The New York Herald Newspaper, March 7, 1877, Page 4

4 MUMCIPAL GOVERNMENT. Report of ihe Charter Commission Presented to the Legislature Yesterday. CITY ADMINIS!RATION, EVILS OF Remedies Proposed by the Plan of the Commission, ADDITIONS TO THE CONSTITUTION RECOMMENDED Expenditures and Taxation To Be Con- trolled by the Taxpayers, —— AN EXHAUSTIVE INVESTIGATION. ALuany, March 6, 1877. Tuo report of the Chartor Commission, appointed by the Legislature in May, 1876, which has been so long anxiously expected, was prosented to-day to the Sen- ate and Assembly of the State. It is signed by William M. Evarts (Chairman), E. L, Godkin, Jonn A, Lott, Simon Stern, James C. Carter, Oswald Ottendorfer, William Allen Butler, Joshua M. Van Cott and Henry F. Dimock, Another of the Commissioners, Mr, Sathuel Hand, expresses his concurrence in the report, except as to the qualifications of voters for the Board of Finance and the powers of that Board to appoint the law and financial officers. He thinks that the qualifl- eaiions of voters for the large cities should be the sume as those prescribed for the smaller cities and that the Board of Finance should bave no appointing power. The report is an claborate document, covering over seventy printed pages, and deals exbaustively with the subject of municipal government. 1t begins by describing the origin and functions of tho commis- sion, Briefly stated, the commission started ito ex- istance pursuant to a concurrent resolution of the Senate and Assembly pé 1d May 22, 1875, to devise a plan for the government ot cities, and to report the samo to the Legislature. This action of the Senate and Assembly grew out of a special message of the Governor calling attention to ovr municipal systems, and the necessity of adopting permanent and uniform plan for the government of the cities of the State, and recommending the appointmeat of a committee to consider the sudject. Twelve persons were ap- pointed by the Governor under tne con- current resolution as members of the commission, aud all of these with the exception of President Martin B. Anderson, of Rochester, accepted the duty thus devolving upon them, Under the reso- lution of the Senate and Assembly, the Committee on Ways and Means was charged with providing a sult- able appropriation for the actual expenses of the com- Mission, subject to the audit of the Comptroller, “pro- vided that the commission should recetve no compen- vation for their services.” The commission organized Immeaiately after their appointment; the first meeting was held on December 15, 1875, ana Mr. William M, Evarts was chosen president. Mr. Sidney De Kuy, of New York was selected to fill the ofice of secretary. THE WORK OF THK COMMISSION, The work of the commission, the report states, was begun by assigning to the several members the duty of making investigations and reports upon particular branches of the general subject of municipal govern- ment. Thecommission, in defending their own func- Mons, think that the purpose of the Legislature in passing the concurrent resolution ‘‘seems plainly to bave been to submit the whole subject of the local government of cities to that deliberste review which can, 1t may Lo supposed, be best given to it vy a small number of persons specially delegated ‘tor that pur- pose, to the and that some plan of administration may be devised which may commend itself as furnishing the promise of a permanent improvement” The evils existing in the government of citles is the first subject to which the commission, according to their report, have devoted their attention, for they think that a clear perception of these evils and of their origin, causes, connections and results is indispensable 40 any uselul contrivance for their redress, ACCUMULATION OF MUNICIPAL DEBT. The first point dealt with in the report is the accu- mulation of permanent municipal debt, the rapid ad- vances in this direction made within recent years being quite alarming. The enormous debt of the city of New York is specially reterred to, It ts at present, the report states, upward of $113,000,000, alter deduct- ing the sinking fund, and $140,000,000 without that deduction. The most alarming feature, however, the report gocs on to say, is the rapidity of its recent in- trease, and in support of this proposition theso statis- tics are supplied :— In 1840 the debt of the city was about $10,000,000, In 1850, about $12,000,000; an increase during the decade of ubout twenty ver cent. in 1860 it wax upward of B1s,000,0 an increase of fifty percent. In 1870 it was upward of $73,000,000; an iuerense of neurly four buudsed per cent; and in the sic years which have since elupsed, it ius Leen swotlen by the euurinous addition ot $40,000,000, It is proper to say that this lust incrense ix, jn lure meus ure, due to th vl a preceding floating debt of ap- ward of $2 legucy trom the corrupt cabul over- thrown in 1871,’ and which, or most of which, ought to ve added to the atvount of the debt, as above stated, im 1870, INCREASE OY ANNUAL EXPENDITURE. After glancing at the poverty of the results exhib- ited as the return for so prodigious an expenditure, the report deals with the excessive increase of the annual expenditure for ordinary purposes, and on this point also rejers especially to the example of the metropolis, It is deemed that there isa particular fitness in this reference arising irom the fact that New York city embraces one-hall of the urbun population and some- thing approuching one-half in value of the entire property of the State, Auy remedy, therelore, bat might be devised for improving the administra- tion of cities would be Wholly 1usuilicieut unvess 1 fur- ished arewedy for the abuses of misgovernment in that city. “We are,’ say the commission, “contronted with the alarming iact that the iucrease in the aunual expenditure since 1850, as compared with the increase of population, 1s more than 400 per cent, und as com- pared with the increase of taxable —prup- erty more than 200 per cent, Some allowance 1s doubt- less to be made tor the more complete provision now made for the public wants and tor the inierior value of the currency in which our present expenditure 1s Hated ; but this consideration does not utiect the rao Of taxation to the value of the property taxed, nor de- feat the conclusion that we have ‘during the pust twenty-live years not ouly made a wide departure from the economy of earlier and better days, bus have out- Gi aud corrupt administration.’ CAUSES OF TU EXISTING KVILS, Incompetent and uvlaitiiul goveraing boards and Offivers ure placed at the bead of the list of evils under | Which our municipal auministration labors. the Various forms of mischiel, it says, resulting trom a public service thus tiled aro numberiess, but they uni Jorinly present the common feature of 1nereasing eltber debt Or taxation, or oth, Great weight, (oo, 18 laid . of the Jact tuat the exclusion of positive fraud and cor- Fuption from civil business is by bo means sufficient to secure good administration: for the necessary cou- | ditions of thrift in pubic as well as private business ure the present care, attention ‘agd skill of those who | feel that their pertonul interests aro directly involved in it8 Successiu) Management. Another evil which the report strenuously condemns fs the introduction of State and pational polities into municipal affairs, This practice 1s held to stund next | in the order Of priority us a source of mischiel, aud is | assigned this distinction, uut so much because I is } evil m ftwelf, but Uccuuse ID the miscuievous use which 16 made of it—a use which cannot be pr Yented—It becomes the must potent mneans by which ui) efforts to tmprove the character of the municipal | service at popular elections are frustrated — It is deemed the most [ruitiul source of the prime evil— famely, the presence in the civil service of incompetent apd unfainiul officers, The motives whicu lea to the pushing of the genoral political divis- fous to (herr present Mischievous extremes are can- Vaesed a) som ith, and then the report deais with the third evil, “the assumption by the Legisiature of the direct control of jocal afuirs,” which sntervention, it says, fas necessarily involved a disregard of one of the most fundamental principles of republican govern vn this ment, The couctusions of the commission point are that the origimal cleetion or appointment of aii local goveruing bodies, the duty of watching or ebecking (hem, and the duty of providing, or the dis- eretion uf withbolding the supplies necessary jor (heir operath should rest, Dot with the central Legis! ture, but with the people ot the locality. REMEDIES OF THK KVILS ENUMBEATE The report next takes Up the specilic tusk sot before the commistion—vamely, the methods o| redress avd re Ato din doing #0 it professes to narrow the field of inquiry by excluding those schemes of im- provement sometimes suggested which offer no us- surance oO! effective reliel, becaus the report states, Shey dea! with the symptoms rather than with the disvase, The first of these suggested schemes |6 a earelully coutrived system of laws for the punishment all former examples uf wusteluiness, extravagance | ‘i ‘ NEW YORK HERALD, WEDNESDAY, MAROH 1, 1877—TRIPLE SHEET. of peglect or unfaithfulness im municipal officers, and on this point it 18 clearly stated by the commission that the present difficulty does not consist im the waot of adequate penal laws, but im the lack of ability to en- force thore Which now exist, *The immediate control of local affairs by the Legislature’ 1s at once rejected, and ‘the withdrawal et power trom locai governments, or the limitation of it by positive enactments” is Dot deewert expedientas a remedial measure, The opposi suggestion--namely, wholly to deprive the Legisiacare cf the power of intervention—is considered equally ii admissibie, and the commission Lave no confidence the scheme to confer very extensive powers upon the | Mayor, whieh their re finds Bo supportin the established principles of popular representative gov- “Civil service reform’? is also considered as gested improvel ion, who say. th might be to introduce a reform which would change the methods of accession to minor political ollices from that of political patronage to competitive exam- ination, they are persuaded that under existing oir cumstances the intensity with which partisan strife 16 carried on within the limited area of a mualeipality forbids the hope of its successful introduction until the national and State governments siali have set the example, and demonstrated the superiority of its methods, he possibility of finding a corrective un- der our present system by Increasing popular interest in the affairs of local governments’ 1s also deemed ine adequate, and tho coinmission are unable to resist tho conclusion that our present course of local administra. ou 1s based upon some fundamental errors which ren- der it wholly inadequate to tbe government of cities, aud that the work of amendment must begin at the very loundation of the structure, VLAN OF THE COMMISSION, The important function of uulolding the plan of the cominissien and defining the principle ou which it rests 18 next fultilied by the report, ‘The extended sur- vey and examination of the origin and nature of our existing municipal institutions ted, tt says, at an early period, to the fundamental question, whether the geu- eral application of universal suffrage in the election of the local guardians anu trustees of the tinancial | terests of these public corporations was in a cordance with sound principles or suitable to our present condition, Eutertaining, however, a watural | jealousy of any suggestion which might wear the ap- pearance of a departure {rom the principles of Ameri- can polity the commission preierred to direct ther first eflorts toward the discovery of some mode of re- | arranging toe local administration which, without dis- turbing the elective system, should give promise of o relorm of exising abuses. Alter the most careful deliberation their couctusion Was that the choice of the local guardians und trustees of the financial concerns of cities should be lodged with the tuxpayers, To admit to a participauon in such choice those who made no contribution to the funds to be administered was not in conformity With ine principles on which buman allairs are con. ducted, and was a departure from the geueral policy of tis State ag frequeutiy declared by the Legisiuture. ‘Yhe object ot citizens in respect to local government, the report went on to say, should be to select from the community such guardians as prudent stockholders would choose lo manage the coacerns of a great cor po- ration. The plan adopted hitherto seemed no better adapted to secure a good administration than a inode of election in a railway corporation, by which conduc. tors, brakemen, truckmen, engineers and passengers should have an equal right with stockholders to Vote for directors, Inveed, when our present system was fairly subjected to the test of principle there seemed to De litte room for argument Lt stood seif-con- dumped, ACCORDANCE WITH THE POLICY OF THR STATH. The estavlished policy ot this State in respect to the adwinistration of the financial concerns of municipatitios admitted the limitation of the exer of the right of sullrage on ques- tions of expenditure and tuxation to the taxpaying portion ot the community, From the fact thut 10 elections for city ollicers all voters partici- pated, :thad come to be & common belief that the question of submitting the local goverument ot cities, in all respects, to the full operation of uuiversal su! frage, had, after the fullest consideration of the Logis lature and people of the Stue, been deliverately adopted, This was an error, the correction of which the commissioners deemed of great importance; not becuuse the question of the wisdom and expediency of the policy depended upon whether it has heretofore been established, for, 1 such were th fact, tbe policy should be reversed if found mu chievous, but because all considerable errors upon so important a subject greatly obstructed the pathway to a just couclusion. ‘In the State of New York,” says the report, “there are some 120 villages, all ot which possess a form of Jucal government which contains the general features ot city charters, 1n the estublishment ol these gov- ernments the Legislature hus had before it, in each instance, the question to Whom it should entrust the control of financial concerns. The universal general solution given to this question has been to entrust them to the taxpayers alone.’? THE POLICY APPLICABLE TO ALL CITIES. ‘That the tinancial concerna should be thus carefully placed under the coutrol of the taxpayers in those smailor cummunities, where the nuwber of the uo- reflecting or vicious population, apd the facilities for successiul combinations among greedy aspirants for the control of public patronage and plunder are com- paratively small, aud that these obvious ards should be wholly omitted in the great cities 18, the commission think, u striking anomaly, but an avo- mualy, however, which they are glad to say is not the result of deliberation, but rather of accident, They see a difficulty in the way of applying the same methods to large cities and to small communities, ana their opinion is that “the estublish- ment of @ representative body, to be chosen by tho ‘tuxpayers 1s the proper methéd by which they can control the question of expenditure and taxation in large cities; but the. provisions oi the constitution, ceclaring in'eflect that ull elective officers are to be chosen by universal suffrage, stands in the way of such a procedure, ”? “In recommending, as we do,” say the commission, “the establishment of a uniform system based upon the fundamental principle of representative govern- nent, that the assembly which voles the taxes should ye elected by those who contribute, toward the tuxes impos novation. Ob the contrary, we recognize and extend the established policy of the State and provide a mode by which it can everywhere be cuaveniently adminis. tered.” DETAILS OF THE PLAX. Before proceeding further the commission consider Several objections which might possibly be urged against the adoption of Dian, and that done they submit the plan in its details, prefacing it by saying that in its prepara- lion they have endeavored to keep constantly in view the distinction between what can be accon plished by legislation and what cannot be so acco! plished. Power, they say, bestowed, will sometimes be abused, and checks agatust euch abuses must be em- ployed; at tho same time the introduction of too numerous checks tends to cripple the beneticial ex- ercise of power, They then submit their scheme as tol- lows:— All useful efforts for improvement in local government fall within three general aivisi 1. The mode by which the moct competent and faithful local governing bodies and excentive officers can be chosen 2. ‘The vesting in these governing bodies ample powers for the puvlic weltare. he interposition of eh abuse of the powers bestowed. Guided by these goneral views the commission propo: framework for the local gove: ent Of cities to be im porated in the constitution of the Stare, of whieh the fol- { he principal teatures: elegation of the to the people ot th erference tierewith ; reserving to ks Lo prevent the possible free from legislati state its function © local allairs ty be ion of the man. ner of di ‘Secon vith the nuthor- ity of ru superyisio rincipal | Appoint the othe two (the chiet fi immediately atfect plc Oxpe and with the power of removal, subject, however, to the approvil Third—A Wourd of A islative powers, ¢ expenditure, and elect As AL present, | sewed the Bourd of nd rent payers, with Liture and debt, al tions being to Ht of the annual expe: diture proprinte it to its various obj poses. The assent of this body is made requisite to th pointment of the chief financial and law eilivers, Fifth jed plan, designed to be complete im itselt, urinu ellicie’ Jer nnd frugality it the finaneial administration, and co be executed by the Hourd of Fin | 1 ihe latter sum, The wnproprints ed, we remove an avomaly, but suggest no in. | ination in exch year of the sum ef money | te to be expended for wll objects and purposes and | part thereol is to be raised by taxation, ana the levy= | t thexame time of the whole sum to | of im | adoption of this article, and thereatter. from time to ume, sent any such laws ip advance of the adoption of the proposed constitutional amendments, and they could ly framed except by a body having be- resentatives of the different local gov: menis, tothe end that their varying needs might be the better ascertained and accommodated to tbe change in the tundamental law. They then submit the text of the plan which they recommend in the !orm of an addition to the constitu- tion, ft runs as follows:— ARTICLE —. Sxctiox 1, The power of the Lexis to provide for tho organisation and government of cities shall be exercised in accordance with the provisinus and subject to the limiva- tion and restrictions bereinafter contained, und the powers hiso of every existing elty government muss b mrormity therewith. ‘The Lexislature sha session utter the adoption of this article provide for carrying into effeut wll the provisions cuntuined all be held tu power hereiuulter vented in the Board of Finan Couferred on or exercised by the Board of Aldermen, Iu fa veto of any legislative act of the Boar by the Mayor, the -soard shall have the ding the May. to pass yw recorded vo thirds of wil the members elected, provided that such vote be taken xt tho uext moeting of the Board after the communication of the veto. ‘Sec, 4.—The executive power of every elty shall be vested in the Mayor aud in such excntive olficers und departments is may be crented by law. ‘The Mayor shall be the chict executive officer of the city, and he shall see to the faithiul performance of their duties by the several executive offi cors and departments thereo!. He shull be elected by elect- ory qualiied uuuer article 2 of the coustitution for such torm, and he sbu!l receive such componsation as the Lexis Tatura nay prescribe, Ho shail nowinate and, with the cou- sent of the Hourd of Finance, appoint the chiet vllicer or Head of the financial department and the chief law ollicor or head of the law department; aud he shall have power to Appuint the head or chiet officers of the otner executive ue- partinents. With the written approval of the Governor, the Mayor may remove. the head ur chief officers of any ex: ave power tu investigute ; have aegons to all bouks aud ay examine them and otwithsta rs veto ot Aldermen. for et case of su mayor to the next aw inayor shall be Legistature sliail of inayor, other. Sth moval, uppol the vacuncy, hold offi ccveding city election, at which elec elucted ior the full term of the uf provide the tilling af « vacane wise ocet the next succeed alyy tor tue discharge of the duties of temporary absence or disability, H of departinents shall have power to appoiut and remove their subordinate otticers wud employes, ut the Lexisiature may regulate by or such appointments und the coudl+ movuls, sunil be elected in every city of this State n ¢. to consist of not Jess than six nor wore than Giteen members. Imcities having population, we- | cording to the state census next preceding the election, of Over 100,000 inhabitants, the Board of Finance shall be tleeted by the electors of ‘the (otherwise qualitied un dor article # of the constitution), who. sinit, for two years hext preceding the election, have paid wn ‘xpnual tax on property owned by them and officially wxsessed for taxation in such city, of the assersed value of not Tees than $500, of shail have actuaily paid during the sane period ™ yearly rent for premises tn auld city occupied by them for purnyses of residence of IMwfal business, of not Jess thin $250. In cities having a population, uccorutng to the Stute census next preceding the ciection, of not more than 100,000 4 bite the Board of Finanve sualt be elected by the eiectors of the city (otherwise qualified under urticle 2 oF the constitution). who shail, lor two years next preceding the election, have’ paid an” a nual tax on property owned by them and officially for ‘tuxation in such cit: shall have wid during the sumo perioa # yeurly rent for ‘suid city, occupied by them for pure lawful business, of noc ess than $10, aving # population, xccording to the state census weding the election, of not more than 25,000 juhav- he Boara shall consist of six m-mbers,” In cities having 4 popuiution of ov habitants aud not more than 50000, it shu.l cons! 8 members. Incities having « population of over 50,000 inbubitants wud not more than 100,000 it shall consist of twelve me iu cities baving ® population of over 100,000 tants, it shall consist of fifteen members. At the frst election third of the Boara xhuil be elected for a term of one third thereof fora term of two years, and one eof tor a terin of taree yenrs; wad thereniter the vflice shull be three ho exi any vacancy in the Board shall not of peud the exercise of its powers and duties. Legislature shall, at its first session wfter the neXt p: itant: eure, ance fw may be necessary, provide by general law lor tne rex! tration in every city, of elvctors qualilied to vote for the Bourd of Finailce, aud for filling vacancies in suid board, and oer change the number of members of which the suid bourd shall consist in wny elty, provided that the number shall not, in wny ense, bo leas than six, and that one-tulrd of the buurd shall be elected cep ripll @ ‘sxc. 6, The Bourd of Finance shall, in every fiscal year, make estimates of the sums of money necessary for the proper administration ofthe city government during tue next Hiseu! year, and which are to be raised by taxation or sup- plied by the revenue of the city derivable from other sources and dpplicsble to general purposes, puch estimutes shall incluge the sums requisite for the puy- ment of the interest on bonds or other city debts drawing Interest, the principal of any debts payable during the year, Judym against the city, the sums sufficient to make joud all deficiencies in the Of tuxes on person eceding any deficiencies he collection of taxes on real estate tor any precediug year which may be found by the Board to be uncoll und also any defi 1s in the coll timated revenues trom required by law to by taxati The shall slso separat the aggre,ate amount of moneys in the treasury ivable gueing the next fiscal car, appllenble to reneral purposes, 1m which may be nelude any — prior unexpended —_ appropriations which, in the judgment of the Board, be required = to et = existing shall, in hke manner, separately to be raised by taxation. mates, when completed, to the M days therentser, return te e tothe Board with tits apy proval or with his objections, it any he have, in writing, specifying the items o.jected to; and the items thus ob- Jected to, bat no others, shalt be recousidered and finally de- ed by the Board: The Boni , wfter the ret timates by the Mayor, snd ¢! action of the boa ins oujected to, if Mayor to tion of may not and Hw: flities ; yor, why shall, required, — proceed clure the estimates to be final and 1 of money therein estimated wssiry, eand be appropriated to und for the depart ts und officers therein mentioned, and for the objects purposes therein mentioned, The aggregate amount to be rained by taxation shall be stuted in suen resolution, d shall thereupon be levied and collected In the manner provided by law for the levying and coliveting of the city The Board of Finance may, during any current taxes. fixeal year, by & unanimous vote, and with the 1 proval of ‘the Muyor, in cuse of pestileuce, contin: kration or other unforseen public calamity, ‘transter Sums of money appropriated to one department, object or purpose, and not required to satinfy existing lubiiiies, to another department, t of purpose, A vote of» majority of the entire bourd shall ve necessary to the passaye of any measure oF resolution; aud a veto of two thirds of the entire bourd shall be necessary to the adoption of the estimates hereinvetore provided tor, or any itom thereof, or to muthorize the fssue of wny stock or bonds, und in such other cases fas are hereinafter specitied, It shalt be ue duty of the sev- eral. departments, boards, and oflicers and the Common Council to turnish’ali such statements and accounts ux the Board of Finunce may require, such maaner as the said bourd may prescribe; and the Boned of Finance shall aso have power to examine the books and papers of the several executive departments und officors, und to ine such olfivers upon oath, concerning their official business, 7. No debt or liability shall be i by any de- purtmen or officer i any clty, 0 re slit ve | the ti expended approprintion applicabie thereto the same and ail W.biltien tra jebt or Hubility the trensur; debt or linbill hereof, wh jeer, servant, agen’ contracts und enuit void. | Not shall nny cept out of money in loye. 4 The Legislature shall itself have no power making, pavin ny streets, av ny law tor the « Nchein otherwise improvins or maiutar docks or wharves, any otin ler but ws shail be by law the Lewis y charge yor civil divi mttinine a city, except by & vote 1 the ‘ine elected to exch house. Any | or for, w city, the cust of w | city at Inrge, must be authorized by the vote of iwo-thir Bo ord of Aldermen pectively. such work of improvement, the cost his to be wi | pal otuorw than by the city at large, mast be authorized by the | vats | o two-thirds “ot ath | the members elected to the Board of Alde: tof & majority in interest, to be ascer: | with the con: tained im such manner ax the Legislature may preser ail the owners of laud within the district of asses ited for the costo such Work or improvement. Auy such work or improvement, the cost of whieh is to be paid in part by the city at large aiid in part by local assesstnent, must be | authosized by w resolution passed by the vote of two thiras | Ol ull the members elected to the Board of Aldermen and Hourd of Finance respectively, with the consent of a major ity in interest, to be ascertained as her re directed, ail the owners of the land within the preseibed district Aysessmient. | be expendent to the several objects and purpose ke, # No money shall be borrowed by ary city Kov ‘he certain realization pi the eatie amount appropri- | ment tor the purpose of defraying any of the expens ated by compelling the relevying of deticiencies tn tue col- | the eit whiel an appropriation hay been made. exce lection of taxes in anticipation of the 6 year in wii 4. The prsibition of any expenditure beyond the sams | sume may be borrowed, applicable to sieh purposes: | Anproprinted by tusking «il contracts or engagements in excess thereof vold. ith—A further enforeement of the maxim “pay ns by & proliibition against borrowing money or incur Hebt, except under certuin xpecitied conuitions, not likely to arise often. NKCKBSITY POR CONSTITUTIONAL AM} NOMENT. ‘The commission pext state the grounds upon which the jucorporation of the enu: on has been deemed essential. A prince! they say, 18 the necessity of stability, and they enforce their position in this way :— logisintive enactment, principles w J, would anu how mere contained iuister interest exclu the traits of taxes. politienl exige for pa ows itt the past ih thew istrative departments of local {and parts of the pan, however barmot elied to give way to the pressure of ywent Kud the good ove | Tuture direct participation Hine nt wie maselves, 11 thi 1479, und his opinion seems to ted by the’ Legisiatn pucurrent ding for the creation of this cu sion vy relerring to instability as the source of our evils that the evils arise from instability they Jonly by giving any plan, whatever it the protection trom the encrouching’ spirit of rest chunge which the e these v . pertaining proposed to xelude frou it uch details administration, essary to its compiete Uniformity is another object wh Gre desirous bo allan. As all the provisions oO! the plan proposed are capabiv of application to all the regard ag fully complied with In conforming the verious charters of dillerent cities changes in their detaiis will, the edly necessary; Ut the plun proposed is uniform, and ali that will be Fequirea to give IC elfect 1s Lo adapt the existing charters of city governments to the general provisions of the article, Finaiiy, they say tat the devising of u general plan applicable Lo ali citios was the duty devolved upon te commission, und they ure of the opipion (bat i constructing such general plun it would be hugardous to enter upow more minute details than are exiibited by the one proposed, Sim. jiar observations way Le mude, they say, In respect Lo the Suggestion of general laws ae*ighed to carry the scheme into full elect, 1t would be premature to pre- cities uf the State, this condivion of unvernity they | to these provisions | admit, be Undoubl- | the report an additional amenuiment 1s recommended, plan im the constitu. | al reason, | How age woudin | dept trustiul source | shal essed Ly Governor Tilden in his | article, no change say they | root of | | district in which he may vifur his vote, shall be All moueys so borrowed must be Paid out of suey reve or out of reveutes spec provided to supply aay ¢ ficiency 1m the colwet ol. Provided, however, tt tem porary loans, pti renewed, se far as sch tunes nity not hive be when tus sainie in th woof the bourd, fu) y | volid lie Noeity shalt be y for any ¢ wept under and i th a Himnttat ovher ¢ ai, and the amount of ‘ontain provisions tor « -inkin d requiring ut i the first section of this Of, oF in the distribus in, & CHy gover Wont, or in the terms or therein, shail ve mude by the Legisiavure, un y passed upon the application of the city made by resolution both of tue Board of Aldermen and of ‘d ot Finance te i ectively, approved he Ma et which shall have received the sanction of successive Lewisi tures, The plan thus set forth Is supplemented in the re- port by valuuble remarks on is various sections, Thus the first section, which has reference to tue legislative power of the Stute, is deserived us striking at the Except as preser the tion at por or by one of the main evils of our munietpal system—tmprovident legislative control and inter lerence—but ut the — san ume — recognizing and usserting the power of we Legisiature over all wunieipal corporations, subject to coriain provisions. Iu this supplementary poruion of with the View of removing @ supposed constiturional | iinpediment in the way of the adoption vy the Legis. juture OL a plan ca.culdted to test che merits of what iy KOoWn as miuority representation, It would take the jorm of an amendineut ty the first section of the second article Of the constitution, and would read as lol.ows:— aeetion 1.—Every male citizen of the age of twe' ho shall have yeen w citizen for ton days w ne an | to the umount of perhaps $7,000,000, will have to be | the city of New York pas suflered | out the Stace, which can best be ellected by an | brought about | forall public Improvements and expendiures two or yenrs, inhabitant of this state one Year wext preceding an election, and for the inst our inonihs « restde the county nd for the lust thirty days ur of th titled to | Who accompanied the delegation we ego. in the el at the ‘elsewhere, tor” all now are, may be, elective by the Mee eves tes Laielssnce, may § erence, welattes *) i Hintation tuerela; provided “that in time he actual military service United States. in the army the return and e tricts in which they respeetively reside. The commission conclude their report with some general remarks touching the scope of their labors, and | express a hope that the plan which they propose, it it shail be approved by the Legislature and adopted ~4 people, nay secure those public benefits whi have been their sole atm, THE CITY DEBT. NEW YORK’S ACTUAL INDEBTEDNESS ADOUT NINETY MILLIONS—COMPTROLLER KELLY’S VIEWS—NOT BANELUPT—THE SINKING FUND— UNPAID ASSESSMENTS——THE STATE TAXES, The question of the financial standing of this city is one that deeply interests every taxpayer. The propor. tion of citizens that tully understand the city’s fnan- cial problems is small compzred with those that have some vague idea of au immense debt. How it is to be paid, or, indeed, whether it is ever to be paid at all, is a question that rarely suggests ttself to the average citizen, On the opposite side there are those who go so far as to seriously ask if the city is bankrupt. In the interview below that question will be found an- swered by Comptroller Kelly, to whom a visit was paid yesterday by 4 representative of the Hkraup, ‘That geutieman baving courteously couseuted to give his views on the subject the following conversation ensued :— “Lt is stated, Mr. Kelly, that the city is unable to | meet its debis, that in fact it will become bankrupt, unless there {g a general reduction of expenses, What 4s your opinion of this ??” “New York can in no respect be considered bank- rapt nor in any manner tending to bankruptey either usacity government or a commercial community. While it is true that the debt of tue city is very large und the taxes are heavy, the fuct 18 we have been passing through an era of unprecedcnied depression and stagnation of business of all kinds throughout the country, the effect of which is especilly felt by the city ot New York. This contraction was the natural revulsion trom a previous period of great expansivn and artificial prosperity. Suca a state of aflairs uas an | fect upon the pubiie mind; everybody suffers tron of business aud income, and tue burden of taxation is felt more severely at tus me than in days of pros- perity, conecquently the oxpenditures and debt of the city Necome subject Lo criticism and condemnation for extravagance and mismanagement, People in times of depression are too upt to look to the government for relict and for tue means of restor- jug them to prosperity, whereas, in fact, the goveru- ment ofa city or couutry 18 dependent on its people. The government of the city of New York cuu never become bankrupt while it retains 148 commercial and financial pre-emineuce iu the country, Wuich resis en Urely with its merchants, mapulacturers and capital- ists, Who by their intelligence and enterprise must find ways and means for extending and increasing 118 busi- ness in ull directions, The tuture greatness and pros- perity of the city of New York depend upon them, and not Upon the government of the city. But looking at the city government to-day, with ily own means and Tesources, the present idebtednoss 1s tu no respect a cause of ‘slurm, us New York possesses umplo re- sources in itself to meet it, if the city bas any future and 38 not destroyed by some catastrophe of puture.” “Whatis the real indebtedness ol tue cityof New York?” “*Lbero is great misunderstanding and misappreben- sion on this subject among people generally. The obligations of the city in the shape of bonds und stocks ot all kinds may be stated in round numbers at $150,000,000, but the city is itself'a holder of nearly $30, 0U0, U0U of these bonds and stocks, which are in- vested in the sinking tund, while over $22,000,000 of the amount are ip the shape of assessment bonds, which tv the amount of abuut $15,000,000 will be uiti= mately reimbursed to the Treasury frum the collection of ugseasments, uud over $6,000,000 are in revenue bounds issued in anticipation of the taxes of the past year which have to be collected. These offsets to the total bonded debt reduce the actual muebtedness of the city to about $90,000,000. ‘There are claims against the city toa large amount that might be added to its actual in- debteduess, but these and ull other hubiiities are moro than counterbalanced by arrears of taxes, mortgages and other torms of property belonging to the city, ine dependent of its real estate, which has been estimated, at @ valuation by experts as appraisers, at nearly $250,000,000, In view of these fuvis it would seem to be a: surd to talk avout the bankruptcy of the city.’” THK SINKING FUND, “It has beop stated that as the city pays taxes an- nually to meet the interest upon the city bonds and stocks beld as securities by the sinking fund it would ‘be betier to pay Off (hese bonds and stocks and stop tho payinents of interest, and by that meuns reduce the anvual taxes several millions, What is your opinion on this subject??? “fhe proposal to abolish the sinking fund and pay off the stocks and bunds it holds ts both unwise and im- practicuble. In the first piace, it is uawise because the sinking lund 18 @ provision for the payment of stocks and bonds becoming due at a futare date, amounting to over $21,000,000, The stocks und bonds held by sav. igs banks, (rust companies and capitalists canaot ve paid off before they come due, us the holders will not part with them except ata large premium. The por- tion of the bunds and stocks held vy the sinking fund payable by taxation had Letter be applied to the pay- ment of bonds and stocks becoming due ata tuture date than to be cuncelled at the present time, for the reason that large Amounts of these stocks, luiling duc iu rome fature years, would render the taxation of those yeurs peculiarly excessive and burdensome. By tuis means the redemption vf these stocks vod bonds will be made easy, 4s taxaiion to provide for them will thus be distributed over a Jong period of time, A bili bas been presented to the Legistature to provide tor the application of the sceuri- Heb in the sinking fund to the redemption of bonds payable (rom taxation, thus relieving future years rom the danger of excessive taxation,” THR CITY'S REAL ESTATE, “What is your opinion of the proposition to reduce the bonded ues by the sale of real estate belonging to the cuy¥”” “A large amount—porsibly $10,000,000—1 city property not required lor municipal uccupation or use Shouid be sold at us curly a period ag possible, but it would be lolly to sacrifice it by selling it at the present u ‘The alnount received coulu properly bs applied tothe reduction of the debi, while it would also in- crease the property that pays taxes to the city, and thereby be douvly benetictal,” UNPAID ASSESSMENTS. “It has been publisued, as stated by you, that of the 000,000 of unpiid assessments hot more than $7,000,000 will ever be collected, Is tnis statement correct?” ‘0; tis a misuaderstanding. What I havo stated iu this matter is that $7,040,009 of the amount of un- nis will probably hever be collected; or, deficiency, arising (rom yarious cadces, providea by the issue of vonds to pay assessinent bonus, which have been issued for street iuprove- ments.” he inquiry has been made how this deficiency in | tyent Of assessments has arisen, and the ques- | also asked are there any Who do not pay | (heir ussesstnenits, and i so who are they #"" “A great nutnovr of assessments have Deen Vacated by the courts upon various techuteal grounds which have beeu taken advantage of by many persons, and Wat 8A class WhO have HOt paid their assessinents, | Un decisions of the eourts also, charet property | has been relieved from (he paymeut of assessments, | A large umount Of assessments also is due by the city | ou its own property, wh ms a part of the dels | ciency Uvat has to be provided for, Another class of persous who have not paid asses<ments are those owning property on strees which have | repaved irom the — proceeds Of assess | bouds, — the of whieh cannot be dander Jaws, Assessment | bonds, too, have been issued for the itprovement of | wVenues and streets in ue Upper part of the city, only one-bail of the cost of which can by law be assessed | on private property benefited by the improve ‘These and otoer cates have produced the det relerred to, and these facis slow who they are thas do | hot pay their assessments, THE STATE TAXES. “It has been jastiy staied,”” dtr, Kelly added, “that reat injustice by alt of the Stave the imposition of more than ow taxes, having paid within the last ten years to the State over $40,000,000, or two-thirds of thé actual debt olthe city, This wrong should be corrected by a tuir equalization of the Valuaion of the property through. | Appointment ib the Stae Board of Equalizauon of A representative member trom the city of New York who Would jlisist that she be treated with simple jus- (ee in the matter of State taxation, This fact, that the city bas paid more than $60,000,000 to tue Stale in taxes for (he last ten years, which 1s more than filly per cont of the entire State tax for that period, explain in gome measure the burden of public debt ‘and tax. tion at the present time. No doubt a vast amount of money has been squandered in this city by expendi. tures that might have been avoided and the public debt hus been greatly increased through frauds, jub- bery and extravagance, but it should be remembered Uthat the increase of the city debt bas mainly been ce the commencement of the late civil war under the vperation of an expanded currency, which has multiplied the cost of labor and materials three lold above their normal vaiue, which inflated Values 18 DOW represented by the city debt to a great extent.” THE HIGH TAXED BOULEVARDERS.: HEAVY ASSESSMENTS FOR UPTOWN IMPROVE- MENTS—A DELEGATION BEFORE MAYOR ELY AND COMPTROLLER KELLY—THE CITY ASKED 10 PAY HALY THE EXPENSE. A number of genulemen who own property along the Kine of the three boulevards ip the northern partoi the city called upon Mayor Ely and Comptroller Kelly esterday alternoon for the purpose of protesting agaiust the heavy ussessments levied upon them in connection with those improvements, Among those Y | only fourteen, as against twenty-one the week pret Haskin, J. F. Ruggles, 7.8. Van Valkenburgh, Joba HL, Sherwood and others. Mr. Sherwood tirst addressed the Mayor and Comp- troller, He contended that one-half the expense of these uptown improvements should be borne by the city, This practice had been followed im coustracting the Riverside Drive and in the opening of Church, Worth und other streets Comptroller Green bad presented this schome o! widening Sixth and Seventh avenues to the property holders, and it was then understood that the expenses were to be defrayed by the city at large and that the owners would be properly compensated, It was also under- stood that those avenues would bea continuation of the Central Park. 11 at the time they considered that they would be assessed for the whule improvement these gentiemen certainly would oot bave given their con- HL to the &chome. The property owners could never be benefited by such an undertaking; the benefit must result to people who reside above the Central Park. The new thorougufares were exclusively pleas- ure drives, ‘I'he proporty owners had twice asked the Legislature to place the whole cost upon ube city. A compromise waa effected by which one-half was to be paid by both sides. But by some means the law was upset Last Winter the same clause had been placed in the bill known us the Woodin charter, but tho Gover. nor’s veto defeated this measure asa whole, He (Mr, Sherwood) wished the city authorities to understand what great wrongs have been committed upon the property owners in the vicinity of thoxe improve- ments, RUINOUS TAXATION, Mr. Jobo B. Huskin said that he had appeared te gether with other taxpayers belore the Committee on Cites of the Legisiature in relation to this subject, Twenty-two sears ago ne had purchused three lots upon the corber of Seventh avenue and 1324 street, in 1876 the assessments on this property amounted to $6,300, Logetuer with a large amount of interest, If these lois were sold in the market at the present day they would not bring within $500 of what they bad cost him, The assessment would entirely confiscate bis property. He and his colleagues merely usked that one-half of the expense should be borne by the city, so as to releve them from such pressing d mands, Mr, Greeu had promised this, but with his usual obstinacy had procured the passage of a most in- famous law which worked very injurtously to property holders, Under this taw no assessment could be va- cuted unless fraud in the contracts bad been directly proved. f Mayor Ely inquired as to the aggregate amounts of assessments lor Wie three boulevards, Mr. Sherwood suid he thought it was about $2,000,000, | Mr, Bernard Smythe said the 10ts upon Seventa avenue were assessed at the rate of about $2,750 each, Mr Van Vaikenburgh made a statement in which he showed conclusively that a large poruen of his prop: | erty on the Hine of the improvements bad been actually | couliscaied, He held about 160 lots, for which he bad | been assessed $105,000, and the taxes amounted to $25,000 Within three years the asse-sed valuation of ull the property alfvered by the improvements had been | imoreased about $20,000,000, while the real vaige bad depreciated ut louse filly per cent comptroller Kelly asked it awards bad been made to any of the gentlemen present. Consideravie difficulty seemed to be experienced by the delegation in solving this pertinent question. Mr, Haskin stated that he bad been paid $800 lor some of hig lows, but he a terward withdrew this statement. Mr. Sherwood subsequently asserted tbat he had been awarded $10,000, and afterward assessed $13,000, while two lots were taken away — trom | bin. The gentieman therefore contended that | not $1 of award had been paid in this connection. The Speakers continued to dwell atlengtt upou these points, Mr, Haskin spoke toree times, He stated In lis list | speech that the Committee ou Cities had directed the property owners to slate their grievances to the Mayor and Comptroller, and, it these offlciais did not object, the necessary laws wouia be auvocated, by Which the city would be compelled to pay one-half of the assessments. * Mr. Jonathan Edgar was the concluding speaker. He merety reiterated the statements already made by others, At the conclusion of the proceedings Mayor Ely re- marked that their case seemed to be a peculiar one. ‘To him the subject was\pew. With reg. . to himself and the Comptrotler he would say that they wouid give it serious consideration, They would then recommend such measures as would be equitable to the property owners and the city, The delegation then withdrew, DANGERS OF MALARIA, SOME STATISTICS OF THE DEATH RATE OF CHIL- PREN--DECREASE IN DIPHTHERIA, For the past weck or two there have been trequent complaints of the prevalence ot dangerous diseases ainong little children, Any announcement of this sort generally brings with it no little eympatny, for the helpiess sufferers, unable to make known the naturo of their maladies, like larger people, can oitener be pitied than helped. It was said that tnuch of the sick- noss complained of was the result of malarial poisons, and to inquire into tho statistics of deaths from caus superinduced or aggravated by malarta jn {ts broad sense a HexaLD reporter cailed at the Health Department yesterday. Here it was ascertained that the g cate of tiie city has been better for the past six months than at avy cor- responding period for several years past. As for malaria, no one, they say, has of late called speciat atteution to its reuewed assaults upon the health of the little ones. The most prevalent trouble recently with chidrea bas be -nscarlauna, which js now shghily om the decrease. Other infantile troubles have vot in any general sense been reported as notabiy prevalent, Indeed, diphtheria 14 consiverably on the decrease, | THE DIPHTHERIA MA ‘The diphtheria map for 187 #hows cages of death from tis terrible disease, Last year there was a considerable reduction on these tigures, the number of deaths trom the same csuse being only 1,750, and thus lar this year the death rate is much Jower, The cases wero mostly distributed in the neizh- borhoods where malaria prevails, The locauties where malarial poison has resulted fatally heretofore and wholly from local causes wave been as tollows Pike and Henry streets, Marion street, University place, near Waveriey place; East Broad: street; Weat Fifteenth sireet, near FE) Twenty-ninth street, near Eighth avenue; Uhirty- seventh street, between Eighth and Ninth avenues; Thirty-fth and Thirty sixth streets, between Ninth ang Tenth avenues; Forty-loarth ‘and Foety-titth sireets, between Eighth and Ninth avenues; First ave- nue, between Fiity-seventh and = Filty-cighth streets; Seventy-third street, — between Mad. | won ‘and = Fourth ~—evenues; — Seventy-fourth street and avenue A, Seventy-sixth, Seventy-ninth and Eighueth streets, between Second and Third avenues; ‘Third avenue, between Mighty-loarth pnd Kignty-tittn streets; Ninety-lirst str between Fifth and Madi- son avenues, ‘here were also severnt fatal case along the exst side up town, in the entire neighbor. hood bordering on tho Harlem flats. To the preseace of foul gases in the dweilings were attributed most of e causes originating m New York, In the sane and adjacent localities sume deaths resulted trom malarial diseases contracted in the country, and there were other deaths from the same cause wherein the origin of the trouble could not be traced, Lt would seem that most of thg trouble has art-cn in low lying portions of the city or whexe the sewers are poorly coustructed, Dr, James, of the Health Depaziment, says that mula rial troubles are most hkely 10 prevail in winter 1 houses into Which noxious gases are lable ty ¢ through bad sewers or imperiect: plamburg. that season the houses are ugntly closed and kept at a temperature bizh enough to attract the ga-es, Some improvement, Dr, James thinks, has resulted from the use of a waste pipe leading to the roof, aud through which the gases pass upward instead of ‘passe Ing mite the premises through apertures. So ANPANTILE The followitgtigures are instruct ten years the ratio of mortality of children under five Years of age to the total mortality — Der Ci MORTALITY, Per Cent, 1867 4 Asus: Is record of 2.329 | ay, hour Pike | a love ot hth avenue; | | over the co! ter | In| jJeaks aud overilow | as showing for | CARDINAL XIMENES, The Biv. Father Dealy’s Lecture Before the New York Historical Society, THE CONTEMPORARY OF COLUMBUS How Regent Ximenes Founded the Great University of Alcala. At astated mecting ofthe New York Historical So. ciety, which took place last night in the lecture hall of the library, corner of Second avenue and Eleventh street, the Rev. Father P. F. Dealy, 3 read learned and eloquent paper on the interesting subject of ‘Cardinal Ximinesand Ameriea,”* It is not often that a Catholic clergyman lectures before audiences other than those of his religion, yet this is the third time Father Dealy has dove so, He had previously lectured beiore the Historical So. ciety of Brooklyn ea the works of Father Marquette and the early Catholic miasions in America, Afters ward the New York Historical Society tuvated him ta read the same paper. The hall was comfortably filled by a critical and attentive audience, whe itstencd with much interest to the exhaustive paper, a synopsia of which will be found below, The president of the society, Mr. F. De Poyster, introduced the lecturet. and when his paper was finished Mr. Jobn A, Stevem) proposed and the Hon, Charles P. Daly seconded a vote of thanks to Father Dealy, which was unaui- mously adopted, The paper opened with a description of the condition of Spain under Isabella, when the union of the crowns of Aragon and Navarre bad consolidated that country into one powerful monarchy, The internal improve- ments introduced and the stimulation of the spirit of | discovery and research abroad were shown to be the reault of the peaceful condition of the country couse. quent upon this great event. The Catholicity of the discovery of America was longand claborately dwely upen by the speaker. It was zeal for the propagation of the Christian faith tha: ‘actuated Isabella in her | enconragement and aid of Columbus; 1t was the same feeling tuat animated the great admiral and sustained him through the bitter struggles which he had to dght against ignorance and jealousy. Oneof the greatest evidences of the relgious charucter of the man, as well os of the undertaking, was the tact that the firmost friends of Columbus were among the mouks of the Order of St. Francis, one oi whom, the re- nowned Juan Perez, Prior of the Convent of La Ravida, when the despairing Columbus was about to quit Spain forever, restored uim to confidence and led hin on to success. A glowing tribute was paid to the churacwr Of Ubis great prelate, whose influence had secured tor Coluinbus the assistance of Isabella) Nor was Rome, suid the speaker, unconscious of what was takiog piace, The epitaph of Pope Innocent VIIL,, who died eight days belore Columbus started on the tirat voyage, vhows the interest he took in the matter, and Columbus ppeaks gratetully of the favors ho enjoyed at the hands of this Ponti! and from the Holy see, The religious character and practices of the crew, the interest of Isabella 1p the evangelization of the natives, and her vottve offering at the foot ot a crucitix of tho first gold brouzht from America, were all expatiated on nad adduced as arguments in favor of the assertion that Ube discovery of America, although justly regarded as one of the most splendid achievements of the inspira- tion of genius, was still more eminently the result of religious zeal, THE BULL INTER CETERA. ‘The first Papal document concerning America was long and ably discussed by the speaker. ‘This, he said, 18 olten cited asa direct assumption of temporal do- minion by tue Pontiff; but he wenton to show that long prior to the time ot Alexander V1. temporal authority haa been exercised by the pontifls, and had been acquiesced in and obeyed by the most powertul ot Christian princes. The historians, Robertson, De Maistre and our own Prescott. speak approvingly of this act, and all concur in regarding it as one which is justified by the event and the juris prudence of the age, Ximenes do Cisneros was called from the solitude of the cloister to the brill- fant court of Isabella, His early lite, his svudies, bis brilliunt career and great character wore sketched by the speaker in eloquent language. His accession to the Archbishopric ui Toledo was the initial point of hie great hisiory, which inciaded some of the greatest glories of Spain and of the Spanish Church. Ximenes, in common With all the enlightened minds of the sim had always taken an active interest in the new discov- cries, Always an intimate friend, correspondent and patrontot Columbus, tts success gratified him, and tho more 80 that in tue hew countries He ¢aw such a field for the spread of the Gospel of Christ, INDIAN SLAVERY, Unfortunately the coming of the Spaniards did not bring to the Indians unmixed blessings, Rome intended to send them yood udings, but avarice and lust marred the fair work, retarded ‘the progress of Christianity, and tnade what might have been an earthly paradise a laud of hideous slavery. The condition of ,he Indiaus, the cruelty of ths Spaniards, the noble conduct of tho missionaries, and their endeavors, at the risk of their lives, to iuterpose between the enslaved and tho en- Blaver, were graphically described. At length, 80 enormous bad become the crucities practised upon tho Datives that Ximenes, who had become Regent of Casuilo, appointed a commission to repair to the spot and arrange tor their proper treatment. Nothing can exceed the wistom 0: the instructions given by Ximenes to the members of this commissiva. they are characterized throughout by aspirit of Christianity, the injured Indian, and a thorougn aud minute knowledge of the manners and wanty of new cotonies, Associated with this comiuission was the renowned Las Casas, who has ever been accused of boing the first to propose the introduction to Amer- fea of negro slaves, iho speaker repelled in the warmest mauner such an accusation and made a com: plete Vitidication of the great Dominican jrom the charge, The learned New York scholar, Gulian C. Ver- planck, who has thoroughly and exhaustively studied the subject, completely exonerates Las Casas from thie charge, which was originally made by an unreliable Spanish historian named Herrera, who wrote in the sixteenth century, and reiterated without examination by numerous writers since his time. Tne speaker showed conclusively that the introduction of nero slaves, Which Las Casas is accusea of proposing in 1617, had been carried on trom 1603, and accor. ding to Herrera himself, from 1498, nineteen years before, ‘Tho character of Ximones as a great pairon of learning was dilated upon, To him Spain owed the introduction of the prinuing press and tho revival of letters consequent upou the spread of the new art, In this connection the erection of new schools and the re-opening of old seats of learning ali niry were mentioned and the invitation to learned men from all countries, among whom was tke famous Peter Martyr, the friend of Columbus, to whom spain and the world is indebted for tae well known “ccades de Novo Orbe.” Spain did not con- fine her printing press withia her own borders, lor, said the speaxer, in the year 1635, eighty-nve years before the Pilgrim Fathers landed a: Plymouth, it was taken to Mex.co, where it was set up and a translation ofChinachus’ “Spiritual Ladder” printed, This was tae first book printed in America, In 1548 was printed the “Christian Doctrine,” m Spanish and Mexican, the earliest Known book printed in the aboriginal lan- guage. THR UNIVERSITY OP ALCALA ~ | will ever remain in history to testily to the greatness, teens AST Vn much of wich is tracea ned, lo Improvements in sewerage and ventilation, For the three days of the present | week just elapsed there bas b an inerease in the number of deatus of persons of lovers, 1 is (rue, but then the entire bumMber recorded hus been only six throuzhout the city. The num of deaths troin diphtheria in the same time hus been ge IGIPAL NOTES The resolution offered by Alderman Morris calling Upon the Legisiature to pass necessary laws by which the Commissiouer of Public Works cannot have excla- sive control of the ordering of new sewers in this city has beou signed by Mayor Comptroller Kelly yesterday signed warrants amounting to $15,910 51. ‘A coplerence of heads of departments will take place in the Mayor's oflice to-day, 1m accordance with the resolution reoentiy passed by the Board of Aldermen calling for tis assemblage on tue trst Weduesday of every mouth, The Committee on Public Works of the Board of Aldermen, who aave under consideration the cuarges against Commissioner Campbell, mot yesterday, but did not take any further steps im this matter |The business transacted wus sinply of a routine character, WONDERS OF Among the most wonderful fish to be found in the world is the blind Proteus, which is found only in we subterranean lakes of Kean, iu Austria, Six fine speci- mens of this creature have just been received at the Aquarium in this city, With a consigament of subma- Tite Wouders from Europe, and with proper care it 13 hoped tuey will live jor # considerabie time, lu color they are & yellowish pink, Which, bowever, on ex- posure to thu light, becomes mottied and subsequently turns toa dark urown, ‘They bave long Hut beads and Jour short slender’ legs, the ‘fore feet ending tn two nailless toes and the bind feet in three, strange 10 suy, coming as they do out of utter darku the creutures have eyes. ‘they are sinall, bowever, and are ordinarily completely bidden beneath the skin, Somewhat similar to thes» fish is the Mexican Axoloww, auotuer strange creature just received. “Lang Tsing Yeo’ isthe name of & beautitully colored fish, two specimens of which have just bee gent from China, These are of a Urigit golden yellow, tipped on the MUD THE WATERS. Messrs, Jobn B, fius with black, aaa they have each four iace like tails, the generosity and the wisdom of Cardinal Ximenes, he : | In the midst of bis numerous cares as prelate and SL | ws soe $3.28 | tesman, and ghe great self-imposed duties which the creation of bis university called him to tullil, Ximenes found time for the execution of another great work, which alone would have been suflicient to tmn- mortalize him, His famous Complutension or Polyglot Bible, the anxiety of the Church for the preservatiog ot tue purity of the text of the Sacred Scriptures, ang ages trom malariat | the numerous efforts mude by her learned men at different periods for the emendation of the Vulga were eloquently described und recited, The erroneous notion that Luther's translation of the Bible was the first translation into the vernacular was compietely disposed of, the ~—sspeaker demonstrating that as early as 1478 a Spanish transla tion of the Bible appeared at Valencia, and, besider muny early editions of the Scriptures, in their origin: tongues und various other vernacular versions, especially German, no less than titty versions of the Scriptures bad appeared in tho Italian, French, | Spauish and German previous to Lather’s version. ‘His great career as 4 stutosman was then summed up by the speaker. His conduct of the regency, the build- ing up ofa great kingdom, his warrtor-like qualities as exhibited in the siege of Oran and the conquest of the Moors, his zeal Jor the interests of Spain and the Church, bis great qualities of head and heart, were all done ample justice to, THE MICROSCOPE, The American Microscopical Socioty gave an exhibi- tion in Kurtz’s Art Gallery last evening, Upward ot 400 tnvitations had been issued, 80 that the room was completely filled. The instruments were displayed on a bumber of tables or stands made under direction. ot Dr, John B, Rich, the President of the soctety. Seventy-two microscopes, several of them being of Improved make were on exhibition, Dr, Rien dis- Played a small slide of diatomes, containing about SIXLy Shells, arrauged by a lady and sent to the Doctor from London some six years ago At the time this Siide Was Dade It Was Considered a great curiosity, aud | suld for $120, A microscope stand or pedestal, 10+ Vented by Mr. George Wales, of Paterson, and designed for the use of paysiviaus and students, altracted much actention, otber improved stand, made vy Mr. Jos, Zantinayer, of Puilaacipiia, was also displayed, and a pumber cf Thstruments, manuiactured yt, He McAllister, of this city, were likewise on exibition. The greater number of tables were lighted by We students’ lamp; but in some cases the objects were shown by means of a transparency Tisihy fromthe centre of the table. The idea ort, inated with Dr, Rica, The last exhibition of thw kind Was given about LWo years ago, but henceforth ib 18 (he iutention of the society that they shall be beld annually, The object is to make a popular display of li the improvements aud inventions in the micro scopic art, 6