New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-10-06
GUARDIANS or TIE POLLS.

GJiRDi1NS Or HE EOLLc
If one were to affirm that the Governor, the
Mayor and two of the Police Commissioners
had entered into a conspiracy to remove the
safeguards which the law provides for ialr
| election and an honest count, dispasHona'e
observers would at least be forced 10 admi'
| that the conduct of these tunctionaIles gave
color of probability to the disgraceful charge.
| We reviewed the other day the steps 10y when
| Governor Robinson aud Mayor Cooper have
been trying ever since the beginning OF the
year to change the composition of the Police
Commission for the purpose OF giving the con-
troll of the election machinery to the faction
which they represent. This morning our news
columns detail the various tricks and smtty
devices by which the Mayor and his two Demo-
cratic appontees in the Board have under
taken, in the further prosecution of the same
scheme, to evade the processes of the SUI
preme Court. The Mayor mas passed a great
deal of his time since he came into Office III
the invention of "charges" against Police
Commissioners, and the initiation of proceed
ings for removal, which are abandoned almost
rs soon as they are begun. OF late these
abortive transactions have followed one an
other with a rapidity perplexing enough to the
public, and utterly ruinous to the mental
equilibrium of our worthy Mayor. llasty
action is not suited to Mr.. COOpcTs tempea-
ment Ii is sure 10 end in bother. He rises
every morning with an imperfect recol-
| lection Of what he ordered the Police
Commissioners to do overnight; and he
| is compelled to begin the business Of every
day by postponing hearing, or cancelling a
| notice All this comes of too much zeal IN
the service of a faction, too head.ong will
lingness to dodge mandamuses for the pleas
ure of Mr.. Tilden.
The whole Police Board Except Mr.. Wheeler,
who was protected by an order OF Court was
served with notice OF removal because of the
failure to appoint inspectors. But the ink was
hardly dry upon the papers when the General
Term decided that the course of the Repub-
ican Commissioners had been right and that
of the Democratic Commissioners wrong; so
that if the Mayor removed anybody on ac
count of the failure to appoint, he
must remove Messrs. MacLean and Nor
rison. and not Mr.. French. Hcreupon
Mr.. Cooper revoked the notice of removal
wishing no doubt that he had not been in such
a hurry, and having thought of IA fresh cause
of complaint against Mr.. French, he launched
at that gentleman alone another charge, to
VII, tnat ne llu ItIl IL intttlhS vi thc DOdlu
.'without permission," and summoned him to
appear for trial the next day. If absence
without leave was a crime, that crime had
been committed Ivy Messrs. MacLean and Nor
rison, too but the Supreme Court deprived
lis of the opportunity of finding out how the
Mayor would discriminate between the
cases. For Judge Davis declared that in the
face of the orders of the Court the Mayors
threatened action would be cOntemptuOus,
indecorous subversiOn of all law, and a
proper matter for the issue of an injunction.
Mr.. Cooper dessted. The trial of Mr.. French
was postponed; and if the Mayor can find
time to collect himself before Wednesday we
shall probably never hear of the charge again.
In the meanwhile the Democratic Police
Commissioners have played their part in the
business with quite as much energy as the
Mayor. and with more adroitness. The trick
concealed under the extraordinary nomination
by Mr.. MacLeau of Tammauy men who would
not serve. and would he useless if they did,
is now explained. If they refuse to serve,
the Commissioner who named them will
have power under the Election Law to
appoint others IN their place without
the concurrence of his colleagues. The game
was played further on Saturday when num-
Der of active members of the Tammany Gen
eral Committee were named as inspectors i'll
the evident belief that they had important
work to do out of doors on election day, and
could not be spared for service inside the
polling places and so that there would
he vacancies" which Mr.. MacLean or Mr..
Morrison would have the sole right of filing.
Through what scenes of wrangling,
and recrmination. and chicanery the guar
dams of public order reached this dis
reputable situation our readers do not
need to be reminded. Decent citizens,
who ask only for fair and quiet election.
Will not soon forget the events of last week
nor will they forget that these outrages were
committed by faction which is determined
that under no circumstances shall The ma
jority Of the Democratic voters of this city
enjoy the privilege which the law accords
them of naming inspectors 90 see fair play
at the polls.
THE PUBLIC DEBT