New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-02-24

tended to be used only in the case of known
criminals, and will not be abused as IN other
countries where officials are less directly re-
sponsible to the people. The assur-
ance were less welcome than the pro-
lection which curtailment of the powers
would Afford. II is an insulting, oppressive,
and obnoxious clause of the Charter which
will stir ND more opposition than it will give
nowcr. And not content with this special
staff for the Superintendent, the Board Is au-
thorized to appoint special patrolmen without
limit. To be sure, this delegation OF power Is
conditional upon "an emergency or apprehen-
" sion of riot tumult, mob. msurrectlon, pes
"tilence or INVASION" which provision appears
to be well enough; but as the Board is to be
the Judge of tho nature OF the emergency,
WHY may il not appoint its special patrolmen
from It's own party to interfere in our cleo
tiops as Mr. Davenport's special supervisors
did under the Election law last yearf There
is authority here too broad, under when
gross wrong and outrage may be done; ana
here is where modification is greatly needed.
Why. also, are the accounts books, and pa
pers of the Board of Police excepted from the
rule which makes public those of every other
| Departmentq The excuse that the lnforma-
ton gathered by the police is often OF ma
ture which ought not to be made public, lest
Justice be defeated, cannot apply to the &c
counts of the Department. Public scrutiny OF
the expenditures of the Police ought to be as
| unrestricted as of other Departments, ana
their reports as frequent and full.
Although the Board of Aldermen are
authorized to pass laws, they are specially
prohibited from making any affecting
the Departments. And though they are
TO consider the appropriations by the
Board of Apportionment for the various De-
paItments. they are without power to change
them. Why consider, if they cannot alter
them9 In short, in every respect the Heads
of Departments whom they appoint and con-
firm are to be independent of both Aldermen
and Mayor. All this is wrong; and there
| ought to be some change before the Charter
is inflicted on US.
The Custom-bOuse managers are clearly
bent, by a breach Of good faith, on taking
absolute possession, as though 1t were their
nrize of the City, which the Reform movement
! has placed by mistake at their mercy. we are
not surprised that what we long ago predicted
has thus early come to pass. But tor the fruis
which must follow let not the Republican
party or the Reformers be held responsible
| Il must not be forgotten year hence that this
ruinous worl, is that of clique accidentally
in power. What this people have hoped for
ana what we favor is charter which will first
of all secure good city government, free
from other than local influences under any
political party. What the Custom-house is
determined to give us is a charter which will
first of all secure patronage for its party. And
this makes necessary the redoing of the work
of Reform. The new campaign will begin in
earnest with the meeting of tomorrow night,
at which let all honest reformers of whatever
marty attend and give voice to their demands.