Year: 1874

The effect of the laws passed by the Legisla-
ture relating to the government of the oity is
anxiously discussed by the politicians on both
sides Of the fence. The republicans thought
to gain additional strength from the measures
pushed through towards the close Of the ses-
sion, while the democrats hoped to make cap
ital by denouncing the "partisanship" of their
opponents and taking upon themselves the
character of martyrs As if democratic
Legislature has not always made and would
not again make every possible effort to
strengthen the party by special legislation at
the expense of the people! The result,
however, will not be SO important one way or
the other as may have been expected or hoped.
The stupidity and incapacity of the republi-
can majority at Albany and OF the lobby
boobies by whom that majority was
run have deprived the partisan laws they
passed of all real value, while the eccentric
course of our venerable municipal figurehead
renders it doubtful what use he may make of
his new power. The one thing certain in the
midst of the confusion is that the republican
leaders build all their hopes of success in the
next municipal contest upon q division in the
democratic ranks growing out of the dis
satisfaction manifested with the iron rule of
the Tammany chiefs. But these hopes rest
upon a foundation of sand. The democratic
masses have been humbugged by their
leaders long enough, and find rs the result
nothing but the loss of the loaves and
fishes. Hence the probability is that they
will pocket their differences of opinion before
the day of election comes round, and be
found wheeling into line to the sound
of the Tammany music when the polls
are opened. It is unlikely that there will be
more than two municipal tickets in the field
one that bestowed upon the democracy by
Sachem John Kelly and his associate braves,
and the other the republican reform con-
glomeration to which we are indebted for
Mayor Havemeyer, Comptroller Green,
$39, 100000 annual taxation, s136, 900, 600
debt and the general decay and stagnahon Of
the city.


It is very certain that the people are heartily
sick Of this sort of reform" Two years of
its administration will drive of oil its honest
supporters, and, while it will receive the
addition of Mr.. Michael Norton, Mr.. Andy
Garvey and few other reformed individuals,
it will never again possess one-half the strength
it displayed in 1874 It is doubtful whether
the special Legislation designed to strengthen
the combination will be in any degree bene-
fetal to it No person can predict what fight
the venerable Mr.. Havemeyer will next in
dulge in, and he is just as likely to appoint
rousing democrat to the now vacant Police
Commissionership as to bestow it upon the
highly respectable ex-Judge Rowland, who
has no knowledge of the police business, and
would be mere cipher in the Board, or upon
the sharp and wiry politician, Davenport.
Hence we see but little prospect of the success
of another attempt to impose upon the people
of New York with the reform cheat.
When we review the deplorable history of the
city government for the past eighteen months
we cannot but rejoice that the dishonest char
acter of the combination which made Mr..
Havemeyer Mayor is SO fully exposed, and
that the reign of deception and incapacity is
likely to be speedily brought to close.


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