New-York tribune., 1873-02-27
THE EVENINGS DISCUSSION.

THE EVENINGS DISCUSSION.
AN IMPORTANT AMENDMENT PAssED-"DAvEN-
PORT THE DICTATOR '-THE PARTISAN ISSUE
! PREssED-FURTHER DEBATE TO-DAY.
! TBY TELEGRAPH TO rHB TRIBUSB.l
Albany, Feb 2G.-The evening session opened
with large increase in the number of spectators,
good part of the Senate and several Judges of the
| Court of Appeals being present. c. q. Cornell OF
New York offered an amendment 10 the section re-
lating to the Board Of Aldermen, changing the NUM-
Der of its members we'll rs their mode of election
Several other amendments were offered TO the
| same section, but the discussion settled down on
one proposed by Mr.. Babcock of Niagara, providing
for 81 Aldermen six to be elected at large and three
each from the five Senate districts. IL also provides
| for minority representation by forbidding any
electOr TO vote for more than two Aldermen in his
district. The amendment was supported by M2ssrs.
Prince, Bachelor, Rose Lincoln, and other Repub-
! lcans.
Opdyke, Dexter, White, and others claimed that
it unconstitutional in that it restricted electors
from voting for all officers these words are
used in the Constitution. The constitutional ques-
ton discussed at great length and on a division
being called for the amendment was adopted. much
| to the surprise of the Custom-house members, by
vote of SO to So
Emboldened by the success, Mr.. Lincoln offered an
amendment to the vital feature of the Charter the
famous 9th section, which, on being read by the
Clerk turned to be the identical substitute for
the section which was offered last week by Alr.
Weed, and voted down by a large majority.
IL gave the appointment of all heads of depart
ments TO the Mayor with confirmation in the Board
Of Aldermen ano without any provision for fail
ure to agree except continued denominations by the
Mayor This reopeuep the whole discussion relative
to the aims and objects Of the charter and its poti-
cal and parsisan bearings
The only novel feature of the discuscussion was
the open avowal on the part of all the advocates of
the Charter that it was Republican measure and
designed to secure the spOls of office TO the Re
publican party. Mr. Hustled was the only man pre-
vious to this evening who admitted such to be the
fact in debate, but they all followed his lead to-
night including the Speaker and Mr.. PierSon, the
Chairman of the Committee on Cities.
The reason of this change Of front is that the I'M
expected success of Babcocks amendment made
them fear that the vital point of the Charter might
be lost in the same way unless partisan feeling was
aroused by representing it as Republican measure
Mr.. Hustled made strong appeal 70 the party TO
close up their ranks and present united and har-
monious front to their old enemy, the Democracy.
All knew. he said, that there was no more inde-
pendent Republican in the State than himself, but
ON party measure like this no could afford TO
be factious All hope of reform for the city or State
government must come from the Republican party,
and in this Charter the hopes of all true reforners
would be realized
Mr.. McGuire compared the independent Repub-
licans like Hustled to men with collars about their
necks with the inscriptions thereon, Davenport
the dictator" Mr. Bachelor, who led the opposi-
ton TO the Custom-house programme yesterday,
tt,a artar hack fn
the Committee of the Whole for further discussion,
said that he congratulated himself and the majority
here on the Improvement that had been made IN
the Charter since last before the Committee,
but on this vital point the 18th section he felt con-
strained TO stand by il reported 70 the House by
it's friends.
He admitted and had all along maintained that
the Charter was a Republican measure, and he was
willing that his party should take the responsibility
of it. They would have to take the responsibility,
anv wav aud it was no more than fair that they
should and have the power with it. While he
should vote for such provisions US would put the
administration of the Charter into the hands of Re-
publcans he would at the time endeavor 10
80 perfect the instrument that 1t should, honestly
administered as he believed it would be, give the
City of New York a good government.
Mr.. PiersOn took the same view of the subject as
Mr. Batchelor, and Mr.. Lincoln proved to be the
only Republican who had the courage to advocate
his amendment. The inconsistency of the present
position of the New-York Republicans with their
professions of non-partisanship made in the mu-
nIcpal canvass last Fall was very effectively ex-
ploded by Messrs. Weed, Beebe Jacobs, and other
Democratic members.
Mr. Liucens amendment was finally lost on
diyisiou receiving only SO votes. Two or three
other unimportant amendments were then made
afer which the Committee rose and reported pro-
gress. On getting back into the House the Charter
was again made she special order for tomorrow
morning. at 10! o'clock, 10 which time the House
adjourned