The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-01-20

Above all, let parties cease to use the federal
revenues, Custom Houses and offices as ma
chimes for political purposes.
Tho New York City Government In the
State Lesislature-A Field Day with
the Greenites and tho Auti-Groonites.
Yesterday was field day In the State
Assembly over the bill to provide for the pay
ment of certain claims against the city and
county of New York, and the whole subject
of the conflict that has suddenly arisen be-
tween the Comptroller and other heads of de-
partments came up in the course of debate
The Committee on Cities had reported favor
ably a bill to authorize the Comptroller to
raise four and half million dollars on city
bonds, to pay the arrears Of wages, salaries,
supplies, DC, due in the year 1871. The bill,
as reported in the House, is very different
from that reported in the Senate. The former
confines its provisions strictly to the simple
authorization to the Comptroller to raise
money to pay certain of the debts of the city
and county, while the latter, in addition,
seeks to put all the offices and departments of
the government under the supreme control and
jurisdiction Of that officer for the next
three months. The House bill came
up for debate in the Committee of the
Whole, when Mr.. Twombly, of New York,
moved to substitute bill which creates
Board Of Apportionment and Audit, composed
of the Comptroller, the President of the Board
of Aldermen and the President Of the Depart
ment of Parks and the Commissioners
! of the Board of Public Works, con-
ferring upon such Board the power to audit
and adjust all claims against the city aud
county, and to apportion the moneys to be
used by the several city and county depart
ments and offices for the next three months
or until the LIST day of May next. 1t will no
doubt strike those who are unfamiliar with
and independent Of political intrigues as re-
markable thing that heated controversy
should spring up in reform Legislature over
such a simple proposition as this; but the
truth is that the whole question of the future
combinations and divisions of political par
ties in the city is drawn within the scope Of
the discussion.
Independent of these factional schemes and
intrigues the case is briefly as follows "A
large number of claims against the city for the
year 1871 remain unpaid. Some Of them are
unquestionably honest; that is to say, for labor
honestly performed, for services honestly rem
dered, and for materials and supplies honestly
furnished. The Comptroller Is the legal and
natural auditor of all accounts against the
city. Ifhe makes schedule of all claims that
he regards of unquestionable character, and
simply asks for deficiency bill to enable him
| to pay them and to reimburse the different
funds from which moneys have been improp-
erly drawn, his request should be granted
This we understand to be the whole scope of
the bill'reported by the Committee Of Cities and
now under debate in the Assembly. We have
opposed the extension of the Comptroller 8
powers in any degree in the direction Of the
Executive authority; but there can be no good
reason why he should not be authorized to
raise money to pay the honest debts of the
city. The claims he regards as doubtful can,
without prejudice to their character, be left to
be settled hereafter, when new charter shall
be enacted, in which the final adjustment of all
5uSu moVV0to No PhVVAuCu iOI. AS tuo
claimants have waited thus long it will be no
great injustice to require them to wait three or
four months longer. The Assembly should,
therefore, on Monday evening-to which time
the debate stands adjourned-pass the simple
deficiency bill to enable the Comptroller to
raise money and pay the honest debts of the
city and county, and leave all questions of ap-
portionment and the final audit of disputed
claims to be provided for in the new charter.
There may be sound sense in Colonel Haw-
kins proposition to appoint experts, out
side the public departments, to audit
and adjust all old claims; but this
is subject for future consideration.
AT present as little temporary legislation
should be done as possible. The city govern
ment will run well enough as it is for the next
three months; but if any Board of Apportion-
ment is to be raised, temporary or permanent,
the legislative department of the city govern
ment should be represented therein through
the President of the Board of Aldermen, and
the city departments through their several
| heads.
The MEXICAN BORDER RUFFIANs are max
ing things very lively on our Southern
| frontier. Meantime, as neither Congress nor