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

y nv ~ nv the re1ured constitutional majority
but by quite large nnnn The Vote being taken
when the adjournment OF the LEGISLATURE TOOK
sa ga "a rrdclem Imen most OF whom known be
nimioSl 70 this proposed Charter). and it
stated in portion OF the public press Of this city that
1%on tbe reassembIing Of the Legislature, this ChaT
composed by the Committee or seventy would be De
feated because combinations would be made in the
mean time which would render its defeat almost certain
We asked by members OF the LegisIatuie ana we
Tins meeting therefore, for the purpose of receiving at
your hands, if You so believe, the Endorsement of the
work which we have made and Laid before the Legisla
ture for their sanction lCheers
And now, Mr.. Chairman and fellow-citzens permit me
briefly TO refer to at least the nam features OF tins new
proposed organic law for this city, although well
satisfied that YOU must be familiar not only with the
main and leading features but also with the general
work because for months II has been under your eyes
when considering It in our Committee, we found as ]
believe, every thinking man must have found, and
which, in fact have never heard either questioned OF
the City of NewY ork 20 be found in the fact that
the acts and donss OF our irresponsible party caucus
had had supreme control over the action OF he majority
OF the citizens Of this city You know, felowczens,
and every man in the City OF New-York has felt H. that
the nomination by party caucus OF cah,u1ie MIere
Of the political parties is much in the majority as
r IN 5 S Which G nav in other Poca cds Of the STATE
and Of the nation have its proper Pace ana junction.
where IL IL applied solely TO the municipal Affairs Ol
city have seen 1t here and as II mas been found III
other places also, has worked most perncouSy because
Sr s SsouS not p SG I7cns %G refer to
State or national policy or politics. When
makes 1t! nomination Under the rule Of the majority
which We have lived under up to TINS time and yet live
oppose the action OF tins parry caucus no matter how
bad il might be- and required such an upheaval and
bold and energetic enough 10 oppose the action OF Tam
many Hall in tins city, and defeat the candidates Of Tam
comes before US Is there way by which the majority
of the citizens untramneed by these caucus actions,
these considerations 10 the concu-
sion that TINS principle Of PROPORTIONAL
CITY would probably uprOOt that great evil at least
prevent having evil fleet IL has had hereto
sentatio1 II you had body of 100 men who we're to
delegate their powers say FIVE and there were In this
option, would it be right and fair that the five men
should solely be chosen by the majority Of 60 and that
il not be just ana proper that the 60 men should
choose three and The 40 men two 80
ratios 1 do not think 1t necessary to do any more
than simply state that proposition to show the absolute
embodied in this Charter. You all know the reproach
which has been laid upon the city 4Ou all know mat
er ii was possible TO maintain republican form OF gov
ernment in the City Of New-York but believe fellow
citizcns if the Legislature VIII give us this new Charter
and enable to have the people OF the City OF ork
resly and truly represented III us governing DQGy IL
will show that il can govern itself and that republican
government may be maintained Ii inc Glty. OI course
we 90 not propose and 10 tue fspuhhG t n wiz
ern and the majority OF the people ~ NeV-IOTk under
this system will be represented IN inc common SouHt'
bur the minority also have rights. They have the rGAt
70 lie rtprcsctcd the right be heard, discuss to
cir t6ere and watch the majority Now, felowcitizens,
YOU are In favor Of adopting this principle OF proper
tonal representations you are s"Os'dAIl! III I"Foi VI
this new proposed Charter
The Court Of Appeals decided recently In where
p Judge had been elected and the Legislature had ~
tempted to extend his term Of Office that th act 81 tue
Legislature was unconstitutional, because the Constitu-
ton pTescribes that the judge should be elected and
remainder OF the term they took the people.
They say The legislature eann9t eonstqo1ay ahIlige
tie term Of Office Of our City Aldermcn hut by abrdgnS
their term they do not appoint. II this Charter pass,
there win be a new Board OF Aldermen TO elect; Mayor
in place of Mr. Oakley Han hlsscsI ana GncGFs IA place
Of the school Commissioners appointed ny the Mayor
Hissesl Much of the opposition therefore comes from
those VINO now IoId once aItnousA ticIG - some
from conscientious motives from persons who DO not
believe IN this proportional representation Ihey say
where else first But the City Of Eew-Iork has been
aut0Crptc down 70 the purcst democracy, and all have
failed Why, then, should we not try this BY IL the
err of the different departments and 1t is proposed to
have the Common Council subject 70 removal also II Is
proposed put five commissioners in the Department OF
Public Works that The minority may have NJ least one
man there. a check upon the majority.
lstuTe elected and pledged reform, not give too
much weight to their individual views, brt TO remember
merely in Interests Of tie people; and You should
ask them TO mite with as IN ths IN order That you may
enjoy the fruits OF the victory Ot last November lap
SPEECH OF HORACE GREELEY.
Mr. Greeley was introduced arid great applause, and
said The last consideration adduced in favor Of this Char
ter bv the gentleman who preceded is, to my mind,
the strongest of all He said truly that this Charter
formed III the interest OF party and no faction.
believe that TO he the TRUTH and feel sure that if the
people all believed as do there would be much less
obstacle TO be encountered now is that this Charter was
not made TO subserve party ends on TINS hahd ana on
Now gentlemen you know that that was the fatal ain
of the Charter we already have. That Charter made
But its fatal defect that it was devised by a
set of men in power to keep certain
E.afN al a
Certain in power wanted what they had secured to
them for FIVE esr anu an se sng 10 cm Your
Mayor cipher in comparison WIN your Ioihll1
sOner Of Public Works Now me neW C PER- Ho te
whole peope power 10 govern themselves IN the best
49, and for that reason am heartily in favor Of it,
fApplause This Charter proposes minority or proper
u t meet il with the assertion that
nothing else is constitutional tApplanse Hitherto
caucuses have elected, behalf OF majority II YOU
nlease real or fictitious the whole people never have
elected them. Majorities are to be represented 1y
maortes, and mnOrities by minorues, ana tle "nole
people represented in proportion 70 their numbers mat
K not only constitutional, in Judgment bu the OlY
constitutional method In the present way Tue mayor
lty is sweled and boated with the CONSCIOUSNESS o
p0wer therefore, bad men receive nominations trust
ing to an overwhelming popular vote TO carry tnem
through Two three hundred may DC scrdtcneu put
there will be enough carry them in. The majority have
always felt they could carry through body they chose
u nominate. Therefore say your od system oI GOV
ernment corrupted this majority; and IN the next place
this system debased and enfeebled ana einaseua'ea
nOrites. "OhW said the lazy and lhdoeht HoITt I'M rs
10 use voting, because can't elect anybody hat Is
the use OF vOtngi We shall We NOJed dOWH' AL INC
time have lived in this city, large proportion OF INC
people-thOse who had business and properly character
and nteigencedesered the polls on one frivolous pre-
text or anOther-mainly, we can't be Deateh' Ut We
can't beat" Laughter and applause ,,
Now, If there be nine men elected M an Alderihanlc
district the minority may elect two OF them II tAey
choose The minority can say I'VE can put three men
on Our ticket and then If above Onequter we can
elect them" Then, you will have party III the Cvl-
mon Conncl thai can make itself heard before the
people have known good, honest faithful worthy
men IN eCommOn Council one OF whom was worth all
the other n or 40 men In there yet he could mt get
his motions seconded by anybody Laughter and ap-
plause1 / AIN sure that whatever divisions OF SUP