New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-03-26
MORE PERPLEXiTY.

Confusion seems to have Overtaken the
Charter-makers. The Senate was expected to
take up the CustOm-hOuse instrument yester-
day, and do something with 1t at once. That
dignifed body met heard the Charter read,
looked at each other in perplexity,
and adjourned. We are promised great
things next Thursday, when the
scheme comes up again for consideration.
Meantime, there is hurrying to and fro in hot
haste, and motley crew is gathered at the
State Capitol in agitated consultation. 1t is
whispered about that poll of the Senate
shows a majority against the much-desired
Charter. A party measure requires
that party discipline be enforced;
and the next step is to call a party caucus
make support of the CustOm-hOuse Charter
test of loyalty, and consgn to outer darkness
all recusants. The powers which were ex-
pected to sustain the Ring when the Charter
should be adopted do not seem to hold to-
gether; and it is clear that every day of de-
lay puts in peril the cOherency of the Organl-
cation which supports that scheme.
There is one effect of these constant dis
putes over the Charter which the Custom
house leaders probably did not foresee, and
must certainly contemplate with chagrin.
Every fresh proposal to give the city patron
age to a Ring, to transfer executive powers to
the legislative body of the city, to take away
the Mayors functions and bestow them upon
the Aldermen, only increases the popularity of
Mayor Havemeyer, and makes the majority of
good citizens more determined to support him.
At the same time, the extraordinary efforts to
get Mr.. Green out of office by an unparalleled
act of special legislation, seem to satisfy the
payers that the Controller ought TO be
retained, and that his removal would be the
signal for an assault upon the treasury. The
resolutions of the German Reform Association
in the lid Assembly District, expressing the
fullest confidence" in the Mayor and Con-
troller "as upright, capable, and honorable
men, are significant of popular sentiment
which is gathering strength every day. Some
of the nOisiest and most vituperative spokes-
men of the Custom house party have al
ready abandoned the Bliss land Davenport
plan and cried surrender on the question
of the appointments. Everybody in fact,
who watches the signs of the times. and
can tell the drift of public feeling, perceives
that the Ring has pushed its experiment too
far and created a strong revulsiOn in favor of
the officials whom it is attacking. How to
retire from this dangerous position is now the
question with the more prudent leaders of the
Administration party
But Mr.. Murphy, Mr.. Bliss, and Mr.. Daven
port are not prudent Whatever wiser men
may say, these three persons are resolved to
commit the Republican party, if they can, to
policy which will ruin the Reform move
ment and give the lie to all the professions
by which Republicans VOL the last campaign.
They have broken, so it is thought, with the
Board of Aldermen, among whom there are,
perhaps, too many members sensible enough
10 understand that they cannot afford to unite
political fortunes with this triumvirate of ad
yenturers, and they. fall back upon their firm
allies, the Presidents of the two Boards of the
Common Council. Their proposition now il
that the appointing power shall be lodged
directly in the hands of the Mayor, the Presi-
dent of the Board of Aldermen, and the
President of the Board of Assistant Aldermen.
that is TO say, that the appointing power
shall be taken away from Mr.. Havemeyer
altogether, by placing him in helpless
minority. This is the worst form in which
their scheme for securing tho municipal
patronage has yet been presented. AS their