Year: 1859

,ther purpose than that which should animate all
good citizens and taxpayers.


We understand that gentlemen for whom we have
The highest respect and regard are engaged in this
If we show that their premises are IN.
founded and that their assumed facts are baseess
as the dream Of disordered Imagination they must
lay the fault at their own doors, not As faithful
journalists it is our duty to give utterance to our
convictions truthfuly We have ever done 80 on all
occasions and shall not fail to do so in this instance.


The CALL circular or appeal, given above starts out
with the proposition that certain citizens of New Or
leans are desirous Of redeeming the credit Of the
city and establishing reform in the management of
the government by securing for it an honorable, |
economical and prudent, though public spirited ad
ministration."


"Redeeming the credit of the city!" WE'LL that is
good From it stranger would infer that the credit
Of the city was at low lower than ever before
when the undeniabe facts and indisputable figures
show that the city "credt" was never, in all the
epochs of the history of New Orleans at honorable
and proud an elevation as it is now! Gentlemen
"independents," your first allegation of complaint
won't hold water for moment, because it is at va
rance with well known, incontrovertible truths


You want to establish a reform in the manage.
ment of the government" What " government do
you mean? What reform do you allude to? The
Common Council is, in reality like all deliberatve
bodies, the" government of this city. What grounds
of complaint exist against it? We should like to see
something tangible brought forward. We are weary
of generalities and unsustained assertons-general
ties and assertions not valuable the paper upon
which they are printed. The present Council, we
unhestatngy assert is the best take it all in all the
city has ever been blessed with. Some Of the first
merchants and largest property holders in town be.
long to it, legisate in it, and do the best they can for
their constituents Is itintended to reflect upon their
honorable escutcheons? We hope not and think not.
The only well based complaint we have known urged
against the Council, is that it has been too pru-
dent, too economical. J" and that in guarding the
interests of the people it has been guilty of over
much circumspection-that it has moved too slow.
If this be fault it leans to the right sde as all tax
payers will admit We have seen the Legislature of
the State vote away million of dollars in hour
and of all the millions of the Swamp Land Fund thus
voted away and reckessy squandered, it is doubtful
whether solitary monument will remain three weeks
hence! Would you, gentlemen, have the Municipal
Legislature follow the example of the State Legisa
ture? Think moment and you will say no-em-
phaticalIy no.


Then, what other reform v do you ask for? What
is it Where is it? We have shown that the Council
has been, if anything, too prudent" and "eco.
nomical," and we are sure that none of you will
say that the members thereof are not " honorable y
men. And. as your call gives nothing but asser-
tion to go upon, we will proceed to state few un
questionable facts Within the last four or five years
the municipal debt has been decreased between twelve
and fifteen hundred thousand dollars. 1t strikes US
this is reform which will prove quite palatable to
those who pay taxes The parallel to this fact cannot
be found in any large city in the Union. With cotem
porary cities the taxes enlarge while the public debt
grows greater. With us it has been different. This
we humbly suggest, is reform we all ought to be
proud Of and if Councils, like those of the past four
years. kept in power ten yearslonger the Crescent
City will be the only commercial mart on the western
hemisphere that is burthened with little or no public
debt Then again, the fact should not be lost sight
of that the taxes real estate in New Orleans for
the support of the city government proper, far
lighter than any the conederacy.
Consequently, very little reform can be reasona-
bly, asked for in this particular Further, under the
auspices of the present Common Council, more
square stone pavement has been contracted for than
under the auspices of ali previous Councils Is not
this a reform upon which every citizen should
congratulate himself? Assuredly it is. And, speak.
| ing Of pavements, reminds of the Streets The
streets have been in bad condition for long time.
But there is no avoiding that, with rainy weather and
cobble stone pavements. For the most part we have
cobble pavements, and we have had rainy weather
almost uninterruptedy for months With such pave
ments as we have, and with such weather as we have
had it is impossible to keep the streets in good order
But we will not dwell on this point. We presume no
man can be found in the limits of the corporation so
grossly ignorant to dispute the verify of this street
proposition.


Well then, we ask again, what "reform" is wanted
We have shown that the skirts of the Common Coun-
Gil are clear Is reform required in the office o
the City Treasurer? We trow not. We imagine the
man cannot be found in the city who will question
the honesty capacity and fidelity of Adam Gaen
No " reform being necessary in this department, WI
will pass to the Comptrollers Office. Who question:
the honesty of Thomas Theard ? Where is he, an,
who is he? We should like to see him. Now let u
go to to the Surveyors department. Is any "reform


needed there? Where is the man more honest, NOR


faithful to the responsible trusts conded to his kee,


ing than Louis H. Pile? Why, the city couldn't Fl


his place, if he should die to-day. Skilful, indu
trous and worthy, his department cannot be or


form ed. And, as for the Police department, it


universally admitted that it has never been manage


so well before. 1t might be improved, no doubt b,


there is little safety in spasmodic efforts to reform


well enough-at all events the best we have ever ha


Having controverted all probable objections, "


will now take up another point. The call we spea
of is il[timed and impractieable of operation Th
g administration of the city government cannt


be changed for more than one year. 1t is in offict


and cannot be removed from office. Hence, the NOV
ment in question is bound to be barren Of result