Year: 1871

Few Words OF Advice TO the Conm'i-


tee Of Seventy md Deputy Comptroller


Green.


We have few words of advice for Deputy


Comptroller Green and the Committee Of Sew


enty, to which we seriously advise them to


give their earnest attention, instead of suffer-


ing themselves to be influenced or guided by


the suggestions of political adventurers who


desire to turn the present reform movement to


their own selfish purposes, or by the silly


vaporings Of English journalists who know


nothing about Americans or American institu-


tions. In carrying out the efforts to secure
municipal reformation two points should be


borne steadily In mind-drst, that every step


taken by the friends of honest government


must be in strict conformity with the law;


and, secondly, that in rectifyiug past abuses


the present interests and the future prosperity


Of the city must not be made to suffer. New
York is law-abiding city and has reputa-
tion for order and high civilization upon which
no stain must be allowed to rest. Time and


again the great metropolis Of the Western
| Continent has proved her readiness and her


power to crush out with strong


arm the first attempt to plunge her into
anarchy; and promptings calculated to lead


to such deplorable evil can only emanate
from the most reckless Of political rowdies or
from foreigners who are educated in the belief
that republic is only another name for law
lessness and rufianism. The citizens Of New
York are mainly sensible business men, and
they can readily detect the difference between
an honest desire to expose and punish official
misconduct and disingenuous effort to en-
barrass and cripple the government for politi-
cal purposes.


| There are only two methods by which our
present municipal administration can be legal


ly changed, short Of voluntary resignation or
| the expiration of the several terms of office
! the one by impeachment Of the Mayor and


heads Of departments as provided by the law;


the other by legislative action. The Repub-
| lican State Convention declared its opposition
| to official corruption in general terms, although


it unfortunately failed to denounce those men,


bers Of its own party who have been bought
| up like cattle in Albany, session after session,


by the New York democratic leaders. The
| Democratic State Convention virtually turned


out the New York delegates, denounced the
| depravity Of the city government, struck
fatal blow at the organization of Tammany,
and laid down practical plan for q complete
| remodelling Of our municipal laws and admin
| istration. It is certain, therefore, that the
| next State Legislature must perforce bestow
upon New York the entire and sweeping reform
she SO much needs; for, whatever party may
be successful in the election, the members of
the next Senate and Assembly dare not refuse
to enact the laws necessary to secure that
result, and the Governor is not likely to veto
such measure. The Committee Of Seventy
appears to have given up all idea Of attempt
| ing to solve our present difficulties by the i'm


peachment Of the city officers. Indeed, the


slow process OF the courts and the ample oppor-
| tunities afforded to a defendant to delay a


Judgment, would preclude the hope Of reaching
| result until after the commencement of the
| next legislative session. The stupid buster
| ing of the English-edited Times about an effort


to get rid of Comptroller Connolly by impeach-
| ment before the election Of next month is, OF
course, the result of an Englishman's igno-
rance Of oar laws and customs. 1t seems GER
tain, therefore, that we must wait and hope
for the relief to be extended to US
from Albany, when, with new and effective
charter, placing power and responsibility
where it belongs, in the chief executive
| officer Of the city, who is himself directly
| accountable to the electors, the citizens of


New York will enjoy the opportunity to pass


their own verdict upon the conduct of their


present rulers. There is no other legal road


to the end sought to be accomplished by the
| Committee of Seventy, and hence there is no
other it can safely pursue.


What is to be done in the meantime with the
city government The politicians and the
partisan press are urging Deputy Comptroller
Green to withhold all appropriations from the
public departments until after election. They
believe that by throwing men out Of work, by
| stopping contracts, by turning Park police
men adrift, by crippling the Fire Department,
| the Health Board the Croton Board, and by


disseminating all park, boulevard, avenue and


street improvements they can deprive Tam


many of votes and elect themselves and their
! friends to Office. Now we warn DEPUTY
| Comptroller Green and the Committee of


Seventy that this is both an unwse and dan
| gerous course to pursue. The people did not


enter upon this reform movement as parti-
sans, and they care no more for one political


faction than for another in carrying out


the end they have In view. They


desire to stop all improper expenditure and oil


dishonest application Of the public money;


but they do not desire nor will they suffer


scheming politicians to compass the stoppage


of the wheels of government, the injury of