New-York tribune., 1875-02-12
TIE DEBATE.


ments that have been offered to this bill are simply
verbal IN their character, rendered necessary
by reason OF preceding sections having been dropped
from the bill when 1t was before the Committee on
Cities Perhaps is well for me to state what the OBJ
ect OF tnis bill s 1t very simple, indeed, and re-
quires but few words TO explain it, The Charter OF
tue City Of NewYork differs In one respect from the
charter of city within the Ssate. IL requires, in
order to get rid OF corrupt incompetent official.
that the evidence OF hi, guilt incompeency shall be
submitted by the Mayor the Governor Tor his action.
II needless say thar the Governor OF the State Of
NcWYOrk cacnot even physically give sut' time to
the performances OF any such dnty That the late Gov
eruor was not called upon to spend much OF
his time In that way Is accounted for by
the fact that tho present ofice-holders under
this Charter were appointed b. the late Mayor, and
were his special pets TLrse the simple facts re-
laatng the Cy OF NewYork In respect TO getting rid
OF incompetent heads of departments dinerng wth the
condition of eyery other cy IN the STATE I H proposes
and og ciuSe ana IN order that the Mayor may not re-
move for simple favor, t proposes 10 return to that
rooi D.mocratic-R"puhhcGn rue that ho snail submit
ali hi- nominations 10 the Board Of Adc"men. It is im
POSSIBLE for him thus to remove without cause Smith for
Jore FOR II he should artempt any such arbitrary cX
errise OF his power the Board OF Aldermen would step
in and ntelpose tbclr action 20 as 10 save IN lused
or abtsed pubic servant Those are tho only two fea-
OF this Di II cI9penses with the action OF TIC
Governor, which found b he purely cumbersome
ana wa. ~ 'o tnc wnn Luis ste as in
Inc hands OF poi;iicpl majority differing. IN effect
mere Of the time, on the principle that those
whom the ods destroy they first make mad introduced
this prOysOa Tle result of l was II was one OF the
elements that entered into the clGyss Of the STATE and
more especially the city pronounced IN the most en-
phatio against II. Tue other provision - TO
vo the Board Of Aldermen elected IN the several Sch
aofal d tr Is, the confirmation OF thc acton Oi the
Mayor in appoint mem g.
of my friend froia EcwYork IN Introducing ths bl was
pntriotr ;Dnt whatcyerls purpose, its effect and
tendency wucn carried OUT VIII DC 10 ihrO" tue supreme
control OF City OF New-York into .he hands OF ono
uolI,cai PARTY. Now SIR, speak not as partisan. not
Republican, bal aS t'ItI oI Nc" lOrk' anxious
tnat her people may at least have good government; ;
and know TO put the supreme cOntroi of affairs OF
the cv INTO the hands Oi any party whether the party
act with the party oppose, Is only to invite re-
have already had so bitter an experience and OF
which the recollection Is still so fresh IN our minds
few yearsi Are we ready again 10 try me eDecs or
partisan rule IN Ncw-YOrki The CITY OF fNew-York Is
best governed when It's government reflects the poli-
peope have a majority in the government wnen mi
nory OF the PEOPLE nave also minority Ia tne govern
meut, and so not deprived OF voice ana vote In
public aIIirs. This experiment Is claimed to
Bnt we have already tried that and the fruits of it
are before eyes to-day. Look az them UnsIghtly
empty treasury and taxes taxes taxes multiplied until
they drive population from the Island and clog the
wheels OF trade And last but not least OF these fruits
look at the exrulers themselves. Some OF them in
merted obscurty, some OF them In exile and some Of
them under sentence OF the law. l do not thnB, Mr.
CHAIRMAN that we differ so much with our Democratic
friends In regard 10 home rule Home rule Is benign
excelleu political principle. but, Ike Oher benign
and excellent poca prlnclpes 1t has It's limits think
even most ardent advocates Viii ADMIT that IL mas
control of everything inhabit
ants what need OF any government at alf What need
of IAgislaturesi Wnat need OF Presidents aud Con-
and what need Of the l25 honorable gentlemen
Iinon this hoOri Clearly. tneu, nome rule mas some
limiis and differences are as 10 what those llmts
Nj. D4ly-In what respect do the proposed amend
ments Of thls b on the pE2s"n' the
Mr. seWard-IGe PROVISIONS OF tins bill pat the con
troll of AFFAIRS in the hands Of the Mayor apd @ tae Alder
men, and, as understand ~ except tne @ Governor
from his participation In then. thlnK we are over
stepping the limits of home rule when we take away
rom the CITY Government OF New-York any OF ITS
powers and duties rightiuy belonging TO H. am not
and cannot caim to be authority n matters on uenioc-
raty, but this Is democracy u IS hoe thc re
OF the oden times; t l. not the democracy that JeHer
ION taught and that jackson defended II Is not tue
democracy that Iompkns ana wright anu marcy
preached and practicoh. The cardhal principles OF
tLer democracy was state rights STATE sovereignty
sovereignty, mark you not OF ne cry Du vi the state
No sir theories nave different ara more modern
origin There Is people 'ng nd On m s Di 'o S
notifies and a few years ago they tried thls one III
was at the time when they ceased 10 shout, Ftre Ia
,an,4 Well Sir, we all know what came Of that ex-
pertinent home rule the st1te was governed
10y the city, and how the city was governed ny the noD
how properly was declared 10 be robbery, and
how government meant plnnder ana tllIage:
examples IN State rights. There are better ana safer
ana sounder principles In our lstory Ior Us 10 Ioow.
IL II for the that this bill departs 100 Tar from
ths idea that deem II unwise IN prnelpe' dangerous
IN practice. -, . . -
Mr. Costigan-Will the gentleman point TO me prece
denI las he has SPOKEN O prccedent where tue Cover
nor required intervene IN the anrs oi any Otherr
clty than the CITY OF Newly
Mr.. seward-Mr Chalrman we have inst acted upon pom,
bill in regard county treasurets IAls was rural
bill, a I'D excludes the City 0! NewfO.k .
Mr.. Waehner-I cannot understand exactly the oil
time Democracy of my friend from New-YOrk Mr.
sewhro) In the first place, 10 assures US that tue
majority should rule Tbat Il very good Democratic
doctrine. He assures the majority should be respon-
sible. That is very good Democratic doctrine. But
,hen he tell hat tue great llS or new
York by so large q majority Democratic. should not
rule itself nor have exclusive control OF the manage
mept OF It's affairs which relate exclusively 10 the people
OF that city cannot understand democracy Of that
kind. And, Mr.. Chairman, when gentlemen WIN
calmly reflect upon the character OF the bill before
thu House. vhsu they viii trace the course Of isgis