The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-01-02
hEE1ING OF THE OLD BOARD OF ALDERMEN

AEEEING OF THE OLD BOARD OF ALDERMEN
The Board Of Aldermen on Saturday adjourned
their meeting until nine O'Clock on Monday morn.
ing. At that early nour yesterday there were few
lOungers about the City Ha, and the Aldermen
were In private caucus with closed doors. The
Board OF Assistant Aldermen were also meeting
under like circumstances. On the admission Of the
representatives OF the press the Board Of Aldermen
organized, President Conan in the chair. num-
Der OF general orders were called up, and the fol-
lowing resolution was adopted
Resolved. That Frank MoMulen 4 Co. are hereby sp-
Ss q Eo os me
!hs RESOLUTION approved by the Mayor the 9sd Of Nay
sn:
s
s.;sp ~ order of the Board SSss ne nsA
IMPEACHMENT OF TIE MAYOR.
The Board then, on the motion OF Alderman
Plunkitt. adjourned until halpast ten O'Clock. On
Yeassembling at that hour the Board proceeded 10
the routine business Of calling up general orders,
After which the Clerk read the following report
from the special committee OF the Board OF Alder
men and Assistant Aldermen -
The Special Committee appointed by this Board to
examine the financial condition and accounts OF the
city ana county, IN conjunction with like commit
Tee appointed BY the Board Of Supervisors respect
That your committee. desiring to make thorough
ana exhaustive eXamin alton Of all the city and
hi OF whom were citizens OF well known character
and irreprOachable integrity, to act with them In
VIZ :WWniiam as 4. Booth Royal Phelps Paul i'O n
Hpofiord, Thomas W. Pearsall, Thomas jeremiah, b.
solomon, Robert l. Outing Robert LeNnn 3;, Ken
Osborne, Samuel Willetts, John j. Donaldson John
j.. Parson, John X. Porter and James Brown. That
she said committee OF citizens appointed, alter hay
vestisaaons during a period q hearty two months,
this committee In the report hereto annexed.
That the said committee report that gross frauds
city and county affairs. but 40 not duplicate any
particular pubic officials or recommend that any
specific aclon 30 taken y the cry and county gu;
documents therein referred to be transmitted TO His
Your committee, having carefully examined the
report Of the Committee OF Citizens ana the various
reports Of thersub-c0mmittees upon which the said
mat the report was fully JUSTIFIED and called
for by the facts developed upon the investigation
visabe to their report to this Board until they
mad carefully considered what action 1t would be
and The cSun ass
revelatlons Of fraud developed BY the investigation
i Your Communities had hoped that the various or.
carnations Ostensibly formed for the purpose OF
exposing corruption and bringing those ofnOlaIs
guilty OF fraud to punishment would have con.
suited and advised with your committee as to what
course ought to be pursued By the city and county
authorities IN order TO punish those who have been
money frauduisnsy Obtained rom the city city and md
ready, willing ana anxious at ali times to recon-
mend sucn action as should best subserve :he In
Ceived from any quarter any nimaiion that the
co-operanon or assistance OF the Common Council
fetal to the interests OF the city or the cause OF JUS.
tce or reform, although your committee have shown
aSe na
citizens IN our city. and had thereby caused the
government to be thoroughly exposed 10 ma manuel
that ef NO doubt whatever In the minds Of the citt
Of ns % 1nsr 1s ha
mittee are, however, Of Inc opinion that The Com
mon Council should not be entirely silent or inactive
recommend that such action be taken ~ the Law
permits and the circumstances OF the case require.
And In this connection 1t Is proper 10 state tina
the Common Council were In no manner responsible
either directly or indirectly for any OF the frauds
practsed. nor were tney invested by law with any
means OF knowing Of their exlstenoe, much less Of
preventing their being contaminated.
The present charter gives the Common Council ne
control whatever over the departments OF the cit.
government, and does not even require any report
70 be made by them to the Common Council, no
1oest authorize the Common Council TO call for al,
S q Of and qea
the various departments Of the city government
formerly possessed by the Common Council. was b.
the present charter vested In the Mayor, who alone
has the power to appoint the heads OF and contro
and supervise the various departments. The guar
terly reports OF the warrants from the City Trea
aury, wnlch were formerly transmitted to th
Common Council, are now urnlsned 10 the Mayor
and thus the Common Council nad no means 0
knowing In what manner the public money was ex
pended. 1900.
the evident intention Of the present charter wa
10 concentrate power In the hands Of tho Mayo
and to make him specially, II not almost alone, re-
sponsible for the good order and efficient govern
vdes that II shall be the duty OF the Mayor to com
municate with the Common Council 81 least once q
year; TO recommend measures connected with the
security OF The city protection ana Improvement
Of iM government and finances; TO be vlgilant II
causing the laws TO be executed, and generally Il
perform al suoh duties as may be prescribed for him
y the laws and ordinances. Section ~ provides
tnht the departments shall, when required by the
MeIol, report 70 him their operations and action
section a. provides that i3c Comptroller shan re.
1oN 70 Ihy AAyOy once " ninety days the name d