The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-02-01
The American Charters.

OF amendments to the Montgomerie grant. So thae
the latter stood for more than fty years after the
Declaration or Independence unaltered except ax
as was required by the change OF State governments
and by local convenience.
BY the State constitution OF lit the power a
annually appointing the Mayor Sheriff ana Coroner
was vested In the Governors of the State and tho
Council OF appointment until otherwise directed ~
the Legislature; put no further change was made
till the amended constitution OF 1921. when the
Mayor was directed to be annually appointed bv the
Common Council, and the Sheriff and Coroner, -
we'll as the Clerk OF the City, to be chosen trienni.
ally by the electors. The Mayor continued to be ap-
pointed by the Common Council until the act al
March 1884, directed that he De annually electe1
by the citizens qualified vote for charter ocerA
No change was made in the election OF alderme NJ
assistants, assessors, collectors and constabes I'M
til by an act OF March q. $780, when the time for
the election OF charter officers was the petition
OF the Corporation. changed from ST. Michaeps Day
september 29) to the third Tuesday in November
which remained from the day OF election until 1915
wnen the time OF the charter was changed to April.
and then In 1928 back again to November. The act
of 1900 confined the qualifications OF electors TO
CURED the freehold eector to nave been sucn for
month, and the freeman TO have been admitted an
essential inroads were made upon the charter By
an act Of April 8. 1904 which decreed tnat inc
Has by the Of On s S
charter day might be appointed at any
ms the session ns Ieg Ss
qualification or electors so as to comprise every
male citizen OF twenty-one years Of age and up.
wards who should have resided III this city lOr SIX
months previous 10 the election, rented tenement
OF the yearly value Of s25. and had paid taxes.
city government, q majority OF the Council OF Re-
vision, ana OF the elder Governor Clinton. who con-
ground OF strong public policy or necessity. and
That II had been considered settled and salutary
principle in the government that charters OF cor
poration, containing grants and privileges. were
not to be essentially affected without the consent Of
In 1924 an attempt was made 10 separate the two
Boards OF the Common Council, and vote was
tnat Year. W. when Saos were given in favor q
the project and l76s against 1t, and it was conse-
FIRST CHARTER coNvENTIoN-1ss9.
The city was governed under the charters and
auxiliary acts above referred TO until 1850. when tho
amended charter OF that year was adopted. ON the
23d OF June In the previous year the Common Council
passed resolution recommending me citizens 20
ton, which should take into consideration the
amending and revising OF the charter then IN force.
This Convention having finished Its deliberations
and proposed amendments, adopted resolution
september 1929, directing The transmission OF such
amendments 10 the Common Council, with the re-
quest for the passage OF an ordinance, submitting
the same to the electors for their apprOva; and It
was also resolved, that IN Of the amendments
being approved the same should be forwarded 10
the Legislature with request In the name OF tho
people OF the city, that they be passed into law.
These suggestions were carried Into effect and, at
the state election IN November following the
amendments were submitted to the people with the
following result
VOTE ON AMENDMENTS TO CHARTER, NOVEMBER, 1929.
For The OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. IL $3.50
Against. 6,602
Majority In favor o.29z
application was made 10 the Legis ature 10 have the
amendments ratified oy law and made part OF the
charter. THIS was done Ly the act OF April T. 1880.
CHARTER OF 1880.
the changes effected by this charter related essen:
the regulation OF its legislative aclon. Instead Of
the Mayor Recorder Aldermen and Assistants
tSaI o as eeC cne o eaU wSr ."
the city there being then ourteen should form the
Boaro OF Aldermen, and one assistant elected from
each ward snOuldfo the Board OF Assistants, the
two Boards TO SIT and act separately, with concur
rent and equal powers, and together were TO con-
stitute the Common Council OF the city, OF which the
Mayor and Recorder should cease 10 be members:
every law, ordinance or resolution to pass both
Boards ana to be approved By the mayor; but
within ten days he return the with objections,
then TO be recOnsldercd and TO require majority
OF ali the members elected to each Board before IL
can become a law OF the Corporation. Ii, however.
the Mayor should not return the same within ten days
1t should become wand without ms sanction me
cay defined and enlarged by requiring him To COM
municate to the Common Council: at least once
clty government, finances and improvements, ana
recommend such measures as he shall deem expe-
OF the duties Of his executive trust. The cnar,er
further provided that the executive business Of the
trlct departments, to be organized and appointed
for that purpose BY the Common Council; and
hibitcd moneys being drawn from the treasury
except upon previous specific appropriations.
and further prohibited the Common Council
from borrowing moneys on the credit OF the Corp0-
ration. except anticipation OF the revenue Of the
ialure, and directed tnat they must publish annu-
ally, TWO months preceding the Charter election, .
Of the for the Year preceGnT ana
should provide or the accountability Of all officers
and others entrusted with city funds BY requisite
ton was by these amendments again appointed to
be held In the spring, ON the second Tuesday IN
April, and the newly elected officers TO upon
their duties on the second Tuesday IN May.
SECOND CHARTER CoNyENTIUS-ls46
In 1886 an attempt w9s made to amend the CHAR
ter IN very extensive manner, SO as the better 70
adapt the municipal government to the Increased
passed May .. which provided for the calling Of
convention for the purpose OF forming new OF
Sns INA, and Inc as pro-
posed should Sc submitted aecson the
new and peculiar feature Of empowering the Con.
venlon ether 10 MAKE entirely new charter or TO
suggest amendments only, which, II adopted by
majority Of votes cast on the question, was to be
submitted to the Legislature at It's next session for
approval, ANIL II approved, should become law.
In accordance herewith delegates were elected
one or Two rom each ward, according to popua-
July g. and terminated their aDors on october 20,
wnen they reported and submitted amendments TO
the cDarter winch were Slgucu ny Tue lOlOWinR
MEMBERS OF THE CHARTER CONVENTION, 1885,
Abraham V. Williams, President; Samuel A.
Grape, Richard French David Graham, Jr., George
H. Purser, John w. Avery, Lyman Candee Snivers
Parker, James McGay, Robert II. Maclay, Charles
Il. Dougnerty, James b. Greenman, DAVID A.
Fowler Richard I. Compton, Jonn r. Flanaghan,
David e. Frederick, Elijan r. Purdy, b. j. Mcser0le,
Joel Kelly, }. H. COOK, DANIEL ID. Briggs, stephen
Hasbrouck, Edward s. lnnes, Henry Il. Davies,
Erastus Benedict Edmund J. Porter, Theodore
Marines, Frederick r. Lee, Robert D. Boyd, Thomas
McSpedon, Henry A. Beach. George W. Varian ID.
| T. Valentine John A. Stewart, secretaries Some
| OF these gentlemen, II Will be noticed, still take
| lively interest IN our municipal affairs.
AS the reason Tor deciding upon amendments III
stead OF Oh entirely new charter tue Convention. In