The New York Herald Newspaper, March 7, 1853, Page 2

louse.) ther we are soft shell. (Laughter) a neutral ground. (A) lice? Why, with al h more crime committed in the streets of New York in any city in existence. I speak what I speak | knowing what I say. There are many able men among the police of New York, and there are a3 good mate! als for a police in this city, asin that of any city of the world; but let os take care in the | ae of ovr men, and if we do that, we shall | make New York too hot for the felons, rowdies and bourebreakers who now infest it. Take up the mor- ning papers, and read for the last six months, and what will you find almost every night? Why, cases of stabbing, shooting, or slung shot. In regard to the Common Council, I do not mean to cast any de- nunciations upon that body, for I am happy to say | that it contains many highly correct and honorable | men. Therefore I will be the last, at one fell swoop | to denounce that body of men who have been | Placed in power; but where they have erred, I | will call facts by their right names, and will | not shrink from doing so. (Loud applause.) | Now, | don’t intend to speak of corruption; this is not the time nor the place. It would be bad taste in | me if | were to individualize names or transactions. | I therefore am speaking of imprudence, of fa- | voritixm, of indiscretion. And what says your | Comptroller? That they have broken down the | barriers the charter has placed against acts of vio- | Jation—they have done that indirectly which they | had not the power todo directly—in a word, our | money has been squandered and wasted. I say no | more. It is not tor me to condemn; but if our public | money has been squandered and wasted, in our- | selves lies the remedy. What is the coi uence? | Why, around the City Hall, around the meetings of | Common Council, you see @ body of leeches and bloodsuckers preying upon the very vitals of ur city. Inevertmove among them that! do not | 1 the atmosphere tainted. It is true—no exagge- ration of mine—no work of fancy. There are men who | (Loud app! no matter whe ‘e all meet here upon lause.) Well, what are the eir care and vigilance, there have grown rich and fat upon the public treasury, and it is high time for you to stop it. What is the effect of this? The city of New York at this day, imstead of 525,000 persons, would have rach ‘ne more. What has driven them away? taxation. Look at the splendid city of | klyn, now extending almost as long as eur own city. Look at Williamsburg, making & phalanx of houses for miles, Look at Jer- sey City and Hoboken, and then go just beyond the boundaries of the city of New York—beyond the ju- | risdiction of the Common Council—and ‘ind another | New York springing up there. How came that city upon the right and these growing cities on the left— and why is Westchester county growing into cities? You have driven the people away by unjust tax 0. The mechanic cannot live in it—the shoemaker, the carpeuter, the smith take up their beds and find a more congenial place for them. (Laugh- ter and applause.) And if this is not stopped, the evil will be increased tenfold, and men who transact their business in New York go to the neigh- boring cities to avoid this taxation. Lf we cannot win back those who have goue, we must take every means to prevent those who remain from following them. Now, to counteract these evils, we must rea- sou together. ‘The remedies are very simple—they are in your own hands, and you, the people, are the sovereigns—I behold before me a vast concourse of kings. Why, all you have to do ts to will it, and you will do it. There is no despotism here to oppress you—no pore that can cripple iad energies, or trammel your will—all you have to do is by your will to make a revolution more pow- erfui than that gained at the caznon’s mouth. What shall we do? One thing is essentially necessary— that we separate our municipal and political elections | eo that they shall be held at different times, and under different auspices. There is no difficulty at all ‘im this matter—not the least. Go to the Legislature | and knock at the door of the capitol till they hear you, and they will grant the law you ask. Why dol Say separate your political from your municipal elec- tion? Becaure the oue is lost and swallowed up in the other. I have no doubt I am addressing man: expert politicians; I have no doubt that within the reach of my voice there are men who have pulled the wires of party. 1 have little experience in it, but 3 Ithink I have enough to know, and I appeal to them | to bear witness to the truth of what I say. You have to elect a list of names of the Fediral and State officers as long as your arm with your municipal officers, and as they are all together you cannot seratch— you have not the time to scratch; and if you had, what good does it do you? Then there are bar- — made even on the very morning of the election. mie party says,to the other, “ You give us our Congreseiuen and we will give you the Aldermen Do i spevk the troth, or do Lnot?” (Cries of , yer, you do.) There are the Aldermen aad Assist- ants, made the objects of bargain and sale, and they are old and thrown in to make wei: (Langhter and applavse.) And many aman, when the sun oes Gown, when he thought he had no chance ot eing clected, is made an alderman by a hocus pocus political bargain. I tell you how the Aldermen and Assista:ts are carried in—upon the back of a popu- | Council, and no o1 toed should become, % lar President, Governor, or Congressinan§ Th sae inane ae ene re ahpgtel A OE Will ind thet‘all being placed upon the one ticker | mrubere dlected (0 exch branch of the Common Counc follow party, like a flock of sheep, 2nd when the | thatthe Police Departnent should be so organized as President or Governor leads off. we don’t care much about an alderman bringing up the rear. (Laughter.) Dow, theo, if we can have this cha in the elec- tion, we will lave no political juggling. Then an alderman will be compelled to ride into power upon his own merits, and noton the backs of others. Now, T ask, why should politics enter into our city govern- ment? [have no objections to party upon a grand seale; your Presidential elections should be one of the highest party character t why should party enter into the lists in your municipalelections? Tsay with Jefferson, for muni: | government “weareall whigs all democrats.’ What is it to me that if we are all | wud down by taxation, the men of my own party y the burden upon me? What is it to me that the ‘man who has been placed at the head of the flnancial department is a whig or a democrat, so long as he fulfils his trust faithfully? What is it to me whether the man who has been placed at the head of the na- tion is a whig or a democrat, so long as he has the ple’s confidence? (Applause.) Therefore, I say, Fe hs sacrifice our Heed organization and predilec- tions, or party prejudices, in this important matter. Now, gentlemen. [ agree with the address. Begin at once—bevin this spring—let not another year roll by without putting the members of “our Common Council to @f the people. Therefore, when you go to the Legislature to ask them to change your election from the fall to the spring, begin this very ring; and it is due to the Aldermen and Assistants t they should again come before the people, and pass the ordeal—that is a better Pah Jory._ane fo ooh grand inquest. (Applaase.) Give the Al- en the chance of again going before the people. Let them call upon the people to put them again in their ajdermanic chairs, and when they vote they will seperate the sheep from the goats. (Laaghter.) In fact,it has been said that there may be trials of | gome persons in our city, and would it be decorous . er proper that they should sit in judgment upon | themseives? (Cries of ‘no, no,” and applanse.) | Wonld it be right if there wasachance of tieir being on the public tribunal? Had they not better | be tried ty men elected by the people? The charter says that the board of assistants alone can impeach, | and the board of aldermen alone try; and, therefore, all they have to do is to fold their arms, and no man is impeached and no man tried. It therefore strikes me, that in justice to the honorable portion of the Common Council, azainst whom the voice of suspi- cio, has never been raised, that the whole body shot ld make their appea! to the people, and the peo- He, Lhave no doubt, will be able to discriminate, he second change you shall ask for is, to make your districts of different magnitudes. I like to give # reason for everything I aay. Why do I say this’ For this reason:—The same political {ogslery. the some bargaining and sale, the same interests that neminate the aldermen, nominate the assistants. There is one of each in every ward; and when the alderman is elected by the same in terests and influence:—when he votes “ayo,’ Yow, there- | *, and your his assistant generally enya ‘ amen.” fore, have your distrite of different y boards of different members—let the people, if they | will, have as many assistants aa they want—let them | phoney do their worst, as long aa yon have a board | re this petty code cannot take place. You will have ® body of men dissimilar in interest and feel- tng. As you now have it, the Alderman and hia | Assistants are like the Siamese twins—they are | born together—(laughter)—they are brought up | together, they are nursed together, they think and feel alike, their pulses beat in harmony and whire are they born—where? Go just or primary meetings—for I have been there, | and I have seen the twins bora. (Renewed langh- | ter.) [I have been present at the birth. And where are they born? In a corner fropeery. (Laughter | and applause.) Ina place where respectable men | ought not to be seen. Will you allow me to give you | Fy crperenes at the birth? I waa present in the | ghteenth ward. I wont there one agit —T roused my neighbors, and wo went with a powerfal force, in — to vote in the primary meeting. It was about Fpast nine o'clock befre the meeting was | qalled to order; I saw a great many wen @rinking 9 great many drinks. vaughter.) Final- when tl had “don Bie the fuk = drinking, oa. dropped 5 ive next | may “no,” and so we said eyes,” —o in a and he | Lop omng was then that @ lee and th tho apbointed to nominate charter | by the arose a3 to whoshonld . Well, I smelt be Td anervoets, fr tbe men | prevai the test of the suffrages | nominated were contractors, would-be policemen, ragamoffin politicians. Then it was moved to Bate these men; but before doing so, they counted our numbers, and that we were in rity, they sent out for some of their own party to counterbalance us. While talking of primary meet- ings, | think I may eay that the carmen gave the merchants a little in the resolutions passed at their meeeting. They gave them - advice when they said they should also attend e primary meetings. It was an excellent advice, | and worthy to be followed. The third proposition we recommend, is to strengthen the Mayor's veto, taking the example of our geueral government, the head of which always acts as acheck upon hasty or improper legislation in Congress. If the President vetoes a bill, it requires a two third vote to pass it; but by some hocus pocus juggling in our municipal legislation, it goes back to the two boards, and they can pass it by the same vote—in other words, the veto power is a perfect mockery. Now, we must strengthen the veto of the Mayor so that it will re- quire two thirds to defeat it. (Applause.) The last remedy is this—confine your Common Council to legislation. (Tremendous baits 2 There is the rovt of the evil; as long as the: ve offices to ap- point, and power to dispose of them, you always will have a burgain for contracts between those who want, and those who have the power to grant them. Strip them of power, let them stand onl tors, and then the rats will desert the sinking ship— then you will have no contractors. 1 admire their fat looks—moving around the would-be Alderman in his arbit, the would-be policemen saying to the Alder- | man, “ we will make you Alderman, and you will make us policemen.” “Pluck off his feathers—make him a mere legisiator—and be will stand, freed from rowdies, contractors, and policemen, solitary and alone. (Applaure.) Then your aldermen will be what they should be, worthy to represent the Em- pire city.” Then men will not seek the office, but the office will seek the man. When that is the case, you will have men of standiug and of respectability to serve the public for nothing, and who will not pick at the public crib under iprersoce of serving the pub- lic interest. Well, my triends, what are you? Do ‘ou know what you are? Allow me to tell you. You lave the high privilege of diviog in a city inion of interest and importance second to none. Tyre and Sidon, of the ancient world, never had a commerce or a fleet equal to yours. You have a mighty city and | d,and, mark me—* there is no While the bk mith is making its interests t such word as L his anvil ring, the shoemaker striking his last, let them reason together, and let them say, that we, the people, will and shail have a municipal government | equal to any apon the face of the earth, aud you will haveit. The people are al ys sufe—the peop!e are al- ways sound, but the difficulty is to get at ihe people. The politicians have reared up a@ partition wall be- tween them, and it is sometimes dillicuit to overleap it. ut 1 think now the wall is being batteredjdowa. think we have here some thousands of the people, and when you go home teil your neighbors what you have heard and seen to-night, and what you mean to do, and ask them to join you hand in hand, and march in solid body to the Legislature demand that the eof the people Lask you to make a revolution this nij tory to that which shall take place in A —not by the cannon, the musket which no father shall be arrayed against hi brother against brother, but in which the battle shall be fought manfully and bravely throngh boxes. You waut no banner but self-interest. I tell you the people are coming. I tell you Ihave leard murmurings and mutterings at a dis- tance, and something like the ramble of distant | thunder. I have seen the dark cloud gatier and roll and rcll, and the thunder speak louder and louder, and | knew it was'the coming of the voice of the ecple; and now that thender cloud is about to reak, and the thunder-clap will come upon your rulers. Mr. Gerard here resumed his seat amid repeated applause. Loud calls were then made for Mr. Henry Erben, foreman of the late Grand Jury, by whom the famous presentment was made; but although he was in the hall be did not make his appearance. When the noise had subsided the following resolutions were 3 af her eonriceratic integrity and ecouomy in the adininistration of public af fairs, therefore— Kesolved, That the legislative, judicial and exeestive departments of the city government should be kept se: parate and inceperdent of each other in all resveets, and that in each department the principle of responsibi- lity tothe people ought to be made as direct and effee- tive as possivle Resolved, 1. That the legislative power should be vost e4 in a Common Couneil. consisting of two branches, un equal in the pumber cf their members, representing dif. ferent cins‘ituencies, and holding office for npeqnal terms; that the members of the smaller body should go out by classes, and that the more popular branch should be £6 numerous as to make each member dircetly and immediately responsible to his own constituents. 2. That Juaicial powers should be exercised exclusively by per ton- elected for that special offce and forthat alone. 3 That che executive power should be vested in the Mayor heads of de;ariments police. That vss \ thonld have veto nactments of the Co: permanently io secure integrity, stability, and the bi est degree of efiicieney in its ieal operation Rerolved, That uo expenditure of public money should be allowed,’ard ro debt or liability of amy kind incurred, unless it be first authorized by a specific law and that | full provis'on should be made for carefully aadiving the s of public officers That the Revised Stat should be 0 uiake members ef eity governments in in courts of law for bribe feasavce in office. Fesolved. That the election for city officers should be beld ai a differ from that appointed for electing officers of the National governments. Resolved, That dgment of this meeting, many of the evils which ave now experienced in our city govern ment are due to the » litteal parties coven at prim from the violence and corruption #h from that system, in the cl recommended te the precti neous nciinations, which in other in regard to offices of every grade. ved, That she foliowing persons be appointed a ruption, ‘ary and sponta ke: ¢omm State Legislature sueh amendments to as shull maise it comform to the principie objects, set forin In the foregoing reso! secure a provision for submitting such an the Legislature may adopt, at the earliest ment, to the vote of the peop! ty charter idle mo and for enabling the new officers who nay be elected in accordance with them, to enter upon the disch: Tuesday in May next, COMMITTEN O% UMGILATION AID REFORM Moves Taylor, William M. Prichard, Benjcmia R. Winthrop, George B. Butler, James Boorman, Judge Joba 1 Eenjamin F. Butler, Peter Cooper, Fraveis F. Marbury, Martin R. Zabriskie, Aaron 0. Vanderposl, Menry Grinnell, je M.Quackenbora, William }!. Hoople, arge of their duties by the first Thomas Suifern, John Harpe Francie Berritt, William Chaunoey, Wm. Whitlocic, Jr., Burtis Skidmore, Josbua J. Henry, T.0. Le Roy, Edgar Ketehum, Abner Bartlett, finon Baldwin, Thomas B. stitiman, same Adrinnee. Richard A. Reding, James W. Gerad, Wiliam 3. Conely, Alfred Pet Henry Erven Willard L. Felt, ‘Thomas R. Whitmsy, H. Stege, Trane H. Bailey, Daniel Her tus C. Benedict, Stephen Henderson Ridley, dames Lao, rles G. Havens Mr. Bend. F. Bur.er next addressed the meeting They had not come here, he said, for the purpose of discussing the conduet of individuals, or to expose themreives to the charge of prejudicing any man, or interfering with the action of the courts of justice. | It is true things bave come to the knowledge’ of the city which have made the public ears to tingle and the public face to be suffused with shame. If these individnals were innocent, they would be carried to a safe haven, and those who would be found guilty | will soon be forgotten; but the affect of this move. ment will be salutary and permanent. The object for which they met together was not personal or individual, or temporary or wansient, but an object which would be a permanent one. It is the fair faune of thie metropoliz—it ia the cause of free govern- ment aud of representative democracy everywhere. ‘The grentest of necessities to society is good govern- ment; and this city is entitled to a good municipal govervment. There is an worth in the people which confidence in the cspacit; to remedy these avils, is not diminished one jot or tittle. Inthe midst of every thing which has been caletlated to arouse pular indignation, there are moy things which give an augury of a good ise to is movement for municipal reform. If the char- ter had been entirely free from evil, then indeed our Condition would be almost hopeless, for we could look for no remedy in the reform of the charter. But the evil hed come upon the city, because, through the in- attention of the poaple of ‘the city, through political almses, and through other defects, there m8 been a road opened to the evils we now anffer under, deserve of the it, Mf, people , But the remedy is easy, Hf the resoluti: a ight are followed if the people will stmt ke nee elective duties, and secure potter sent sheit interesta. tae ae Better mon, the pXeaent charter, would procure Sank coe ernment. To show how mush might be ion in the selection of goed men, he wend int to the benefite which had been conferred on the cit within e few months, by the administration of theft | rerent Com (Cheers.) Notwithstanding ir institations are » yet if the groat mass of the iat ent of this city would attend to this matter, they might have form immediately. The sere has broken out; it o— worse and worse, and now it has eome toa , and public ‘attention is directed to it, aad he boped that i would ae legisla- | is son, or r, ballot | The government of the eity of New York, in m of the vast material and moral interosts ecmmitted to its care sbould be provided with all those checks end guards which are found essential, in both our national and State constitutions, to the preservation of y wcetings; and that in order to escape a seem inseparable officers, resort is 3 of the Union Lee, with power to fill vacancies, to solicit from the tain the inteligence and a be so probed, and the 80 eradication would be complete. He however, remind them tbat whatever banner they might erect agataaimmmgrectice in municipal govern- ment—whatever new laws they might establish against fraud and corruption, they must not think that the remedy was all in that: All true reform must begin with the people themselves ; ter must see that the proper pereons are elected. ‘There never was @ truer sentence uttered in the world | than “eternal vigilance is the price of liberty;” and | so itis. He proposed, however, that the Common | Council should meet iu the day time, and should be | aid a per diem allowance, just as the members of nein are; and thus the public would not only | have the necessary publicity given to the proceed. | ings, but they would also get rid of the tea table. | (Laughter.) " This should be a part of the detail of | the proposed reform. ar. CORMAN read a resolution proposing a vote of thanks to the Comptroller. Mr. Flagg, for the ac- tivity and intelligence displayed by him in exposing the frauds of the Common Council; and also a vote of thanks to that part of the public press who had | assisted in the same good work. He saw gentlemen here whom he had known for fifty ae at a time when he and others felt proud of ane citizens of New York; they were now papés, but he hoped the generations now succeeding them would prevent them from going to their graves 28 members of a | disgraced and cishonered cc ae A ‘ After Mr. B. concluded, loud and continued calls were made for Mr. Erben, foreman of the late Grand Jury, and that gentleman having after some time appeared on the platform and been loudly cheered, proceeded to address the meeting. Mr. Henry Even said, he was not prepared to speak to them just now, orto say anything on the subject, except this, that the Grand Jury over whom he had the honor to preside, only did what they con- sidered to be their duty; and asa bet wee entitled to what the meeting seemed to think was due to himself. He was only entitled, however, to a share of it, and a very emall share of it. He had been invited to act as vice president of this meeting, but he de- clined, thinking it improper for him, under the circum- stances, to take a seat on the floor, inasmuch as it was understood that the meeting was called for the purpore of backing up what had been done by the Grand Jury. (Cheers) He had been forced into his present position, and while there, he would re- mind them that the Grand Jury, at the close of their session, had directed him to say to the Recorder, that they wiched him to follow up the investigation which they had commenced, and which they were com- pelled to leave unfin sled from the close of their The Recorder had consented to do so, aud the Grand Jury, had no more of that busines: n their hands. However, he felt it his duty to | sey, that ke had been associated with gentlemen ch a3 are very rarely assembled together in dJuiy room, end who showed themselves ned to do their duty, regardless of all couve- quences. It had been a delicate position for him to he placed s presiding « rofa Grand Jury, | urder such circumstances, he having once been hit: | self a member of the Common Council; and he mst sa up to that time he could not have be- lieved loped on that occas! He, therefore, hoped th: eting, before it a | journed, would pass a resol culling on the Re- corder to do as ad pri d—tollow up the in igation. Erben wished to be understood as ing by one of his former remarks, that the pre- sentiment made did not contain half which will ap- pear when everything is developed. ? ‘The Cuarrwan then put the general resolution | propored by Mr, Erben—which was not, however, reduced to special terms—and it was carried with a unanimous “aye,” after which a gentleman in the meeting propdsed a yote of thanks to the Grand Jury, which was also enthusiastically responded to. ‘The Cuaraan mace a few final observations, developing the great and arpelling growth of crime in this city, and attributed its magnitude to the cor- ruption cf the municipal government. ‘The meeting was then dissvlved. Tho Other Side of the Question, ALDERMAN DENMAN'’S DEFENCE OF THE CORPO- RATION. | Asa citizen of New York, having a common in- equal laws. shall declare, under the terrors of legal , their incomes, ‘and hand over their just ‘to the expenses of the city where they make their incomes. Equal taxation shall be made the rule of our laws. Let any couree be pro, which will bring all the departments of the overnment under some decent restraint on expe ure, break up the sink- ing fund, leave to official management no property acing income, equelize taxation, take judicial an- hority from the Aldermen, and provide against offi- cial corruption by removing temptation, and there Will be a good service done to the city. In such re- forms none will be more ready to act than those members of the Board of Aldermen who have labor- ed long and earnestly to deserve public pyprbetion, while enduring the daily clamorous al of a sereechy and scolding press, which dares not accuse them by name and go toajury of the country for the truth of the accuration. But the end is not yet. The million who pay dovble taxes on their houres and workshops may insist on the cheay and quickest conveyance through our great thoroughfares, even if this public convenience should oblige the liveried but untaxed coaches, in front of the store where $10,000,000 worth of untaxed gewgaws are sold, to move on. A. A. DENMAN. New Yerk Municipal Reform in the Leglsla- ture, PROPOSED AMENDMENTS OF TUE CHARTER. The following act was, on Saturday last, intro- duced in the House of Assembly at Albany, by Joseph Rose, Jr., and referred to a select committee of the New York delegation, with power to report complete. An ect toamend an act entitled ‘‘ An act to amend bee charter of the city of New York.” Passed April 2, The people of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follews:— SHC 1.—Fach ward 0° the eity shall be entitled to elect one person to be denominated the Alderman of the ward, end the persons so chosen together shall form the Board of Aldermen. fac. 2. The Board of Assistant Aldermen shall consist «f forty members, representing districts condst- ing of several wards, or parts of wards, and based as near av may be uyon populution; and the Common Council of raid city shall, on or before the first of September noxt, r the paseage of this act, so divide the city into dis- p 8. All resolutions, acts and ordinances of the Com- uncil returned to the Board in which they origi- with the objections of the Mayor, shall not be re- considered and passed by the Common Council, unloss with the sanction of two-thirds of all the members electad tocither board. Sec. 4 Hereafter the Alderman shall exercise and enjoy no judicial powers by right of his office as such Alder- man; but nothing in this section shal! prevent their ex- excising the authority now conferred by law on police mexistrates of said city. ree. 6 All real estate and all piers, wharves, and slips, Delonging to the corporation of :aid city, shall be dis: pored of at public a , previous notice thereof being xiven for ihirty days in the corporation newspapers, urder the direction of the Comptrolier, specifying the terms and conditions tke 6. All ferry. railroad, and other grants, franchises, licenses, and leases, shall be disposed of to the his hest bid- Ger, with adequate security, under such regulations and conditions as the Common Council may prescribe; and the Comptroller shall cause notice to be given, as’ pros vided fcr in the previous section; and the sealed bids and preporuls eball be opened only’ in the presence of the Mayor, Recorder, and Leads of departinents, or a majo- rity thereof, who sha}l examine the same and award sue! grants, franchises, licenses, aud leases, in accordance with this section, fc. 7. All funds now or hereafter in the possession of any officer of the city and county of New York, and held or retained by virtue of his office, shall be deposited in tuch bank or banks as the Commissioners of the sinking Furd may prescribe, and shull be at all times open to the inspection of the Mayor and finance department. Sec. 8. This act sliall take effect immediately. TxcresE or Insanity.—The Superintendent of the Lunatic Asylim at Utica says that insanity is feartully on the increase in this State. We learn that from Monday until Friday last (five days) seven- teen new patients were admitted into this institution terest in ite municipal weliare, and having labored long and patiently to reform and economize the city government, in circumstances most favorable for ob- rerving the causes of increased taxation and irre- spousible expenditure, 1 a-k to be heard for a few moments, while I expore the true grounds of those social and political evils for which the meeting at Metropolitan Hall proposed a remedy. lam the more desirous of being heard, because the topics of which 1 shall speak have been little noticed by the daily press during the last six months. The extravagance of our city government dates ) beck to the time when we began to establish sepa- | rate departments, each having the power to make contracts, €: d money, and audit its own accounts; | { them there resides also the power to | own estimates for expenses, w-thout a | power being reserved in the Common Council or chewhere to limit, or even to question them. | In two of these anomalous and wholly unaceount- | | able departments, the expenses have msei, in four | hundred thousand dollars to | | yeers, irom en fb ‘4 biore than ene million two hundred thousand dollars; | and thi: these two departments expend nearly | | one-third of the total amount of the city taxes. These ure the alms house and the school depart- ments. And the members of tie Common C fl | are liable to seveve peualties if they fail to yote whatever these departments may demand. Six other departments are obliged to have their funds appropriated by @ vote of the Com- mon Council; and yet, things can be, and often so manag by these departments, that owever the members of the Common Council may Le convinced of the extravagance or impro- priety of the expenditure, they are constrained io vote fresh supplies, rather than stop the adminis- tration of the government. The expenditure in there six departments has increased within four | years, from $22,000 to 61,497,000 ; and this year ihey expend more than three millions of the whole | city tax. These six departments make coutracts, expend money, aud avdit their own accounts, with- out any check upon them by the Common Council. Those whem it concerned obtained from the State Legislature a law, throwing upon the cit treasury a large part of the cost of opening an widening streets. The same parties, from time | to time, by petitions numerously signed, induced Common Councils of past years to order the opening and widening of streets, until this item alone, in the estimates for this year, has risen to the enor- mous sum of $400,000. ‘These petitions have been | signed by some men who are now most clamorous egainet the Common Council on account of the taxes to pay the expenses for which they tioned. ‘There is at this mcment a numerously signed peti- _ | tion pressing upon the Common Council, asking for the opening and widening of the Bowery, froma | | point near Walker street to the Battery, which would | | probably cost the city treasury $500,000. This peti- | tion is headed by a gentleman who owns large real | estate in the Bowery, and was the presiding officer | | of the meeting at Metropolitan Hall. When the nine items I have specified are taken | out of the tax of 1453, there remains s compara- | tively sinall sum, over which the vote of the Com- mon Council has a direct control. Imakenoapulogy for the Common Council. If any of its members have been unfaithful, let the axe fail. | The charges of fraud have turned almost entirely | | upon matters connected with property belonging to | | the sinking fund. The sinking fund of England is } pow acknowledged to have been a fallacy in princi- | ple, as it was certainly a temptation to ith fulness ' fs every administration that had the charge of it. It | | has been notoriously a fund to steal from in our own | | State; and there is no apology for its continuance in the policy of ourcity. Let the property be sold, and | applied to the debt. Let the city have uo income bot the taxes, and we shall bear little more of frauds. | “Where there is no wood, the fireigoeth out.” I be- | lieve there has been no charge of fraud brought home to any vole of the present Common Council. The high rate of taxation is one great complaint of the present tine. The Comptrollor finds that city expenditure has increased about six times as fast as valuation; and population about twice as fastas valu- ation. Now, does any man believe that the popula- tion of this city grows twice as fast as ite wealth / | ‘The iden is too alenrd to be entertained. No. The ' true and weil known cauze of this high rate of taxa- | tion is to be found in the fact that a part only of the wealth of this city boys the whole tax. The proof of | this fact ie at hand. I will give a single specimen. | A gentleman, who went to Aibany to beg the Legis- | lature to become the Commissioner of our streets, | | boasted before the committee that his sales amounted to #10,000,000 a year. If he made ten per cent on his tales, bis business income would be $1,000,000. And | | yet this gentleman works on a commercial capital of only $150,000, if he has fairly reported his personal property to the assessors. But there are other mer- chants, of great eapital and greet incomes, whose names are not in ‘ax book at all. The real es- tate of this city is a limited quantity, the personal estate is an unlimited quantity; and yet the latter holds an insignificant place in the tax book. Those who have given the matter their careful attention, | believe that the class of persomal property owners of this city enjoy the Incomes of $100. 000,000, on which | they pay not one cent of taxes. ‘The city authorities have tried in yain to obtain just snd eqval legislation on this subject, at Albany. ‘As often as Senator Pierce has Heng tne such legis | Jation, means have been devised, in this city, to pre- vent his success. But the public mind is now fairly | awake to the enormous injustice and oppres- | rion of the preeent cystem. It will not be made to | | slumber again. Whatever else may come of the pre- | sent moyensent, one Lin is sure—the oppressed payersof taxes on real ite have to en- \ | dure the o The business incomes of this city must and #l | the taxes. No faitacy or sulterfuge shall screen them; no idle qnes‘ion about their d shall | cover their escape frony the assessor; no combination of purses, or house cy at Albany, shall | place them any longer bey'Gd the reach of and | reston no longer. | vellous demonst | 3 casks; chal pay their just portion of | > —the greatest number ever before admitted in so brief apace of time. There is no doubt but that this increase is owing, in a great measure, to the un- healthy state of excitement caused by the ‘‘spiritual” humbugs of the day. ‘This mental disturbance reach- es people of all clas+es, for in ull classes there are to be iound thoge unfortunate beings in whom the ner- vous predominates over and tyranically rules the other temperaments, and renders them susceptible to the peculiar and fascinating influences of such mar- by “spiritual mediums,’ and people more highly charged with electro-mag ism than common sense. bony Register, M a FINANCIAL AND COMMERCIAL. MONEY MARKET. Scnpay, March 6—6 P.M. There was a slight let up yesterday at the first board, in the depression which had, for many days previous, borne so heavily upon the stock market. It was a natural reaction after so much depreciation; but like all such movements during distrust and | Want of confidence in the public mind, it cannot be otherwise than temporay. The rally has been in Nicaragua and Cumberland. The bears availed themeclves of the opportunity to pat out large con- tracts, and the improvement was arrested. At the second board there was quite a panic, and stocks told at a great decline. The heavy purchases re- cently made for delivery on matured contracts, have done more to sustain the market price for the fancies generally than anything else, and the full effect of the stringent money market has not, therefore, been felt by large holders. There is no demand for fancy stocks from outsiders, Speculation is almost en- tirely confined to Wall street; and as stocks are held in large lots, great efforts are made to sustain prices by continuing purchases ou time, buyer's option. Many, doubtless, purchase with the hope that brighter, better times are near at hand, and that operations on buyer's option, sixty or ninety days, may turn out profitable, This is mere chance, and those who make such speculations go into them in the ame way that they would into a raffle, or into alottery <A careful investigation of the canses which are producing in Great Britain, and in this country, the stringent money markets, which are steadily raising the rates of interest, will show a state of things by no means calculated to increate public confidence, but, on the con- trary. one likely to bring abont a contraction in individual operations, to an important extent. We cannot have a very easy money market again, until the supply of actual active capital increases at a rate | eorreeponding proportionably with commercial trans- actions. The wants of the mercantile classes are now greater than can be satisfied, and they are in- creasing #0 fast that the demand for money is likely to he much more active than it has been yet. Indi- viduals engaged in commercial pursuits and in the numerous legitimate enterprises of the day, must have more capital as their operations extend and they come into competition with the fancy speculators of the day, in the money market. With the first it is a matter of necessity, and they must have enoagh to supply their wants at any price. The extension of trade, the immense extent of foreign importations, and the rapid inflation of private credits, in every de- partment of industry, have created a demand for money which the banks and private bankers have not been able to meet. The consequence is a rise in | the rate of interest, and the transfer of loans on fancy stocks to legitimate lines of discount for the mercantile clasees. These changes have tended ma- terially to restrict the stock speculations of the day, but they have not afforded so much relief as antici- pated, The demand for money will have a very fa: vorable effect upon the movements of trade, as it wil check operations, tend to preserve a healthy state of things, and put off to a more remote period the col- lapse which ultimately must close the present in- flation. The exporta of specie from this port, last week, amounted to $381,951, of which $290,000 went in the steamer Alps, and $96,900 in the Arctic, to Liver- pool. Total shipments from January lst to March Sth, 1853, $1,974,842. The importations into this port, on Satarday, were as follows :— Bleaching powders, 100 bbla.; beer, 256 easka; briation, , 181 tons; coal, 104 tons; drugs, 210 tlerces, 292 carke roda ash, 30 casks sugar lead, 27 caska ehomt- enla, 6 casks oxalte eid, 20 cnaks emery; dry xoods, 71 packages, Mazetlier, 200 Peckazoe per Victoria, 73 caves por T. J. Wichelhausen, $16 per Kennebec; dyes, 100 bags sumac; hops, 6 bales; iron, 6,178 bars railroad iron, 8,37 bars.1.¢85 bundles, 1,864 bu sheet, 1,708 bundles sheet, 349 plater, 100 tons pig; lead, £80 igs leather, 6 nindien:; oll, 87 casks rape seed oil, 250 casks Hnased do. ; paint, ‘20 kegs eolora; alvell, 15 es mother o’ponri, ease turtles; tin, 968 bexes terne plates, 796 slabs tin, 150 boxes tin plates; wine, 12 boxes. The annexed statement exhibits the quantity and value of artieles, other than dry goods, imported into tions as, it is alleged, are produced | this port, during the week ending and incfoding | corresponding period last; and Friday, March 4, 1863 :-— Commmnce oF Tes Port oy New Yore—Wuarry lurorts. Phg. Value. Pegs Value. 91,168 813 ez 10,167 1,654 Dres’d sking Building stone Cheere,... China ware... China Clay... 168 a. Blech powd'r 262 Bieurb soda 1,653 Bronze p’dra’ 1 Brimstone. 980 Chior potash 7 Cochinesl... 25 Creamtart.. “1 Sugar lead, 25 Sulphmorph 1 Sumac... .1,615 Ult mi Venetianred 100 Vermillion, 2 Other drugs 46 Dyewoods— Fustie, tons 132 Logwood, co 300 Fartbenware.. 720 Fmery 184 kugras Fans Firi Herring ... Mackerel. Salmon. Fardives Salt, tons, ..1, 30 Seeds— Grengos pe . Preserved .. 79 1,718 Spices— Fwniture 5 504 “Nutmeg: 3. Toys... Eye 2 1.253 Watches...) 68 95,077 37 «1,634 W'm'k’retools 6 2,497 . 81 "486 Whalebone... ¢85 26,500 200 i K 2 8 4 49 29,052 36 10,347 50762 359 b (1,246 Total value of merchondise imported, week end- ing March 4, 1853.......... Do. diy goods do. do. do. Total.....sseeee The principal articles of import were as follows :— Segars, $21,987 ; earthenware, $23,411; furs, $24,- 982; hatters’ goods, $29,052; dressed skins, $24,- 338; undressed skins, $36,622; brandy, $40,149; iron, $150,805 ; railroad iron, $52,388 ; cutlery, $34,- 117; hardware, $59,791; steel, $50,057; tin, $87,- 428; linseed oil, $40,373 ; whale oil, $41,433 ; sugar, $158,246 ; tea, $149,852 ; watches, $95,077. The value of merchandise exported from this port, during the week ending and including Saturday, 1,835,495 21516'240 believe that a greater portion of our receipts frony California will remain in our own markets; but im these things we fear they are laboring under a dan- | gerous delusion. A great deal depends upon the por sition of affairs in Europe. So long as our stocka continue in demand we may be able to hold on ta our supply of bullion. We can manufacture stocig securities full as fast as they will take them on tha other side. We can turn them out, to order, just such as they may want, and we can figure up future dividends, and calculate the productiveness, to any point that may be necessary to give them currencys So long as our foreign friends will take paper pro+ mises to pay from insolvent railroad companies in+ stead of specie, in payment for the products of theix industry, so long will they find customers on this sidq of the Atlantic. It may seem tobe a very fair mers cantile operation, where both parties appear to bé perfectly satisfied, but it is delusive. It is a losing game all round. Both the buyer and the seller will be lorers by such operations, and they will soonet’ 930 | or later find it out. The facilities afforded for the payment for foreign importations, by the mani facture of stock securities, and sale of them abroad, are calculated to produce the very evils it is gene- | rally supposed we avoid. It would be far better for us to pay up any balance against us on our foreign trade at once, as it accrues, in specie. Then we should know just where we were, and the drain o€ specie for that purpose would tend to check excess sive importations and preserve a healthy state of trade. Now, the payment for importa in stock seouy, rities keeps the specie at home, and its accumulation: gives rise to all sorta of schemes or kinds of #peculae tion—to an inflation of prices, to increased market@ for foreign products, and to an expanded, artificial state of things generally, which is sure to result ulti- mately in a collapse of the most disastrous character, It is 80 easy, so convenient, to pay for importation® | in stock securities of long date, that no note is take of the extent to which it is carried. No class at the time is embarrassed by this mode of payment. It 18 | only costs the price of engraving these certificates of February 26, 1853, was only $576,679; the amount of | specie exported, $336 ,308—total $912,987. The want of space compels us to omit the items ofexport. The principai items of shipment were 965 bales cotton, 22,355 barrels flour, 12,571 bushels corn, and 21,503 bushels wheat. The value of shipments to each | place during the week was as annexed :— COMMERCE OF THE Port OF New York—Weexty Exports. London... 304,11 Porto Rico, $3,865, 06,4: Livery oc 5 Hayti.. Marseilles, Australia . Atisterdain. 4 Cispaltine Repub ‘Antwerp Bri'ish North Am Bremen rican Colonies... 15,278 Ceatral Ameri: ‘v0! Venezuela... 2,916 Danish West Indies. 6,328 British West Indies. 17,487 ise and specie imported into and exported from this port during the month of February, in each of the past three years, has been as annexed :— Commnnch oy THE Port oF New Yorx—Vatvn or Ierorts axp Expours. ‘Feb. 1851 1852, Feb. 1853. Total value of expta. 3,94! 690 4,680,347 Total value of impts. $11,71 191 $17,290,908 Excess of imports over exports... . It appears by this that the excess for the month this year was $9,905,060 greater than in February 1852, and $4,856,020 greater than in the same month in 1851. While the importations have largely in- creased, the exports have fallen off very much, leay- ing a balance against us in the foreign trade of the month greater than the agzregate importations in February, 1852. The foreign trade of this port dur- | ing the first two months in each of the past three years has been as annexed:— Inporte axp Exports or THE Port oy New York, Jancany AND Feprvaky, 1851, 1852, ayn 1853. January and February. 1851 1852. 1853. Value of imports., $26,504,881 $21,250,246 $31,034,934 Value ofexports .. 8,842,976 12,003,881 8,726,954 Exeess of imports over exports... $17,751,405 $8,956.465 $22,907,080 Here is an exhibit of the foreign trade of the port of New York for only two months, and we find an excess of imports over exports, in that short time, of nearly twenty-three millions of dollars, an amount greater than the total value of merchandise, &c., im- ported during the months of January and February, 1852. It is a matter of very little consequence, at this moment, what causes have brought about such a dangerous state of things; but it is important that something should be done at once—some step taken to put a stop, if possible, to this rapidly increas- ing indebtedness abroad. It is true we have sent out large quautities of stock securities to be sold in London, and in the fulfilment of orders from all parts of Europe; but this is only putting off the evil day. Itis piling up abroad claims against us, which must ultimately come upon us for payment, in such sums and at times which will make it particularly in- convenient and troublesome. An immense amount of our stocks is held in Europe by parties who will realize the first moment any indications of difficulty in the money markets appear. Any severe contraction in financial offiirsin England—any great inerease in the market value of money—would send home mil- lions upon millions of these securities, and we should be flooded with them. Payment for our stocks re- mitted to Europe has been made in foreign dry goods and other manufactures. The sale of these stocks in London has given a great impetus to ship- ments of goods to this country; and if we are not more cautious in our movements, the result will be similar to that realized in 1837. For some years previous to that great crash large amounts of State stocks were negotiated in Hurope. The Western States, particularly, went largely into the creation of and many millions of State stocks were is- sued. The proceeds of these direct loans and sales of stocks were remitted to this country in the shape of foreign manufactures of every description, and the importations were of course immense. The ef- fects and the result are known to every one; bat we do not appear to have learned anything by the expe- rience so dearly purchased. We are going ahead in the same way now. No one seems to think for a moment of the consequences, and none seem pre- pared for the ehange which must surly come, if this enormous inflation of credit and extrava- gance in importations continues muéh longer. The commercial classes evidently feel strength- ened by the limited shipments of specie up to this ime this year, compared with th . $7,763,540 $2,714,501 812,619,561 | tarsus custaucsaseaiseesacse@eSOOTtD. | stock, and they bring their market value in foreign dry goods, or some other manufactured article. It is, therefore, eary to pay for any amount of imports; but we must lock beyond—we must look to the day of reckoning, to the time when these stocks will com@ upon us for liquidation, When we shall not only have to pay for them, but the balance against us on our import trade, in specie. The annexed statement exhibits the variations which have taken place in the Bank of England and the Bank of France, since the beginning of Septem< ber, 1852, when the drain of bullion from both ap¢ pears to have first set in:— Bank oF ENGLAND. Sep. 1. — Jan.18. —_ Increase. Notesin circulation £22.(86,875 £23,661,370 £1,574,006 Bullion®.,........ 21,893,644 _ 19,148,607 ~~ Other or private se- curities . 11,116,843 14,157,548 3,040,706 BANK oF FRANCE. opt. 9. Jan, 13, Tnerease, Benk netes in cir- eulation...... ++ 615,616,260f 686,848,975f 70,492,7 Cash and bullion in ab eal band®.,.,...... 609,104,254 482,430,789 188,760,467 316,823/388 128,063,916 + 98,363,158 76,683,086 38,320 888 29,520,089 69,819,008 40,208, 97" * Decreas 673, 4958. From this statement it is obvious that the position of the Bank of France has undergone serious altera< | tion within the last few months, and that the fatera returns of this establishment must be watched with increased attention. The total advances on securitieg and commercial bills since the 9th of September have risen by 206,673,726f., or eight and @ quarter milliong sterling, whilst the stock of bullion has decreased by 126,673,495f., or upwards of five millions sterling. The circulation of notes in the same period has in« creased by 70,432,725f., or more than two and three quarters millions sterling. The Bank of England has simultancously suffered a diminution of resources, but in a far emaller proportion, and chiefly for the legitimate purposes of commerce. The principal variations in this establishment consist in an increase. of private securities of £3,040,705, with an increase | of circulation to the extent of £1,574,995; whilst the bullion has at the same time experienced a diminu- tion of £2,745,137 in the face of large arrivals front Australia. The metallic reserves of both establish- ments are nearly equal, the Bank of England's stock Bills discount Advanced on re: $ | amounting to £19,148,507, and that of the Bank of | France to £19,297,230. Accompany has teen formed in London, with & capital of £1,000,000, in shares of £25 each, for the purpose of establishing a line of steamships to and between Liverpool and Chagres, and between Pana, maand Australia. The company proposes to «ond steamships direct from Liverpool to Chagres, wienc@ their cargoes and passengers will be conveyed by railroad to Panama, to be embarked on board an- other of the company’s ships, in readiness to convey them to Sydney and Port Philip, coaling at Ota< heite or other convenient stations, and accomplish< ing the whole distance to or from England in about fifty days. The company give, upon the authority of @ letter from a naval officer of considerable expe: + rience, the following reasons for the selection of tha Panama route :. The navigation from Suez to Cey wellknown. ‘ihat from Joint te open to this objection, viz.: che frequency of hurricanes, which, at certain seasons, sweep over the Indian oceans between the Isle of France and the west site of New South Wales, with frightful violence, and through which, as I an sestity from experience, numbers of our finest, ships ve at various times ruffered serious damage, whil a few have been totally lost eee From Swan river to King George's sound and Adelaide,’ and, indeed, along the whole southern eonst of New South Wales, violent winds almo-t constantly prevail from the westward, causing a prodigious sea to arise, which near!; precludes any navigation in that direction, and which, am of opinion, would be found » cause not only of fre- quent inegularities in the arrivals and departures of the vessels between those ports, but of annoyance and dis-, cater a pameuree : a the Cape of Geod Hope, which at present form the ordinary mode of transit.” The principal and, indeed, owly objections to it that know of are the high seas and boisterous weather, whiok. are the almost constant attendants upon those high latl- tudes between the Cape of Good Hope and Sydney. The gales of wind, nearly without any variation throughout the year, from N. W. tos. W., render the return pas-age between thore ports a matter of very great uncertainty, and prove a source of exoreding discomfort to everybody on beard, while, in ae of the finest vessels, and best nautical rkill they further cause frequent delays and irregularities in the voyages ‘The last line to be examined is that by the Isthmus of Panama. risenahaut the entire range of this route acrovs the vast Pacific ocean, both going and returning betweem Panama, New Zealand and sydney, fine weather, smooth. seas, and a pleasant temperature, almost everywhere pre- vail; and the trade winds, generally speaking, blow witl such gentle force and constant regularity, that the sea- man acquainted with them is enabled, even at the presené time, to share his course from port to port with certainty and confidence, thereby enabling him, even without the advantage of steam, to calculate upon his arrival witly necuracy and precision. lon is, of eourse, alread; le Galle to Swan river ig * CITY TRADE REPORT. Sarcrpay, Mareh 6—6 P. M. Asma were quiet but firm. There remained 2,82 easksin the inspection warehouse this morning Sales have been made to day of 40 bbla. nt $4 68% a 9475 for pots and $5 75 for pearls, per 100 Ibs Brraperurrs.—Flour was in rather better request at enterday’s rates. The day's operations eomprive| 9,800 ybls.—eour at $4 50 9 $f auperfine No. 2 at $4 B63¢ a $4 €8%4; ordinary to ch tae at $4 93.4 a $5 18%; mixed to fancy Western at $5 12% a $5 373g: fancy Genesee, and mixed to good Southern at $5 260 86 16: fancy Ohio at $5 87% a $5 6219; extra Ohie at $5024 @ $6: extra Genesee at $6 60 a $6 1234; favorite Souther at $6 0244 a 968715; and fancy do. at $6 a $7 60 perfl0d- bbl. Fine rye flour as retailing at $460, and Jersey corp meal at $825 083 31% per bbl. Whent, rye, and barley were more freely offered, but did not attract mous, notice. State and Wertern oats were procurable at 46 4a. a 4%c, per buehel. Corn favored factors. ‘The day’s ra consisted of $1,000 bushels at 60e. 0 63¢. for uneounds and 6ge. a 620. for ordinary to choice Southern white and yellowy per bushel Corrox—The tone of the market seemed more depressed to-day, exporters preferring to wait the Cambria's lettere to operating at the present scale of prices. The business was under 800 bales, Freicnts,—Engagements to Liverpool were light. We have to notice engagements, of 10,000 bashela wheat, in bulk, at 7 Flour was at 24. 6d., and cotton at 7-324. There hing pew to Havre ov London, ahi were waiting the receipt of the letters per steamer Oam- bri To Australia freight« were firm, at 60¢. n 80¢. far measurement goods, and $3 26a $4 for flour. To Califor- nia rates were steady, The cli; per ship Witehcraft being nearly full, was getting 900. a ry and other good elippers more recently on, were getting 7b. per foot. Provistoss.—Pork strongly tended downwards, This day's movements have been confined to 600 bbls, at O16 26 for new mess, and $18 for clear do. per bbl. There were ber pacreene itd disposed of to-day at 01<¢. a 9%e. per Ib. ef was quiet but unaltered ; the pad em! 200 bb $6 50 0 $625 for prime; s7 26 for eit; 608 $11 for country For ety to. No ebange has eee