The Portland daily press., 1873-05-13
New York Letter.

pres;deut Grant in COMMUNICATING
yTcet;ng of the Veterans at New Haven.
The late deaths, Chase, Orr, Brooks
NEW YORK, May, 10 1873.
As anticipated, twenty-four hours suficed
to dispel all the excitement occasoned by the
story that the Mayor had been unwittingly
,islated out of Office and nothing more has
since been heard on the subject. That
functionary has begun to make his appoint
ments and in q fortnight more the places
will all be filled, the municipal machine got
into harmonious working, and public gossip
will take some new form and direction.
The Board of Aldermen have thus far very
sensibly declined to lend themselves to fac
ton by refusing to consent to the selections
of the Mayor, and SO we have been saved
from innumerable columns of indignant pro-
test and denunciation which would have
been hurled at that hapless body by the nom
partisan philosophers of the press, if there had
been any halt in confirming whoever might
be sent in.
Judging by the candidates already pre-
sented, the Mayor has no political objects in
view. There is not a man among them
whose name would indicate any purpose to
create or to strengthen party. They are
all persons of uaexceptionable character, but
none of them possess any great share of po-
litical influence. He has given us two Re-
publicans to one Democrat in the Tax and
Charities Commissions. Of the first named,
Mr.. Andrews, an ex-State Senator has held
the Office several years, and is deemed inais-
pensable to it for the present. Yet the May
or gives the long term and the higher salary
to his new democratic associate, and puts
third in the list good, honest, guileless old
Severn d. Moulton, who for twenty years,
through all dscouragements and in the face
Of steadily increasing corruption and wicked
| ness, has been an earnest, unselfish aud will
ing champion of city reform.
Mr.. Moulton never held an Office till a year
ago last fall when he was elected to the As
sembly by the joint efforts of the Republicans
and the committee of seventy. His course
as legislator was marked by the same sim
ple-ninded adherence to his principles, the
same rigid integrity of purpose that have
characterized his whole life. s
But in spite of his good record and blame
less character he was not sufficiently acquain-
ted with the arts by which nominating con-
ventions are manipulated TO get returned,
though an excellent Republican succeeded
him. And now the Mayor makes public rec
ignition Of his worth by preferring him for
place largely sought after, and which will
prove fine field for the exercise of his re-
formatory talent. 1t is graceful tribute to
ali old and honored citizen who has wit
messed the growth of the city in material
prosperity and has tried to stem the current
of iniquity which has precipitated its "decline
and falF' in moral point of view.
Mr.. Wheeler, whom Mr.. Havemeyer has
placed at the head of the Tax Commission,
was first known to fame as the son and after
wards co-partner Of the proprietor of the once
popular ana fashionable Union Place Hotel,
which has latterly been converted into the
Union Square Theatre, and the restaurant
named Maison Doree, Mr.. Wheeler was al
ways democrat In 1854 he was elected TO
Congress and it was during his time that the
Anti-Nebraska revolt in the democratic ranks
gave premonition of the coming schism which
| was destined to rend and destroy that once
invincible, and at that time still powerful or
| ganization. Mr.. Wheeler took strong ground
against the suicidal policy of the leaders, and
thereby became unpopular with the ultra pro-
slavery branch of his party. His successor
was Horace F. Clarke, who was supposed to
be iron clad in his unquestioning obedience to
the mandates of the oligarchy who were then
| hurting the nation headlong to ruin. But
| Mr.. Clarke bolted in the Lecompton folly Of
Buchanan, as Mr.. Wheeler bad done on the
Nebraska idiocy of Pierce, and both of them
thus lett record showing that they were wis
er or better or both, than their comrades,
who went down in the great wreck of 1860.
Since Mr.. Wheeler's retirement from bis sim
gle term of service in Congress-, he has held
no public Office He quilted business a(few
years ago with modest competency, but has
| always interested himself in local affairs. At
the time of the formation of the Committee
of Seventy, in 1871, he jumped into the fight
against the Ring with all the impetuosity of
his nature, and has been ever since one of the
| most active and hard working members of
| that Committee He is impulsive and of an
ardent temperament, but he has always been
regarded as "a conscientious and straight-for-
ward man of unblemished life and habits,
OF the new Commissioners of Charities,
Mr.. James Bowen has been longest in the
public eye through continuous municipal SER
vice. He is gentleman of about 65 years of
age-was somewhat conspicuous 'Seward
Whig' thirty-fve years ago-had hand in
the Glentworth scheme that made such a SEN
sation in this city in 184O-has twice been in
the State Assembly-was appointed Police
Commissioner in 1857, through the influence
of his lifelong friend, patron and guide,
Thurlow Weed-anticipated removal by Gov.
Seymour in 1868, by resigning and was at
once appointed Brigadier General of Volun-
teers and sent to New Orleans to serve in the
local government of that conquered Rebel
town-returned to New York at the close of
the war, and was shortly after appointed a
member ofthe commission to which he has
now been renewedly assigned. He is man
of good address, imperious will, and untiring
assiduity His industry and force of charac-
| ter will make him an effective and infuen-
| tial member of the Board.
| William Lambier, the other Republican
Commissioner, is a retired builder of large
fortune and universally respected for his prob
ity and patriotism. He has served term in
the City Councils and also in the State Senate.
Everybody knows him to be the incarnation
of honesty and fair dealings. He is a man Of
strong predjudices. but has warm heart.
If he has any defect it consists in his nervous
apprehension that everything isn't going
right. He was persuaded four years ago to
take the office of Collector of Internal Rev
enue in one of the city districts. He hadn't
been in it thirty days before he became SO
fdgety in view of its multiplied responsible.
ties that he prepared his resignation, and
| would have sent it to the department in
stantly, if friends had not hindered the pro-
ceeding by earnest remonstrance. He held
in for few months but at last he threw up
the commission in spite of all discussions and
| has held no Office since.