The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-05-29
The Committee Of Seventy Sum Up the LabOrs
Of the Past Legislative Session.
THE REFORM CHARTER.
Governor Hoffman and the General Assembly Ar
raigned-Alleged Predetermination to Defeat
and Veto the seventy's Charter-What
the Governor Said Before and After
the veto-The Tammany Pros
ecutions Not Carried Out.

The Following ts substantially the report OF the
Committee Of Seventy issued yesterday over the
signature Of ex-Mayor Havemeyer:-
To THE CITIZENS OF NEW YORK.
The Committee OF Seventy, having been honorcd
with the confidence OF their fellow citizens feel it
due to them to give statement OF their efforts in
behalf OF good government for the city OF New
York, and to set forth the reasons Of their partial
failure thus far to secure that end.
At the meeting held September 4, 1871, which Gre
ated the committee, II was charged with the duty,
among others, ITO impress upon the Legislature
and Governor OF the State such measures Of legs-
lati0n and action as might be necessary and proper
to enforce the existing laws and to supply their de-
fects, and to remove the cause Of the present
abuses, and finally to assist, sustain and direct
united effort by the citizens OF New York, without
reference to party to obtain good government and
honest officers to administer it."
The first step necessary to accomplish this end
was to make every effort to unite the reform ele-
ment against corruption at the election last Novem
performed Is known to every one, and resulted In
the election OF Legislature pledged to reform by
an overwhelming majority OF those elected to It,
and especially pledged to give to the city Of New
York new charter, sweeping out Of Office all Of
the old corrupt and suspected element still re-
manning In power; enable the people to elect men
deserving Of their confidence and trust, and SO
organize their city government that the evils from
which they suffered could not recur in the future
Immediately after the results OF the election were
known the committee began the preparation OF o
new organic law for this city, and such other acts
as were deemed necessary to effect such reOrgani-
cation upon sound basis.
These measures were assiduously and laboriously
prepared during the months OF November, Decem..
Der, and January, calling In during the whole OF
said time, for consultation and assistance, the
technical knowledge and experience OF leading
citizens OF New York who were thoroughly fami-
liar with the theory and practical needs Of our
city government In all its departments.
me ght o. pasI nee IN Ime ,
majority, almost every conceivable system has been
tried and has failed, radical changes were deemed
necessary to emancipate the people OF New York, to
some degree, from the miscellaneous and irresponsible
party control in municipal elections, to which most
OF the evils from which they have been and still
suffering are directly traceable.
PLEADING FOR THE CUMULATIVE VOTE
The one good reform which we, therefore, incor-
porated In our charter was the securing Of COM
plete representation for the people OF New York,
instead Of leaving to the caucus OF an over
wnemingly dominant I party the unchecked de-
many forms which theory, and to some extent eX-
perience, has made known to us to secure this re-
statement commanding the readiest comprehen-
sion on the part OF those not familiar with the
theories Of minority or totaty most
tent been adopted both in England and the United
States, and had, wherever tried, substantially Sc
cured the ends we sought to accomplish. We re-
frain here from entering more fully into the argu-
ments on this subject as the question has been
amply discussed heretofore in the public press pc
fore the Legislature and elsewhere and its justice
sufficiently demonstrated.
1t is not within the powers of the human mind to
prepare any law or series OF laws which shall be
incapable OF Improvement, or which cannot be per-
lectcd IN language and IN spirit by the honest en-,
ueuVOTS Oh OJleT JnOHe WHICH
them FORTH We, therefore, hoped that the Legis-
lature OF the State would take the measures which
we had prepared, and having constantly in view
the objects to be obtained and the securing OF an
honest administration Of affairs, make them as
efiicactous as circumstances and their lights would
admit Of In this spirit our labors were submitted
to the Legislature In the month Of January, and
every provision of the proposed law fully and re-
pse sa explained IN the arguments had before
them and from the opening OF the session until the
fate OF the charter was sealed, by adverse action,
we were constanty0represented ut Albany by a
nh-0n n n nnr hnd u
ACTION OF THE LEGTsLATURE.
The Committee on the Affairs Of Cities OF the As
chairman, promptly reported the bill favorably,
without amendments to their body, which, after
some delay and a very full discussion, passed the
same substantially as 1t came from our hands. in
the Senate however, Notwithstanding that the
charter was there introduced and referred on the
at TIT the hands Of the ee on
House, and then four weeks We're were consumed
been nea aos Upon s merits the Assembly si1 1t as
unwarranted delay, In spite OF our per-
sistent and urgent circumstances to the mem m
chairman, Mr.. Palmer, finally proved, as we antici-
pated might fatal to every measure OF reform in
by the Senate consisted chiefly in the retention Of
certain officials and change In the organization of
the Department Of Public Safety, and were on the
whole OF such nature that we could not, for the
reasons which at the time were made public,
acquiesce In. The Assembly refused to concur in
the Senate receded from the changes they had
made and the charter finally passed without ma
teria modification toward the close Of the session
by both houses by more than twothirds vote.
The very great delay In point OF time In passing
the charter-time not employed In perfecting the
instrument but In mere scheming for Offices and
giving ear to Offce-holders and their advocates
occasioned difficulty not originally by us contem-
plated, OF proximity of the day OF election and the
passage OF the charter, and also caused hasty and
ilconsidered amendments by the Conference Com
mittees, such as iegisating out OF office school
points In his veto message.
TIE GOVERNORS OBJECTIONS.
The Governor held the charter fully ten days, dur.
ing which, at his invitation, arguments were had
before him, and then refused give to the measure
his sanction In an elaborate veto message Judged
tie Legislature in his annual MESSAGE for is72 and
taking into consideration the urgent needs OF the
city, this action OF the Governor painful blow
to the friends OF reform. In that Message the Gov
ern0r made ten specific enumerated points, which
ne recommended should be prominently kept in
There were but two points Of difference between
the previous recommendations and our charter
and these were, first, the organization OF the
Police Department., which, he suggested, should be
made under the charge OF a board of three commits
sioners-one to be appointed by the Mayor, one by
the Chief Judge OF the Court of Common Pleas, and
one by the Chief Judge OF the Superior Court all to
be removable by the Governor, while we combined
the cognate departments Of Police, Fire and Health
Mayor was to be the head and six commits
sioners TO- be appointed by a system
Ol minority representation LOT tnree ana
six years by the Board OF Aldermen and
removable by the latter upon trial. 1t is proper
here to state that when the Senate, among its
other amendments to the charter, changed the or
ganization OF the Department OF Public Safety by
providing for the appointment OF Its commissioners
by Judges the Governor, to members OF our SUBJ
committee, expressed his doubts as TO the const-
nationality OF such provision, and stated that he
then had serious doubts as to the propriety of his
own recommendations on that subject The other
and really only point OF difference between
the Governor and the Committee OF Seventy, as ex-
pressed by the former in his annual Message and by
the latter IN their proposed charter referred to the
appointment OF heads OF departments.
The Governor proposed giving to the Mayor exclu-
sivcly the power of appointing all heads OF depart
mcnts and their removal, except the Police, while
we provided that the Mayor have power Of removal
for cause; have the appointment of the presiding
officer OF each executive board, and that the other
chief officers OF each department be appointed by
the Board OF Aldermen by O system which would
insure minority OF one-fourth OF that body the
selection OF one member.
The reason why, In framing the charter VIC
believe the Governors plan objectionable and
dangerous, was that 1t placed the entire and
vast patr0ngage OF the city in the hands OF n