New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-11-08

about tOrty MILLIONS III HOicS anu N"'H ~ '"N
till of the Banking department.
TIE SCANDAL IN TIE POLICE BOAHD'
Tho proceedings at Tammany Hall on
Thursday night form q striking commentary
on the outrageous system OF conuucunS
municipal alf hrs in Ncw-York, and an ample
Justification Of tho censure passed by IhE
TRIBUNE upon Mayor Havemeyer's action nj
the time OF the appointment OF the present
Board If there is any department OF the city
administration which ought to be strictly
non-p rlisan ii is tho police. The cusSodians
OF order and ministers OF tho law, like the
Judges Of our courts, ought IL common
decency to hold themselves aloof from
political uuarrels and observe as strict an I'M
partialty between contending factions as the
law itself. Mayor Hayemeyer, however, chose
TO disregard this Obyious requirement OIL
propie;y, and to apporSion tho police
between the parties on the prin-
ciplo of giving to each share
of the spoils and ncutralizing the chicanery
of one side by the intrigues of the other. One
professional politician was retained in the
Board by tao Legislature, and the most con-
socuous of the Mayors appointees were the
Chairman Of tho Republican Committee in
this city, and u leading member of the Cen
eral Committee of Tammany Hail. The result
is only what might have been expected. The
police force has been used as an instrument
of dsreputable politicians TO manipulate cleo
tons 0ne Commissioner has been employed
in levying political assessments upon employees
of the Post-Oflice. in defiance OF the Civil
Service rules, and another has been ignomin-
iously expelled from the Tammany General
Committee on n charge of trcacbery and fraud
Respecting tho truth of the charges pre-
fcrred against MIR. Oliver Charlick we do not
profess tO have any special information. We
do know, however, that appearances are not In
his favor. The polls Closv1 on Tuesday at d
O'Clock in the afternoon, and it was midnight
before TIE police allowed any of the returns
to be made public. The figures from several
districts were held back until the following
day. and Committee sent from Tammany Hall
to watch the Police Commissioners reported
those maSlate5 to be III close consultation
with certain gentlemen of n questionable
" character" 1t was only by brow beating the
Commissioners that the Committee prevented
the Democratic candidate for the Senate in
the With District from being counted ont.
charge that in this scheme of fraud Mr.. Char
lick and his Republican colleagues were en-
plOyed together. That something was the
matter with the returns on Tuesday night
every newspaper editor knows, for the delays
were unprecedented and unexplained.
Honest citizens will be anxious for an in
veshgation into this affair. but it must be
conducted in a better spirit than the INQUIRY
at Tammany Hall. That edifyng politician,
Gen. +. ID. Spinola, presented the report upon
which Mr. Charlicx was expelled, and the reso-
luton was ostensibly based upon the allcga-
ton that the power of the police had been
used :" to prevent an honest canvass Ii was
evident, however, all through the evening
that the real Offcnse of Mr. Charlick was
using his power Gin behalf of man running
lin direct opposition to Tammany IIall,n that
being, as everybody knows, a much blacker
crime than cheating the voters, OF forging re-
turns, or appointing thieves" rs inspectors of
election. If the case Is to be left in the hands
Of Gen. Spinola, and old campaigners OF that
kidney. we suspect that public virtue will not
he vndicated by the verdict. 1t is clear that
if any fraId was attempted Mr. Charlick did
not attempt it alone. Mr.. Hugh Gardner must
have been in league with him, and Mr.. Henry
Smith, and doubtless other politicians who hold
places of trust in the Custom-house party.
This corrupt arrangement, if it existed ut all.
was the fruit of the ridiculous alliance between
the Custom house and Apollo Hall. 1t seem,
to us that tie Republican Committee ought
to take up the case which Tammany
has treated in this very unsatisfactory
manner, and administer discipline to its
own members. Such course is dictated
not only by sense of honor but by
policy. 1t is the hight of absardity to allow
Tammany to stand forth alons as the cham
pion of official purity and honest elections.
Tho Republican party just now is in that
penitent anu Oh ,stcned mood which frequently
follows misfortune, and will corlillly approve
the most severe treatment of any OF its lead
ers who may have boel found out tryin, to,
cheat for its benefit and not Succeeding IL
il will only move in this matter 1t may snatch
from Tammany great deal OF credit which
that examination does not deserve, nnd be-