Year: 1865

| tralia; we have built up an immense navy
and organized q tremendous and unconquera-


BILE army. 1t is time, then, that Europeans be-
came bewildered at our progress; and 1t may


be that by the 4th of next March peace shall
have been declared, and the united armies Of
the North and the South be joined under the
same banners prepared to vindicate the nations


honor and to propagate the principles of repub-
lican liberty all over the EARTH Peace may
come in night, as at Villa Franco; and let
foreign nations that have deserted us in this
our great struggle for national existence look
out for us upon the morrow, when we shall
again emerge from the dark clouds Of civil war,
great, prosperous, united and happy people.
How to Reform the City Governmcnt-A
Commissioner for tho Metropolis.


There are now before the Legislature bill
to create Metropolitan Fire Department and
bill to create Metropolitan Health Depart
ment These bills are important in themselves;
but they are still more important because they


suggest perfectly practical, immediate and
effective method Of reforming our city govern


ment. The Metropolitan Police Department


has given such general satisfaction that 1t is not
at all strange that our legislative reformers
should desire to extend that system to all Of
the other departments of the city. Should this
idea be carried cut New York and Brooklyn
will be controlled by variety of independent
boards or commissions; but as the depart


ments are so related to each other in the very
nature of things that these commissions cam
not possibly be completely independent we
should soon have the same wranglng, con-


fusion, disorder, inefllciency and corruption
which now distinguish this municipality. Be-
sides this, il cannot be denied that such an ex-


tension Of the system of separate commissions


would be obnoxious and unpopular. The Legis-


lature would govern the city entirely and TO this


our citizens would not willingly submit. Both


the State and the citizens of this metropolis


have great interests in New York and Brook


lyn; and although those interests are in many


respects identical, yet in other respects they


are decidedly diverse. Extremists upon both


sides have pushed their opinions to the utmost.


The Court of Appeals has just decided that the


city has no rights which the State is bound TO


respect, and especially that the city has no


right to ALLEVIATE any of its real estate, either


by sale or gift. The city rights men, on the


other hand, refuse to acknowledge the claims
of the State Legislature to interfere with our


municipal affairs in any manner whatsoever.


Now, is there no middle ground, between these


two extremes which will reconcile the opinions


of both the State and tho city champions, and


upon which all reasonable, intelligent men can


su nd Mat


have discovered it.


In every discussion it is we'll to return to


first principles. Tho first principles of our.


municipal government may be found In the


Dongan and Montgomery charter. Under that


charter the city enjoyed its golden age Then


officials were honest and Common Council


men respected. Then all the work was well
done and tho taxes were low. Then har-


mony prevailed and the city prospsred.


Studying that charter by the light OF


tho experience Of past years, we src


enabled to form o plan which ought to crafty


everybody, and to, which no sound objection


can be offered. Let the Legislature pass an


act by which the. Governor Is empowered to


.uyuinr Q Commissioners TOR yu0 metropolis Of
New York and Brooklyn, and lot that act pro-


vide that the people Of both cities shall elect


their Boards of Aldermen, as at present, and


the work will be thoroughly DONE Instead Of


q number of independent commissioners, some
appointed by the Legislature, some by the


Governor and some by the Mayor, we shall


then have single commissioner, who will ad-


minister our affairs, with ths assistance OF the


local boards. Brooklyn and New York will
then be under one general government. but
their local interests viii be attended to by the
Aldermen whom they elect The municipal
Mayor, who Is now q mere clerk and figure


head, will be superseded by metropolitan
commissioner, In whom all tho former powers
Of the Mayor can'be safely vested. 1t may be
made indispensable that this commissioner bc
a resident of one Of the two cities to be united
in the metropolitan district; but that, with the
other details, we leave with the Legislature.
It is certain, however, that no Governor would
appoint any but o. good man to this high posi-
ton, which would be worthy OF the am


btion of any citizen. Having such re-
sponsible person. rs commissioner, liable
to be removed by the Governor for cause, we
could trust him with the power to appoint ard
remove his subordi2ates, and If anything went
wrong we should know to whom to look for ahe


remedy. Thus our wrangles would be cSer;


the responsibility of our officials wouls be


at an end, and the metropolis would beswell


and chesply governed once more. Nothing


can be simplen than this plan, nothing more


feasible; and the moro it is discussed tisa' more
popular II will become.


In proposing TO unite New York sadG Brook
lyn TO form metropolitan district, i;awill be


observed, we are prop osing no new sang The
two cities are already united to fcsra metro


politsa. police district; and wo have yet to


hear anything like complaint upon that score
| fronaeither sidc OF the river. The same union