
Mr. Dodge then introduced the following resolutions
which were unanimously and enthusiastically adopeu'
TIE RESOLUTIONS.
rJercos AZ mass meeting OF citizens held In this
bo on inc an day OF September 1871, an Executive
Committee of seventy citizens was appointed ana en-
ned fnrtber 10 ferret the then recently discovered
Snorn,ous frauds committed by certain city Oicla ana
others upon the people Of this city TO prosecute anu 1
nnev and nroperty OF which the city had been robbed
md take such steps as might be proper TO give 10 the
city good government IN the 1utuIei anu - svsntv
Tbereds Up 10 this time the Commute OF seVeutS
has foifbfliy diligently earnestly and effectively ana
with the entire appreciation and support Oh an eVou ~
1istin
charge OF those duties and through its lnstum hty
and by its guidance the people o. TINS cry nav oS