The New York herald., 1874-12-31
An OMcial NIalYaaxance.

An Omcial Malfeasance.
We have repeatedly charged that Comp
troller Green's financial policy during his
term of Office has been policy Of conceal
ment and deception that the people have
designedly been kept in ignorance of their
true financial condition, and that the real
amount Of the city debt has been misrepre-
sented for the purpose of gaining for Mr.
Green false reputation for economy. The
exposure now made in the Board of Appor-
tionment justifes the position we have occu-
pied and fastens upon the Comptroller gross
official malteasance.
The story can be briefly told. The Board
of Apportionment on the revision of the city
estimates for 1874 in July last appropriated,
at Mr.. Green's request, eight million three
hundred thousand dollars for interest on the
city debt for the current year. Prior to
making this appropriation Mayor Vance
offered a series Of resolutions calling upon
the Comptroller for detailed statement
showing the particulars Of the debt which re-
quired such an amount of interest The
resolutions were voted down by Mr. Green
and the late Mayor, and the information was
denied. Toward the close OF the year-not
more than six weeks ago, we beleve--the
Comptroller asked the Board of Apportion-
ment for ninety thousand dollars additional
for interest by the transfer of that sum from
an uuexpended balance of some other appro-
priation. This the Board granted, after re-
ceiving the Comptroller's assurance that the
total amount ppropriated-namely, eight
million three hundred and ninety thousand
dollars-covered the whole interest on the
public debt for 1874
It is now discovered that Mr. Green has
actually paid nearly nine million dollars for
interest in 1874 without the knowledge of the
Board OF Apportionment Itappears that Ar.
Green found o balance Of over five hundred
thousand dollars appropriated for interest in
former year or years unexpended, and he
used the same to pay interest on the debt dur
ing the present year, in addition to the amount
appropriated for that purpose by the Board
of Apportionment, without the knowledge,
sanction or authority Of that Board. This is
in direct and wiltul violation of law, which
provides Chapters 303 and 308 of Laws Of
1874) that the Board Of Estimate and Appor-
tionment shall alone have the power to trans
fer or Inappropriate unexpended balances
either during the year or OF the end Of the
current fiscal year. Nor is it simply tech
nical and unimportant violation of law, but
one committed for the purpose Of deception,
being designed to cover up and conceal from
the Board Of Apportionment and from the
people Of New York the amount they were
actually required to pay for interest this year,
and, as q consequence the real amount of
their debt.
In justification of this charge, the gravity
of which we fully understand, we refer to q
communication addressed by Mr.. Green to
the Board Of Apportionment on June "a,
1874 In that communication, which is the
revised and amended city estimate for the
present year as prepared by the financial
officer of the city, the whole amount re-
quired for interest on the city debt for the
year 1874 is put down at eight million two
hundred and fifty thousand dollars. Not q
word is said about an additional sum of be-
tween five and six hundred thousand dollars
to be taken from former unappropriated
balance but on the contrary, Mr.. Green
makes comparative statement between the
total amount required to pay interest on the
public debt in 1871 and the total amount thus
alleged to be required for the same purpose
in 1874, and takes credit for the compare
inor fho x,,,i,I Jaht
in the intervening time. When it is remem-
bered that the amount thus secretly and un-
lawfully taken from the city treasury by Mr..
Green and used to pay interest on the city
debt represents at seven per cent nearly seven
millions and half OF Indebtedness the gross
ness and the intent of the deception become
evident.
The Board of Apportionment have very
properly branded this act Of the Comptroller
as illegal and unjustifable. Will they now
turn their attention to the share of the Cham
berlain in the offence? The charter peremp-
torily prohibits that officer from paying q
warrant "on account of any appropriation
after the amount authorized to be raised for that
specific purpose shall have been expended. "
Will the Chamberlain, who has been super
serviceable in certifying to the exact correct
ness OF the sinking fund securities, inform us
why he paid warrants to the amount OF over
half million dollars on account of interest
after the amount of eight million three hun
dred and ninety thousand dollars authorized
to be raised for that specific purpose had
been fully expended
The Pacific Mail Investigation
Startling Developments.
The testimony taken Yesterday before the