The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-02-05
The CITY SPoILS.
Mayor Havemeyer on the Repub-
lican City Charter.
Severe Attack Upon the Re-
publican Party.
The Mayor Claims the Patronage for Himself
and the Offices for His Friends.



AT the meeting OF the Committee OF Seventy Lass
night the following important communication was
received from Mayor Havemeyer and referred to
the Committee on Legislation, who were instructed
to confer with the Mayor
Mr.. JAMES NJ. BROWN, Chairman, and Gentlemen or
the Committee OF Seventy
When, in assuming the Mayoralty, resigned the
position OF chairman of your committee, took the
liberty to suggest to your body the pr0prIety OF
preserving your organization. with view OF IN,
and securing reform legislation In behaH
of the city and county of New York and thwarting
the seizure by political partisans for their
The dangers which at that time apprehended
as among the probabilities of the future are now
imminent, and require at your hands, as the repre-
sentatives OF the reform element, immediate and
decisive action. am credibly informed that
which viii be reported lavoraby BY the Committee
on cities and villages OF the Assembly, will differ
materially rom the draft as presented by the re-
publican committee and will be in direct antago-
nism to the spirit OF the valuable amendments to
that draft by your body. In harmony with
earnest and honest relormers you have con.
cluded TO insist on the creation OF responsible
government in the city of New York, by clothing
the Mayor with the power OF appointing AID, I'M
der certain sautary restrictions, with the power
of removing ali heads OF departments of the city
government. The republican committees draft
weakened this responsibility by giving the Mayor
simply the nominating power, and leaving the ap-
pointment by means of confirmation with the
between Them vesting the appointment in the
Mayor and the President Of the Board OF Aldermen
Jointly. This scheme, as a whole has not the au-
thority of precedent; 1t is obvious That 1t
lessons EXECUTIVE RESPONSIBILITY,
and opens the door TO J0bbery, which the adoption
Of your amendment to that scheme would nave
closed. Yet even this limited responsibility might
have secured the adhesion and support of reform
element OF our city, mad not certain OF the heads
of the most important Of the executive depart
ments been exempted irsm desperation.
1t Is now, however, proposed to establish, for the
q
terly destructive to all direct official responsibility,
and which will postpone the era OF COED govern
OF appointing all heads OF departments is as am
informed, to be vested In the Board OF Aldermen
The Mayor Is to have one vote In this bOdy-that Is
to say, to represent one-siXteenth part OF the ap
pointing power-and the ultimate appointments to
lie with mere majority or plurality of the Board.
THIS NEW AND DANGEROUS SCHEME
is coupled with an amendment, seemingly In the
line Of your proposed sqggestions-to wit, the re-
moval OF all present heads OF departments-but ac-
tually in opposition to its spirit, as results will
prove. When you insisted upon the removal OF all
the present heads Of executive departments you
did so, am fully persuaded, In the firm conviction
that the Mayor, acting under the sense OF that
ecutve responsibility with which you purposed to
crave or desire-would reappoint the tried and
faithful public servants and replace those who at
tanned their offices and maintained themselves
therein by political cnicanery and subserviency, by
men who had the confidence and were in sympathy
with the great reform movement Of the past two
THE INEVITABLE CONSEQUENCE
Of the success OF the scheme as proposed VIII be
will be more rampant than ever before In the his
tory OF our city. Every head 81 department who
would refuse to make corrupt bargains for his ONCE
would be removed, and his place supplied by q
more subservent tool. secret caucus Of o ma
jority of the Board of Aldermen, who might not be
elected, with the view OF their possessing such ex-
Sraordinary powers, would determine the ap-
polntments. No one would be responsible for
bad government and Mismanagement, and the
Old ring, whose overthrow we all hailed as q har-
binger OF better day, would be replaced BY a
ring possibly as INSCRIPTIONS, certainly with less
responsibility, than the one which you have SO ear
nestly and successfully labOred to subvert.
THE LITTLE JOKER.
This contemplated action OF the Committee ON
Cities OF the Assembly gives meaning to the SIX
teenth amendment In the draft OF the Republican
Committees charter In the following remarkable
w0rds:-
The Comptroller may require any person presenting for
IN en- an or ea against the
claim and when So sworn to % orally as 70 any
. s SUCH sfp %
70 oI s"d oS % the
the tGonprcer to Dispute the amo1n o. Any salary
to estaSIisS tie same NOR 70 quss-
ton the performance OF his duties by such officer.
TYING THE HANDS OF THE COMPTROLLER. .
II the present efficient Comptroller Is to remain
In office his hands are to be tied to prevent him
from continuing nus useful and beneficial labsIs IN
the holding OF sinecure positions. II PARTISAN
successor Is to be appointed he is to be relieved Of
CANT and wasteful expenditures Of his partisan
friends who are the heads OF the other departments
Oh tbo sfS c saar NAV 1--WE to
or a messenger $4,000 per year. ana there Is no
one authorized to question the amount or such
salary, or the performance OF the duties under tho
appointment
Legislation such as this is in direct connict with
the solemn conviction and expressed win OF tho
citizens OF the city OF New York, as manifested bv
the recent elections.
THE PROPOSED CHANGE En- IN THE AppoINr1NG rowsR
the republican committees draft to abolish the
Board OF Assistant Aldermen. II the appointing
power Ia to be vested in the Board OF Aldermen-a
Board In which thirteen OF our city's wards are un-
representative Board OF Assistant Aldermen,
which represents distinct localities and is nearer
the people, might prove an impeachment in the way
Of gigantic scheme Of partisan j0bbery. Such ap-
pontments being corporate acts would require the
consent Of the Assistant Aldermen and the sigma
Hence their destruction and the suggestion OF
year, Of but one Board, in the interest Of good
government IL to be diverted to most sinister ends
FROM MERE POLITICAL MOTIVES.
General Grant and John A. Dix last November, ir-
respective Of party conjecture that their dsinter
IN e
positions Of men who, Instead Of attending to the
service rules would have excluded them,
would bend oil their energies to nullify
both the national and State administrations in
peril, If not In disaster and make our CITY
once more the football Of schemers and poitf-
cal adventurers, and the prey to az dangerous
q set OF corrupt politicians as those VINO are
under indictment for past raids upon the CITY
Treasury -, ..., -,
The means of drawing. public attention and
directing the indignation OF the people against TINS
new attempt upon their rights and upon their
property Is at your command. You have the power,
and, doubtless, the wili by means OF local repre-
this new and very formidable danger which now
threatens our body polite Respectfully,
w. F. HAVEMEYER.
NEW YORK, Feb. 8, 1873.
THE CONSH0H0CKEN EXPLOSION.
III. La -