New-York tribune., 1873-02-05
THE WAR AGAINST RINGS.

Mayor Havemeyer addressed the following sig
ni6cant letter. yesterday, TO the Committee of
Seventy:
M JAMES M. BROWN Chairman, and Gentlemen Of
GAe Committee Of Serenity: when, in assuming the May
orally, resigned the position of Chairman OF your Com
inttse, took the liberty to suggest TO body the
proprety of preserving your organization with view
of influencing and securing reform legislation in behalf
Of the City and County of NewYOrk, and hwartng the
seizure of power by political partisans for their own
personal ends The dangers which at that time appre
hended among the probabilities OF the future
imminent and require your hands, the representa-
of the reform element immediate and decisive action
crediby informed that the charter for the City of
New-York, which viii he reported favoraby by the
Committee Cities and Villages Of the Assembly, win
differ materially from the draft presented by the Re
publican Committee, and will be In direct antagonsm 10
the spint Of the valuable amendments TO that draft
proposed by your body In harmony with my message
and the convictions of all and honest reformers
you have concluded insist the creation OF respon-
rible government in the City OF NewYork by clothing
the Mayor with the power OF appointing and, under
tam sautary restrictions with the power OF removing
all heads Of departments of the City Government The
Republican Committees draft weakened tins re-
spOnsiby by giving the Mayor simply the nominating
power, and leaving the appointment by means OF con
rrmatioD with the Board Of Aldermen, and in case Of
disagreement between them vestng the appointment in
ly. This scheme, whole, has not the authority OF
precedent and 70 is obvious that lessons executive re-
spOnsbity, and opens the door TO iObbery which the
acceptance of your amendment 70 that scheme wOnid
have closed Yet this limited responsibility might
have secured the adhesion and support OF the reform e
ement of city had not certain OF the heads OF the
most important OF the executive departments been eX
empted from It's operation.
IL is now, however proposed TO establish, for the
merest partisan ends. system Of government utterly
destructive 10 all direct Official responsibility, and which
Will postpone the Of good government for an inden
mite period Of time The power Of appointing all heads
of departments is. informed, TO be vested in the
Board Of Aldermen; the Mayor is 10 have one vote In
this bodythat is TO say 10 represent onesxeenh part
of the appointing power and the ultimate appointment
TO lie with mere majority or plurality OF the Board.
This new and dangerous scheme is coupled with an
amendment seemingly in the line Of your proposed suG
Restionsto wit the removal Of all present heads Of
departments but actually in opposition 10 Its spirit,
results will prove. When you insisted upon the removal
all the present heads Of executive departments you
dad so fully persuaded in the firm conviction that
the Mayor. acting under the Of that executive
responsibility with which you proposed to cothe him "a
power which do not personally crave or desre),
would reappon the tried faithful public servants,
and replace those who attained their Offices and main
tanned themselves therein by political chcanery and sub
seryieney by men who had the confidence and were in
two years. The inevitable consequences of
of the scheme proposed will the very reverse of
this result Political jObbery will be more rampant than
ever before in the history city. Every head OF
department who would refuse to make corrupt bar
for his office would be removed and ms place be
supplied by more subservent tool secret caucus of
majority OF the Board OF Aldermen who might not be
elected with of their possessing such extraordi-
powers, would determine the appointments. No one
would be responsible for bad government and misman
aeement and the old ung whose overthrow all hailed
Rs harbnger OF better day, would be replaced by
ring possibly INSCRIPTIONS certainly with less respOn
sibility than the which you have SO earnestly and
successfully laboTed TO subvert This contemplated
of the Committee Cities Of the Assembly gives
meaning to the XVIII Amendment in the draft of the
Republican Committees charter in the following remark
able words
The Controller require person presenting Tor settlement
against corporation before
toohng such claim sben orally
facts relative such The power given the Con-
to settle and adjust such shan be give
such settlement and adjustment The binding effect Of judgment
decree auLonze Controller dispute any
ssy established under the authority Of any officer department
sHthon establish the question The performance
duties by snch ofcer
II the present efficient Controller TO remain IN Office
ms hands 20 be tied TO prevent him from continuing
his useful and beneficial abors in cutting down exOrb
tant salaries and preventing the holding Of sinecure
positions II partisan to be appointed he
IL TO be relieved Of the unpleasant duty of looking into
the extra agant aud wastefu expenditures of his par
friends the heads Of the other departments
of the City Government. Any commission authorized TO
fX salary may give TO a dOOrReeper a messenger
$4,000 year, aud there authorized question
the amount OF such salary the performance Of the
duties under tho appointment. Legislation such this
II IN direct conflict with the sOlepn convictions and
pressed will Of the citizens of the City Of NewYOrk as
manifested by the recent elections. The proposed change
In the appointing power il also explanatory of the
amendment contained in the Republican Com.
nittee's draft 10 abolish the Board OF Assist
ant Aldermen. II the appointing power is to
be vested in the Board OF Aldermen a
Board Ia which Is OF your city's wards unrepre-
sented the Board Of Assistant Aldermen which repre-
rents distinct localities and is the people might
prove an impediment in the way OF a gigantic scheme
Of partisan obbey Such appointments being corporate
sos, would require the consent Of the Assistant Alder
and the signature of the Mayor. Hence their de-
strucon, and the suggestion of your Committee the
charter proposed last Of single Board in the
interest Of good government 10 be diverted
sinister ends from political motives. Little did
those citizens who united in eectng Gen. Grant and
John A. Dix last November irrespective of party con-
lecture that their disnterested zeal TO secure
stable and good National and State Government
would incidentally result in the elevation for party
10 important official positions OF men who,
instead Of attending TO the duties OF their Offices from
which Cyn Service rules would have excluded them
would bend all their energies nulhfy the results Of the
reform movement involving both the National aud state
administrations IN per if not in DISASTER and make our
city the football OF schemers and political
adyentnrers. and the prey 10 dangerous set Of
corrupt politicians those who are under Indictment
for past raids upon the city treasury. The means Of
drawing public attention and directing the indignation
Of the people against this attempt upon their rights
and upon their property is at your You have
the power and doubtless the WILL by Of local re-
presentation Albany and by public meetings. TO avert
this and very formidable danger which now
threatens our body polite. Respectfully,