Year: 1866

fho NTseeoVcr.anesst or t4Ae EitY-mastete


Drifting yntS InexirAcabls Confusion.


The patience with which tho citizens Of New


York submit to The present msnanagenent OF


municipal affairs is most extraordinary. There


has been enough corruption, piundering and


other species OF rascality pIsctised in various
departments of the city government during the
past few years to arouse revolutionary feel
ing among almost any other people on the iacc
of the earth. The shameful violations Of con-


tracts, by which the city bns been robbed Of
millions, as can be witnessed ia the new Court


House, Harlem bridge and other nefarious
jobs, are notorious Committees OF investiga-
tion have been appointed; but they are worse
than useless, for, ten chances to one, no com


mittee of examination upon any charge or
peculation can be raised within the purleus OF
the City Hall that does not contain persons
who have more or less interest in the corrup-
tions they are expected to expose. Most glar-
ing instances Of fraud are whitcwashed with
unbiushing effrontery; SO that the bare propo-
sal to raise committee to investigate clear
case of official corruption or wilul violation
Of contract Is regarded by our respectable
citizens and taxpayers rs but another scheme
to pile on the expense of carrying on the city
government


Although the last Legislature undertook to
institute some reforms in the management OF
our municipal affairs they are at this time in
worse muddle and more inextricable state of
confusion than ever. They are getting worse
and worse every day. The Governor was au-
thorized to appoint commission to make a
thorough examination into the affairs OF certain
city departments and report accordingly but
he has not yet done so, nor does there seem TO
be any likelihood of his doing so Immediately.
The Legislature first gave us paid Fire Depart.
ment, and blundered by not making the change
from the popular volunteer system gradual,
instead of precipitating upon us new and un-
tried plan for the extinguishment oi fires. The
consequence is there is q muddle in the Fire De-
partment. 1t gave us q Board of Health,
through which, no doubt, much good has been
accomplished in abating nuisances and keep
ing the city clean and healthy; yet the Board
is restrained by an injunction from the courts
from carrying out an important feature in sani-
tary reform, that in relation to quarantine.
Here is another muddle. The Legislature gave
us an Excise Board, from which great things
were expected in the way Of a temperance
reformation. But after the Board had realized
over million Of dollars from liquor
dealers for licenses, the courts have
declared the law unconstitutional and
issued injunctions protecting dealers from the
interference of the police; the Recorder and
Police Justices will not hear complaints on
account of violations of the law and the Grand
Jury has been instructed not to entertain CON-
plants. Here is the worst muddle Of the lot,
for now intemperance will thrive more luxuri-
antly than ever. No liquor dealer, respectable
or degraded, is now responsible fer the
sale of liquors, and o reign Of drunken
ness and vice is, for the present, or
until the Court of Appeals decides upon
the constitutionality of the act, practically
inaugurated Taking all these things to.
gether, the fact is clear as the sun at MONDAY
that our municipal government is in most
wretched, corrupt and dangerous condition.
One department works against the other, and
they all labor for the depletion of the public
treasury, and, as necessary consequence, the
augmentation Of our already enormous tax
bills. These evils must be corrected, or before
long the burdens Of our local government will
become too intolerable to be borne, and
sweeping and radical change will be necessary.
This can best be done by the Legislature ap-
pointing Supreme Commission to control the
affairs Of the city, Supervising Board that
shall have power to supervise the Supervisors
and scrutinize with penetrating eye the cor
rupt jobs that are continually sprlnging up in
the several departments. This board should
have authority to direct as we'll as investigate,
and to punish, by summary removal or other
wise al officials found guilty Of betraying their
trusts. When this il done we may look for
some honesty and practical reform in the man.
sgement Of our municipal affairs.