The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-01-13
MAYOR wIcKHAM CONFUSED.
To-day to Decide Whether Ftz John Porter
is 10 BE- lIis Own snecesaor.


The Aldermen win decide today wheth or
Geo. rtcr shall be confirmed as Commissioner
OF Pa lc Works. petition signed by Mr. Au-
gust belmont aud Id other gentlemen, urgr z
tn Generals confirmation. vii he presented to
the Board inere /. littlo doubt. however, that
the Aldermen will adopt their committees ro.
port recommending that he be rciected. 1t +
believed that not more than three Aldermen
viii vote for las confirmation. Several roliti-
ctans sat In room In the CITY Hall. Yesterday.
discussing the Al1cumen's decision and the
MAYORS probable action should Gen. Porter DE
rejected. The Aldermen could not do "A wiser
thing than to reject Gen. Porter" said one
" lie cut down the iAOorors wages, and that act
defeated Tammany And now he and his
friends have the cheek To ask rammany Alder
men to consent TO his rcapnolntment. Whv
those men who petiti0ncd the committee to
recommend his confirmation are the sort OF
Democrats who vote the ticket only when it
suits them. rhev are no good TO the party, and
! am glad that the committee had the nerve to
stand out against them.
haired and the swallow-talled Democrats" said
another, ." and for the FIRST time since Wickhain
has been Mavor the short haired fellows are 20
ing to win. The Aldermen told the Mayor tht
they would not confirm Gen. Porter. The Mayor
did not heed them. but sent in the Generals
name The Aldermen cant 60 back on their
word. They must reject him..
All sorts " rdmOrs prevailed during the dav
1t was said that the Mayor would Withdraw the
nomination to-day II the Aldermen would pass
a resolution thanking Gen. Porter for his uni
form courtesy to them, ana commencing his
administration of the Department OF Public
Works. Later IL was ascertained that the Alder
man would not consent to nass such resolutions.
and that Gen. Porter would not consent to have
his name Withdrawn. 1t WAS also rImured that
Gen. Baldy" smith was - bc nominated Tor
Commissioner ot Public Works and that his place
la tue Police Board was To- bo nlied by Gen. pOr-
ter. who would be appointed under the law that
authorizes the Mayor to appoint To- V.c1uci,s
created 10y ANY cause other than expiration Of
term without the AlIermtn's consent. An eX-
Senatut's assertion that both the Mayor and
John Kelly Vi-h tic ClmmIs-iI ucr ~ puhic
Works to be an engineer, ana the tact that Cen.
smith Was an cactr 81 tu-incti- ~ tho army,
give some Cnior to this rumur.
An Alderman SAID llst evening that the Mayor
Nuult nos take Cen. smith from tue Police
Board. "Ihcar. however" he continued, " that
lac intends tp nominate a man for Commissioner
Of Public works who will be confirmed by the
luuuauN Aldermen. AMI then having procured
tDr under tue law providing for the n.lng Of
vacancies.
4 gentleman thoroughly conversant with the
laws affecting this city, siya that CEN Porter
may RENAL Ia uilice aus long as the Mayor wishes
To- retain INN, even though lie shOuld be re IL T.
slys he, that the Commissioner of Public
W urks shall hold Ohico fos fOuryCars. and until
biz successor l. at goiufed.' There H. no ufO-
vision In tue charter that compels the Mayor TO
make a sec lud nomination II his fret nominee
Is rlectei IVY the Aldermen. Therefore, al
though Gen. Porter may lie rejected. ne y IL
hold over until his successor h appointed. And
the Mayor may 'ep him In uire Until the e1-
rirntiJn NJ MS UWn term, by sluuly refusing 80
make another nomination.