New-York tribune., 1877-05-04

regulate the business OF the cnipoidl'oh' P'"-
tcct The taxpayers against spoliation, ana pro-
vide for the efficient policing of the city,
None of the fourteen Republican Senators VINO
met IN caucus to determine whether they
should pass this charter that Tweed presented
TO them were residents of New-York City, had
apv concern in its municipal affairs, or ap-
parcntIy understood its wants. And when the
question was put to them they did not exam
inc the provisions of the bill, but'
as Mr.. WOOdin says, they procecded
to L" consider what advantages they might
gain by supporting it," The Democrats
offered them a miscellaneous lot of induce
ments, including an Election law, which they
undertook to alter the very next year. Mi.
Tweed also promised to let alone the Canal
Auditor and the Superintendent OF the Syra-
cuse Salt Springs. In pursuance OF TINS par
gain Mr.. Woodin himself calls it bargain
the Republican Senators, with the single cx-
ception of Mr.. Francis S. Thayer, agreed 10
give Tweed his charter and the stupendouS
robberies by the Tammauy Ring were the I'M
mediate result.
Thus the rural Republicans at Albany de-
liberately sold the City OF Newly ork to lWeeo
Sweenv. Connolly, and Hall, for such politi-
cal advantages as they were able to secure
from the libc1ality of the purchasers, ana the
chief parties to the trade explain the trallsac-
ton without an apparent suspicion thaU lheIe
was ANYTHING Objectionable about 1t. Ihcre
was absolutely no consideration OF the queS-
tion whether il was such chafter rs
tbe CITY needed or was merely scheme
for plunder But when Tweed pulled the bill
ont of his pocket and asked the Republican
Senators to oblige him by passing it, they
answered. Gan right; what will you pay p
So far as the City of NewYork is concerned
it makes no difference whether he paid IN
cash or paid in kind Either way the bargain
was an outrage upon self government and
municipal rights, and it is rather dishearton-
ing to have to beg for charter reform at the
hands of men who have so little idea as these
Albany legislators seem to be blessed with OF
the very first principles of a sound municipal
government.
One set of politicians at the capital have
regarded the metropolis as mere treasury OF
votes and taxes, to be pilaged by Tammany
Hall. Another set have treated our city char
tcrs as devices to hamper the operations OF
the Democracy or else to secure certain advan-
ldSeS lOI illt htpublItdh phiIJ III ''''''''N
parts of the State. Between the two we have
been loaded with debt and crushed with
taxes, and government has been fastened
upon us which is a disgrace to the age we
live in. The new measures just passed
at Albany may give us partial re-
lief from some specific evils; but
there will be no permanent and thorough
reform until we make a fundamental change
in the whole system of city government, and
take away from country Soions who never saw
large city the right Of determining whether
we shall have street railway or not, how
much of cur own money we shall spend for
cleaning our own premises, how many servants
we shall keep, and what we shall pay them
Some day or other, if things hold together
this change viii probably come; and then We
or our descendants, will look back in aston
ishment at these evil days and wonder at the
stupid patience of the great metropolis which
submitted to be sold over and over again by
people who did not own so much as a square
foot of il,