The New York herald., 1873-07-12

Rt an eno, eno Amg Wl4lam the Ihlru ano
King James the Second of England win be
permitted to rest In peace - s' ''lt'
Tho comptreller's Litigation Policy ~
Seen 1t tho CITY Hail.
It does not In the slightest matter to us
whether Judge MCGUIRE who has judgment
against the city, belongs to Tammany Hall. to
Apollo Hall or to the Custom House s:sing."
We cannot see what it should matter, either, to
the Comptroller II il doubtless right that our
public servants should be watchful to prevent
fraud; but no mere head Of the Finance De-
partment con constitute himself the final ar
bitter between honest and Dishonest claims.
When he refuses to pay salary or o bill the
claimant has his remedy In the Courts, and
when the highest Court is reached the Comp
troller has nothing to do but abide by the
Judgment Not so Mr.. Green. With an as
sumption which looks very like impsr-
tinence he places himself above all law,
and soon appears in position which is alb
surd and ridiculous, so far as he is concerned,
but humiliating to great city like New York.
We are not aware that if Mr.. Green pro-
claimed himself Emperor Of China and
dressed himself up as the Grand Turk
any one outside Of Bloomingdale Asylum
would experience any feelings of sorrowing
astonishment or profound regret That he
should, however, play these fantastic tricks
with quiet smirk of self-gratulation, and in
the name of the city Of New York.. is
nearly intolerable. We do not propose here
to enter into any discussion Of the miserably
ftful and whimsical manner In which the de-
partments have been paid since Mr.. Green's
accession to Office, or Of the troubles
Of the ''big pipe" and 'tittle pipe
men, the ''scrubbers' and clerks. Mr..
GREEN'S Fabian tactics in these mat
ters have caused much inconvenience
and suffering to the poorer class Of officials
and employees; but the case Of Judge Mcclure
belongs to different class In the former
cases he brought down on himself an unpopu-
larity which, as politician, may prove his
bane hereafter, and SO his war with the labor
ers had Q sort Of cheap heroism about it. In
the latter case he causes a litigation which may
be profitable to certain lAwyers, but is o dead
loss to the city. Like the thunderous-worded
village schoolmaster, "even when beaten he
con argue still, " convinced that somebody will
recognize his ability in that line, although his
amusement is tax on the community Now,
it is well known that whenever this Chinese
minded Comptroller chooses he can deny o
claim until it reaches certain point-namely,
the hands of the Sheriff. We are certain that
there are hundred high-spirited lawyers in
New York who would, if they had any iniu-
ence with Mr., Green, follow every claim
against the city through all the Courts and
have no objection in the end to allowing the
Sheriff a share in the profit Hence, through
mingled desire for the public and the lawyers
good, and possibly to spite some political
clan-whether Apollo, Tammany or Custom
House does not matter-Mr Green persists in
debasing the good name of the Empire City,
until he has placed it in the equivocal posi-
ton of lodging tradesnan's pettfogging
reputation.
The shameful absurdity of the scene in
the Governors Room at the City Hall
yesterday with a Sherif's posse taking
possession Of the pictures and furniture,
is such that we could afford to see the
Comptroller piloried for permitting 1t with o
feeling Of joy. City creditors generally pre-
fer the seizure of the historic relics in the
Governors Room, because they believe
that the proceeding will raise an out
cry from which o satisfaction of their
claims will ensue. They have humbled
the city, however, and that is of more account
than the preservation of the objects that are
worth so little as mere cabinet work. Il is
difficult to blame the creditors for seizing
what will insure payment of their claims with
as little trouble as possible to themselves |;
but we can and do declare our contempt for
the figure which the Comptroller makes in the
matter No merchant or tradesman could
successfully carry on his business who re-
sorted to every loophole and legal dodge to
postpone or avoid the payment of his liabili-
ties. Mr.. Green, by his persistence in refus-
ing to adjust such claims, attempts to swell
himself up SO as to usurp the prerogative of
the highest Courts in the State, and returns
only to his proper sphere on being broughtup
against the Sheriff truncheon. Will the citi-
. l. L. L. l. II