New-York tribune., 1873-02-26
4 GPPIT PEFDRUFH.

I'm the excitement of the great scandals Mt
Washington and the upsetting of crowned
heads in Europe, we beg the public not 10
lose sight of distinguished political rcformer
who has arisen at Albany, and who promises
if he il only allowed fair play, to solve the
worst of our municipal difficulties and make
himself a great name in history. When tho
Custom-house Charter was laid before the
Assembly on the 18th of this month, two
members of the Committee on Cities. Messrs.
VIM. s. Opdyke and Joseph Blumenthal pre-
sented a minority report. which riddled that
document through and through. Mr.. Opdyke
was very fierce in his opposition. He held
the Charter "wrong in principle" He disap-
proycd of it as q whole, and he denounced it
in its various parts. 1t practically instl-
tinted "eleven separate executive depart
"ments,p with almost unlimited powers.
II made the head of the Department
of Finance solo auditor of claims against the
city. 1t reduced the Mayor to cipher. 1t
left "nobOdy responsible" 1t stripped the
Mayor of all executive power and the Com
"mOn Council of about all legislative power"
In particular, it provided that the Board of
Aldermen should practically have the whole
power of making appointments to office.
"This provision" said Mr.. Opdyke, "is an
"ominOus, unprecedented, and in fact revo-
"lutionary one in its character 1t is sub
"versive of all known methods, and can find
"no sanction from experience, from public
need, or from reason. 1t abolishcs repub-
I" lican form of government to set up an oil
{" "garchy. No one can pretend to defend the
scheme in point of principle. If other mo-
tiyes have suggested its adoption they ale
"not such as can claim the support of wise
"and far-sighted craftsmanship"
Just seven days afterwards Mr.. Opdyke saw
a great light. He suddenly entered the de-
bate on tho Goth Of February as an advocate
of the very measures he had so strongly de-
nounced on the 18th. He presented an amend
ment which embodied the "omnOus, unprece-
"dented, and in factlrevolutionary" provision
of the appointment of heads of departments
by the Aldermen in still moro offensive and
dangerous form than it bore in the original
instrument. The eleven independent depart
ments, the facilities for theft the absence OF
responsibility, the denial of all executive
mower to the Mayor and all legislative power
| TO the Common Council all these and other
ugly features of the Custom-hOuse Charter
which were so vigorously punched in Mr..
Opdykes minority report on one Thursday
were praised or smOothed over in his speech
on the next Thursday. What did it all mean
| As Mr. Opdyke well said, nobody could defend
the Charterin point of principle; and history,
ain this State as well as elsewhere, has
"taught legislatures the danger of yielding
to the temptation Of "temporlry expedicncy."
Indeed, even in the first flush of his con-
version, our municipal reformer could not pre-
tend that he liked the part he had brought
himself to play. lie was satisfied that the
people of New-York did not know what they
wanted, and therefore, forsooth, he proposed
to give them the worst thing he could find.
The meeting last night may have taught him,
perhaps, what it is that the people do not
want, and may lead him to reflect upon the
pointed remark of Mr.. Jacobs. that if any
exclamation of the sudden change in Mr..
"OpdyScs views was possible, he should like
to hear it,"