REPORT 
 
 HOW OUR TAXES 
 MAY BE REDUCED, 
 
 OUR RESOURCES DEVELOPED, 
 
 AND THE 
 
 LOCAL GOVERNMENT IMPROVED. 
 
 OUR WHARVES AND PIERS, MARKETS, PUBLIC PROPERTY, Sec, &c. 
 
 IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR EVERY TAX PAYER. 
 
 The great question of the day is "Retrenchment, and intelligent, 
 thorough, comprehensive Reform." 
 
 NEW- YORK : 
 IPu/blished. by trie Citizens' Association, 
 No. 813 BROADWAY. 
 
 1868. 
 
X 
 
 IE* ICtbrta 
 
 SEYMOUR DURST 
 
 ~t ' 'Tort nUutu d.m/lerda.m. oj> Je MLanhatans 
 
 When you leave, please leave this hook 
 
 Because it has heen said 
 " Sver'thing comes t' him who waits 
 
 Except a loaned hook.'' 
 
 Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library 
 (hi i <>i Si ymour B. I)i rsi Old York LIBRARY 
 
R E I> O R T 
 
 OF 
 
 HOW OUR TAXES 
 MAY BE REDUCED, 
 
 OUR RESOURCES DEVELOPED, 
 
 AND THE 
 
 LOCAL GOVERNMENT IMPROVED. 
 
 OUR WHARVES AND PIERS, MARKETS, PUBLIC PROPERTY, Jsc, to. 
 
 IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR EVERT TAX PATER. 
 
 The great question of the day is " Retrenchment, and intelligent, 
 thorough, comprehensive Reform." 
 
 NEW-YORK : 
 
 Published, by tlie Citizens' Association, 
 No. 813 BROAD WAT. 
 
 1868. 
 
M 
 VIS 
 
 m 
 
REPORT 
 
 OF 
 
 THE CITIZENS' ASSOCIATION. 
 
 HOW OUR TAXES MAY BE REDUCED, OUR RESOURCES DE- 
 VELOPED, AND THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT IMPROVED. 
 
 OUR WHARVES AND PIERS, MARKETS, PUBLIC PROPERTY, 
 
 ETC., ETC., ETC. 
 
 The Citizens' Association of New-York was organized 
 in 1863, for the purpose of reforming abuses in the Muni- 
 cipal Government It has long since ceased to be an 
 experiment, and has developed into a movement of the 
 utmost importance to the welfare of our city. It has 
 inaugurated reforms of the most vital character, many of 
 which are too well known to our people to need other than 
 a passing mention. It points to its record of four years as 
 one in every way calculated to encourage sanguine hopes 
 of the success of its plans for the future. 
 
 THE ASSOCIATION TAKES NO PART IN POLI- 
 TICS, DOES NOT MAKE NOMINATIONS, AND IS 
 IN NO WAY CONNECTED WITH ANY PARTY 
 ORGANIZATION. IT DEALS WITH MEN AFTER 
 THEY GET INTO OFFICE. 
 
 TO REDUCE TAXATION. 
 The Association is engaged in perfecting a carefully pre- 
 pared plan whereby, by developing every legitimate source 
 of income, our local government may become, in a great 
 measure, self-sustaining. 
 
4 
 
 New -York to-day, with public property worth about 
 $200,000,000, consisting of parks, markets, Croton Aque- 
 duct works and real estate connected therewith, wharves, 
 piers and ferries, from which a large income should be de- 
 rived, is in debt to the amount of $42,142,176.50, and is 
 compelled to raise by tax upon the estates of citizens seven- 
 eighths of the sums necessary to conduct its affairs. 
 
 To decrease taxation, the debt should be lessened, the 
 revenues increased, and the expenses of the government 
 curtailed. 
 
 STANDING DEBT. 
 
 V. To reduce our Standing Debt 
 
 This amounts to $42,142,176.50, upon which the interest 
 is over two and a half millions of dollars per annum. 
 
 There is now in the Sinking Fund, for the redemption of 
 the city debt, $15,000,000. 
 
 This amount should be at once applied to paying off 
 that indebtedness. This would leave a total debt of 
 $27,142,176.50. 
 
 The market property of the city, estimated to be worth 
 about $5,000,000, should be sold, and the proceeds applied to 
 paying off the debt ; this would leave a debt of $22,142,176.50 
 to be provided for. Of this amount there are $10,782,800 
 on account of the original cost of the Croton Aqueduct and 
 works. 
 
 The Croton Water debt should be paid from the Croton 
 Water income alone. This is a basis of revenue able to 
 take care of its own debt, and leave a large surplus revenue. 
 
 The debt would thus be reduced to about $11,359,376.50. 
 
 The other saleable property owned by the city could be 
 disposed of for about $2,000,000, thus leaving a debt of 
 $9,000,000, incurred on account of the Central Park im- 
 provement, to represent which we have the Park, worth, at 
 least, seventy-live millions. 
 
 This balance of our debt, viz., nine millions, should be 
 
5 
 
 funded in a long stock, known as The Central Park Im- 
 provement Stock, of 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 and 38 
 years, which would make just one million mature each 
 year, to be raised and paid by tax ; the interest, in the 
 mean time, to be annually raised by tax and paid by the 
 Comptroller; and the Sinking Fund, with all its waste and 
 heavy expense, together with the sinecure office of City 
 Chamberlain, abolished. 
 
 REYEXUES. 
 
 2. The next step is to increase the City Revenues. 
 
 The revenue for the use of Croton Water should be made 
 to pay the interest on that debt, to lay aside enough an- 
 nually to liquidate the principal when due, and to }'ield 
 about one million yearly to the tax fund, in addition to 
 paying the current expenses of that department. The pre- 
 sent low rates for Croton Water were fixed shortly after it 
 was introduced, and only amounts in first-class dwellings 
 to about half a cent for one hundred gallons, which is next 
 to nothing. 
 
 Large express companies, hotels, stage companies, rail- 
 road lines, which now pay but a mere pittance into the 
 treasury for the privileges and advantages they enjoy, 
 should be required to pay what is just and fair. 
 
 Authority should be obtained from the Legislature to 
 impose a license tax upon the cars of the city railroads. 
 These companies enjoy the public streets for their business 
 as a monopoly ; they make large profits, and should pay 
 for the privileges they possess. 
 
 There are thousands of persons doing business in this 
 city who do not contribute one dollar towards the expenses 
 of our local government for accommodations which they 
 enjoy equally with our tax-payers. They live in the neigh- 
 boring counties and States, and thus escape the burdens 
 which they should justly bear. A direct tax should be 
 
6 
 
 imposed upon all such persons, graduated according to the 
 amount of business transacted. These classes of indivi- 
 duals, by living out of the city, but yet doing business in it, 
 get rid of paying a personal tax here, thus bearing no pro- 
 portion of the public burdens, but enjoying all the public 
 accommodations precisely as much as citizens who now pay 
 for all these privileges. 
 
 From the last three sources an annual income might easily 
 be derived of $2,000,000, and from such sources, in nearly 
 all our large cities, income is derived. 
 
 EXPENSES OF GOVERNMENT. 
 
 3. The next step is to decrease the expenses of the Local 
 Government. 
 
 All distinctions between city and county should be 
 abolished, thus getting rid of two sets of officers doing the 
 same general work in the same territorial limits, and of 
 large expenses caused entirely by a dual government. At 
 least one million of dollars would thus be saved. 
 
 The expenses of the police should be reduced. It is ad- 
 mitted that as good men can be obtained for the force for 
 $900 per year as for $1,200, which is now paid. This, upon 
 the present force of 2,000 men, would be a saving of 
 $600,000 per year. 
 
 From a careful analysis of the expenditures of the De- 
 partment of Public Instruction, the Association is of opinion 
 that this Department could be efficiently conducted for two 
 and a half millions of dollars per annum. 
 
 The expenses of the local government can be reduced 
 nearly another million of dollars by making our courts of 
 justice self-sustaining. This can be done by the institution 
 of a plan which shall require all those persons who use the 
 courts to pay the expense thereof. Our courts now cost us 
 nearly $800,000 per year, and the city receives but $100,000 
 in fees, &c., therefrom. 
 
7 
 
 In our courts there are 35 judges, 100 clerks and 89 offi- 
 cers (the police acting as officers for the criminal and police 
 courts). 
 
 Each year about 2,500 cases in the Supreme Court are 
 put on the calendar; in the Superior Court about 600, in 
 the Common Pleas about 600, in the Marine Court about 
 5,000 suits are brought annually, and in the petty civil 
 courts, together, about 12,000. These amount to over 
 20,000, which number must be increased by some 3,000 
 additional suits which never go on the calendars. 
 
 For some 30,000 litigants this expense of §800,000 is 
 borne by the community at large; w T hereas a very small 
 tax on the litigants themselves, which would be perfectly 
 just, would defray the expense. 
 
 Another portion of the plan is to reduce the costs of the 
 courts. 
 
 The other expenses of the local government can be re. 
 duced an additional million of dollars by a judicious con- 
 traction of expenditure. 
 
 The expenses of the local government upon the basis of 
 the expenditures of 1866 would be as follows : 
 
 Metropolitan Commissions $4,174,106 32 
 
 Common Council 3,908,582 62 
 
 Board of Supervisors 1,757,780 00 
 
 Charities and Correction 1,067,889 08 
 
 Board of Education 2,539,327 54 
 
 Principal and Interest on Debt 2,401,472 35 
 
 State Purposes 2,902,849 37 
 
 Total $18,752,007 28 
 
 By the plan of the Association, the expenses would be 
 as follows : 
 
 The Commissions..., $3,000,000 
 
 Public Instruction 2,500,000 
 
 Charities and Correction 1,000,000 
 
 Common Council 2,000,000 
 
8 
 
 Cleaning Streets $500,000 
 
 Interest on Funded Debt 700,000 
 
 Incidentals 500,000 
 
 State Purposes 3,000.000 
 
 Total $13,200,000 
 
 To meet this the revenue would be as follows : 
 
 1. Croton Water revenue, in addition to the amount required 
 
 in paying the expenses of the Department, the interest on 
 
 the stock, and the principal a3 it falls due .$1,000,000 
 
 2. Excise 1,000,000 
 
 3. Revenue from River Front — Wharves, Piers, Slips and 
 
 Ferries, when developed 2,000,000 
 
 4. Other sources of Revenue 2,000,000 
 
 Total Revenue $6,000,000 
 
 This would leave a total of $7,000,000 to be raised by 
 tax, which would make the tax less than one per cent, 
 upon the present valuation of property, viz., $830,000,000. 
 
 THE PAST WORK TO REDUCE TAXES. 
 
 The most effective service performed by the Citizens' 
 Association has been rendered in respect of the annual tax- 
 ation of the people of the Cit}*- and County of New-York. 
 
 It is eminently proper that the Association should explain 
 in what this service consists. It is undoubtedly true that 
 the taxes have increased since the year 1864, when the Asso- 
 ciation was fully organized ; but this increase has not been 
 regular. The amount in 1865 was greater than that in 1864, 
 but in 1866 it was less than the preceding year. In 1867 it 
 increased in a wholly disproportionate manner, and solely 
 from accidental circumstances. It is steady and unchecked 
 increase which marks the absence of the watchful eye; but 
 when there is an almost unaccountable fluctuation from in- 
 crease to decrease, and back again, there is evidence of the 
 struggle ceaselessly carried on to reduce taxation to a proper 
 figure. 
 
9 
 
 With the Tax Bill of 1864, the Association commenced 
 its labor to check the enormous burdens imposed upon the 
 people. The city and county governments proposed to raise 
 over $15,000,000 in that year from the citizens of the county. 
 This sum, through the efforts of the Association, was reduced 
 nearly $2,000,000. 
 
 In 1805, through the combinations of' some of the local 
 officers, who, baffled in their open attempts, resorted covertly 
 to the provisions of previously enacted laws to gain their 
 ends, a large debt was incurred for judgments confessed 
 against the city, which had to be paid ; and debts contracted 
 for extraordinary expenses during the war, helped to swell 
 the taxes to the sum of $18,000,000. In 1866 the Associa- 
 tion obtained the passage of laws which prevented the repe- 
 tition of the frauds of the previous year, and otherwise cut 
 down the levy to $16,950,767.88. 
 
 In the present year the payment of other instalments of 
 loans previously contracted, and the unavoidable additions 
 hereafter explained, brought the amount up again to the sum 
 of $21,560,980. 
 
 But it is to be considered that the valuation of the taxable 
 property in this county, during those years, has increased 
 about $200,000,000, and that the improvements of property 
 which were thus made to yield their share towards the 
 burdens of government, lessened very much that burden on 
 the whole community. 
 
 In short, the increase of valuation in the taxable property 
 is at the rate of 25 per cent, and the increase in the taxes 
 about 33 per cent. 
 
 The Association now calls attention to the following in- 
 teresting statements : 
 
 In the three years immediately preceding that in which 
 the Association commenced its labors in this field the taxes 
 had increased by the sum of $5,600,621.76. This, which 
 2 
 
10 
 
 was the ratio in which the taxes had regularly increased, 
 gives an annual increase of about $1,800,000. 
 
 Taking the taxes of 1864, at about $15,000,000, which 
 they would have been without the efforts of the Association, 
 and allowing this regular increase, it will be seen that with- 
 out any extraordinary cause of increase the taxes «? 1867 
 would be about. $20,400,000 
 
 To this we should have had to add the 50 
 per cent, in salaries, and more in wages of 
 workmen, 33 per cent, in pay of police, etc., 
 and the increase of material of all kinds for 
 public purposes in the years 1864, 1865 and 
 1866, which were necessitated by the state of 
 
 the currency, and which amount to about 3.000,000 
 
 To this we should also add the interest on 
 the war debt of the city and county, and the 
 instalments paid on it, and the redemption of 
 the various other loans, which amounted, in 
 1867, to about - 2,600,000 
 
 To this we should add the deficiency in col- 
 lecting the annual taxes for 1866, which had 
 to be raised in 1867 615,000 
 
 To this should also be added the extraor- 
 dinary addition of a deficiency in the State 
 tax, caused by the county being compelled to 
 refund taxes on U. S. securities 500,000 
 
 And we should have, at the regular rate of 
 progression, in this year, a tax of 27,115,000 
 
 Instead of which we have to pay a tax of. . . 21,560,980 
 
 This balance of $5,554,020 
 
 represents the actual saving which has been made on the 
 tuxes of this year alone, by the exercise of watchfulness, 
 the resolute combating of peculation. 
 
 The results of this effort are also apparent in 1866. In 
 
11 
 
 that year, according to the table of progression and increase 
 above laid out, the taxes should have been. __ $23,100,000 
 But they were actually 16,950,767 
 
 Leaving a gain of $6,149,233 
 
 It is respectfully submitted that a saving of $11,000,000 
 in the taxes of two years only, and these two the last, is 
 evidence of the existence of an agency of good, potent 
 enough to check in some degree the march of extravagance, 
 corruption and ruin. 
 
 It will be seen that, at the regular rate of progression, 
 which bad government had made in taxation, the Associa- 
 tion points to a gain of about $11,000,000 in this and the 
 preceding year. 
 
 This is conclusive proof that not only have our local 
 rulers been defeated in attempts to extend their corrupt 
 efforts, but have actually been forced into a great retrench- 
 ment. 
 
 The means adopted to secure this end are explained very 
 simply. 
 
 The Association organized its campaign afresh in each 
 year, on the following basis : 
 
 First— In the City of New- York. 
 
 1. By preventing through the vigilance of the friends of 
 reform in the Common Council, the immense extravagance 
 in that body. 
 
 2. By its watch on and examination into the proceedings 
 of departments ; checking attempts to defraud. 
 
 3. By its prosecution of corrupt officials, terrifying them 
 into economical administration of their duties. 
 
 4. By applying to the courts for injunctions and other 
 processes, arresting the consummation of fraudulent con- 
 tracts and jobs. 
 
 Second — Before the Governor. 
 
 By arraigning delinquent officials who violated their trusts. 
 
12 
 
 Third — In the Legislature. 
 
 1. By watching and preventing the passage of laws tend- 
 ing to increase the burdens of taxation, to create new offices, 
 and to waste the public money. 
 
 2. By instantly seizing upen and obtaining the control of 
 the city and county tax levies of each year, as they are 
 sent up for approval, reducing them and limiting, by pro- 
 visions in them, the powers of the local rulers. 
 
 3. By obtaining and assisting to obtain the passage of 
 independent laws, remodelling the city government, and 
 removing powers from the local officers to responsible State 
 Commissions. 
 
 OUR WHARVES AND PIERS. 
 
 The Association is actively engaged in efforts to produce 
 reform in the wharf and pier system in the harbor of New- 
 York. The commerce of our country is rapidly centraliz- 
 ing toward this port, and accommodations must be provided 
 for it commensurate with its importance. This Association 
 took active steps last year to procure the requisite legislation 
 on this subject, and is now renewing its efforts. A public 
 meeting of our merchants interested in this reform has been 
 lately held at the Merchants' Exchange, under the following 
 call : 
 
 THE CITIZENS' ASSOCIATION OF NEW- YORK. 
 
 No. 813 Broadway, ) 
 October dOlh, 1867. J 
 
 The Citizens' Association will hold a meeting at the Mer- 
 chants' Exchange, 52 Pine street, on Friday, November 8th, 
 at 3 o'clock, P.M., for the purpose of discussing what steps 
 shall be taken to inaugurate a system of wharves and piers 
 commensurate with the present and future wants of the City 
 of New-York. 
 
 The question is one of great national importance. While 
 
13 
 
 our railroads are being extended to the Pacific, and our 
 steamship lines to China, no adequate provision has been 
 made within our city for the accommodation of our vast and 
 growing commerce. 
 
 The interests not only of our city, but our entire country, 
 demand an immediate change in our wharf and pier system. 
 
 The members of the Chamber of Commerce, the Produce 
 Exchange, the Shipowners' Association, and all parties in- 
 terested, are cordially invited to attend the meeting, and pre- 
 sent their views. 
 
 WILLIAM WOOD. 
 
 JAMES BROWN. 
 
 TAPSCOTT BROS. & CO. 
 
 MOSES H. GRINNELL. 
 
 BOWL AND & FROTHINGHAM. 
 
 WILLIAM M. VERMILYE. 
 
 FABBRI & CHAUNCEY. 
 
 WASHINGTON R. VERMILYE. 
 
 HUGH ALLEN. 
 
 WILLIAMS & GUION. 
 
 SPOFFORD, TILESTON & CO. 
 
 A. A. LOW & BROTHERS. 
 
 F. W. J. HURST. 
 
 WILLIAM H. FOGG & CO. 
 
 LIVINGSTON, FOX & CO. 
 
 CHARLES LULING & CO. 
 
 J. BOOKMAN JOHNSTON & CO. 
 
 OELRICHS & CO. 
 
 MORGAN & TINKER. 
 
 PICKERING CLARK. 
 
 CHARLES H. MARSHALL & CO. 
 
 BARCLAY & LIVINGSTON. 
 
 GRINNELL, MINTURN & CO. 
 
 H. B. CROMWELL & CO. 
 
 PACIFIC MAIL S. S. CO. 
 
 w. w. Deforest & co. 
 
 per F. W. G. Bellows, Vice-Prest. 
 
 W^ESTON & GRAY. 
 
 EDWARD CROMWELL. 
 
 WILLIAM WHITLOCK, Jr. 
 
 LEWIS ROBERTS & CO. 
 
 N. L. McCREADY & CO. 
 
 HORACE GREELEY. 
 
 STURGES & CO. 
 
 DAVID DOWS & CO. 
 
 CHARLES CAROW. 
 
 DAVID HOADLEY. 
 
 THEODORE W. RILEY. 
 
 PETER COOPER. 
 
 PARKE GODWIN. 
 
 JAMES GORDON BENNETT. 
 
 PHELPS, DODGE & CO. 
 
 CHARLES TRACY. 
 
 JESSE HOYT & CO. 
 
 JOSIAH M. FISKE & CO. 
 
 STEWART BROWN. 
 
 JONATHAN STURGES. 
 
 NAT. L. & GEORGE GRISWOLD. 
 
 JOHN C. GREEN. 
 
 JAMES K. PLACE & CO. 
 
 THOMAS H. FAILE. 
 
 SAMUEL W. OSGOOD. 
 
 BENJ. B. SHERMAN. 
 
 E. W. COLEMAN & CO. 
 
 WOODRUFF & ROBINSONS. 
 
 STURGES, CLEARMAN & CO. 
 
 JOSEPH ALLEN & CO. 
 
 ROBERT C. FERGUSON. 
 
 BOYD & HINCKEN. 
 
14 
 
 This meeting was presided over by A. A. Low, Esq., and 
 addresses were made by the president and by Messrs. Peter 
 Cooper, Charles Tracy, William E. Dodge, George F. Noyes, 
 William Wood, and others. 
 
 The following preamble and resolution were unanimously 
 adopted by the meeting : 
 
 Whereas, The wharves and piers of the City of New- 
 York are in a condition, disgraceful to our City and 
 injurious to our commerce. And, 
 
 Whereas, The wharf and pier system of this port is in- 
 adequate to meet the public wants, and is far behind the 
 system that exists in the great cities of Europe. And, 
 
 Whereas, The City of New-York is rapidly absorbing 
 the foreign trade of our country, which, in 1865, amounted 
 to $571,036,933, of which New-York had $429,090,523. 
 And, 
 
 Whereas, New- York, by reason of its position, is des 
 tined to become the commercial centre of the world, and 
 should have a wharf and pier system that would be an 
 honor to our city, and prove commensurate with the public 
 wants. And, 
 
 Whereas, The question of providing ample dock accom- 
 modations for the trade of this port is of importance, not 
 only to the City of New-York, but is one in which the 
 whole State and Nation have the deepest and most direct 
 interest. And, 
 
 Whereas, Radical changes are demanded in our whole 
 s}'stem of wharves and piers. And, 
 
 Whereas, To properly deal with a subject of such vast 
 importance, and to develop a plan or system that will 
 meet with united support, it is necessary that the shipping, 
 banking, commercial, manufacturing and other great in- 
 terests to be affected, should confer in reference thereto. 
 Therefore be it 
 
15 
 
 Resolved, That A. A. Low, James Brown, William H. 
 Fogg, Peter Cooper, Paul Spofford, John S. Williams, 
 John Taylor Johnston, August Belmont, William M. 
 Vermilye, Jeremiah P. Kobinson, David Dows, 'William 
 B. Astor, John J. Phelps, Joseph W. Alsop, Stewart 
 Brown, William Wood, Jacob A. Westervelt, Charles 
 O'Conor, Hugh Allen, Theodore W. Riley, Kichard W. 
 Weston, Charles Tracy, Murray Hoffman, Nathaniel Sands, 
 Washington R. Vermilye, Samuel U. F. Odell, William 
 D. Morgan, Charles H. Marshall, Isaac N. Phelps, Paul N. 
 Spofford, Allan McLane, Aaron Arnold, Marshall 0, 
 Roberts, James M. Constable, Francis W. G. Bellows, 
 William B. Dinsmore, Edwin Hoyt, Howard Potter, 
 William E. Dodge, John S. Elridge, Francis W. J. 
 Hurst, Charles Luling, Cornelius K. Garrison, William 
 M. Evarts, Benjamin Trask, Robert Mackie, E. P. Fabbri, 
 Jonathan Sturges, Adam Norrie, George F. Noyes, Robert 
 L. Stuart, Jonathan Thorne, Samuel Sloan, J. F. D. Lanier, 
 James Boorman Johnston, John Jacob Astor, Jr., Cornelius 
 Vanderbilt, Stephen Smith, Joseph F. Daly, John E. Wil- 
 liams, William A. Booth, James H. Frothingham, George 
 Griswold, James K. Place, John A. Weeks, Richard M. 
 Henry, George S. Coe, Le Grand Lockwood, Samuel 
 Willets, George Cabot Ward, Edward Cunard, Frederick 
 Chauncey, Benjamin B. Sherman, Henry G. Deforest, 
 Jesse Hoyt, Edward Hincken, Lewis Roberts, James T. 
 Tapscott, Thomas T. Sturges, David Hoadley, George W. 
 Duer, James Punnett, William B. Duncan, Thomas J, 
 Owen, George M. Clearman, Benjamin D. Silliman, Charles 
 
 A. Secor, Horatio Allen, D. R. Martin, Samuel H. Seaman, 
 William Nelson, Jr., Joseph J. Comstock, Augustus E. 
 Silliman, Edward W. Coleman, Josepli Allen, Percy R, 
 Pyne, Robert L. Taylor, Nathaniel L. McCready, Lewis 
 
 B. Woodruff, Alexander Hamilton, Jr., William F. Cary, Jr., 
 H. T. Livingston, Henry E, Nesmith, Ambrose Snow, 
 
16 
 
 Pickering Clark, Henry Bergb, Solon Humphreys, Edward 
 Cromwell, Erastus S. Brown, D. Colden Murray, Henry M. 
 Taber, Samuel W. Osgood, Thomas S. Sandford, Simon F. 
 Mackie and William E. Worthen, representing such inte- 
 rests, be appointed a Committee to examine the whole 
 subject, and to report as to the best means of inaugurating 
 a wharf and pier system in this port, commensurate with 
 the present and future wants of our commerce. 
 
 SALE OF OUR MARKETS. 
 
 The Association has also in hand the carrying into effect 
 its proposition for a sale of the market property of the city. 
 This property is now estimated as being worth about five 
 millions of dollars. The net annual profit now received by 
 the city from this source by way of rents, fees, etc., is 
 $100,000. 
 
 The following statement shows the amount that the city 
 is annually losing under the present system : 
 
 If this property should be sold, and the money invested, 
 the city would receive some $350,000 per annum as interest. 
 In addition, the markets being situated in large centres of 
 business required for commercial purposes, in private hands 
 the property would be improved, and would be worth, at 
 least, $20,000,000. The city would receive, by way of tax 
 upon this property, at the present rate of taxation, two and 
 a half per cent, upon the taxable value, say $250,000 per 
 annum ; this, added to the $350,000 above, makes $600,000, 
 against $100,000, now received, a total annual gain of 
 $500,000. The plan of the Association is to use the 
 $5,000,000 to pay off so much of the city debt. The city 
 would then be receiving a net tax upon the property as 
 improved. 
 
 The Association will also agitate the sale of the markets 
 on another ground ; that it is better for the general public 
 that the city should not remain in the business. As long 
 
17 
 
 as the municipal authorities manage this business, not only 
 will it be unproductive to the citj 7 , but the business will not 
 reach such a stage of development as it would in the hands 
 of private individuals. 
 
 If the municipal authorities would leave this, as it does 
 other kinds of business, to private enterprise, markets would 
 be erected in centres of population where they are needed, 
 and not, as now, in centres of business, and also upon a 
 plan commensurate with the wants of the people. The 
 loss to the public annually from the situation of our markets, 
 has been carefully estimated, and amounts to MORE 
 THAN THIRTY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. The 
 whole original principle of public markets has been lost 
 sight of, and instead of being a common ground where the 
 producer and consumer meet for the sale and purchase of 
 commodities, they have become mere stands or stalls for 
 •hucksters, fore-stallers and speculators. 
 
 It is a sound principle of government that the public 
 authorities should entirely keep out of the sphere of busi- 
 ness ; for, unless it does so, private enterprise will shun that 
 business, since private capital will not risk itself against that 
 of the Government, which has the power, by harsh and in- 
 vidious distinctions, to ruin millions of property and capital, 
 whenever so inclined. 
 
 WATCH OYER EXPENDITURES. 
 
 One of the most important duties of the Association is to 
 keep a constant watch over every department and bureau 
 of the local government. The expenditures under each 
 head of appropriation are carefully examined by an ac- 
 countant, and the prices paid by the officials are compared 
 with the market prices of the same articles. When the As- 
 sociation discovers in the expenditures of the public money 
 any violation of law or excess in price or quantity, it pub- 
 licly draws the attention of the head of the particular depart- 
 3 
 
18 
 
 meDt to such matters, and demands that the proper remedy 
 shall be applied. This constant, persistent and thorough 
 examination and exposure of improper conduct has a very 
 wholesome effect in checking official wrong-doing. The 
 Association has succeeded in obtaining the decision of our 
 courts that a citizen is entitled to an inspection of all public 
 papers, books and documents, which opens the way to the 
 fullest investigation. One of the chief reasons why the 
 officials have heretofore squandered such large sums of 
 money has been, that they could thus act with impunity — 
 since there has been no one individual or body of men 
 whose special business it has been to investigate, expose and 
 punish official misconduct. Now, however, the mere exist- 
 ence of the Association, its regular examination of the 
 expenditures of the several departments, renders the 
 officials careful in every proceeding, for they do not know 
 when, or where, or how the Association will strike the next 
 blow. The Association would lay the greatest stress upon 
 the necessity of continuing this scrutiny and supervision of 
 expenditures as one of the best and surest methods of 
 introducing economy and honesty in the expenditure of the 
 public money. 
 
 CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION. 
 
 Another important part of the work now before the Asso- 
 ciation is to obtain suitable provisions in the proposed new 
 State Constitution, for inaugurating a proper system of gov- 
 ernment for this city. The Association is striving to have 
 the Convention recommend a change from an elective to an 
 appointed judiciary, as essential to the pure and firm ad- 
 ministration of the laws. It is in communication with the 
 ,members of the Convention upon this and other matters — 
 among which are: the prevention of the abolition of the 
 present commissions in this city; the making it a criminal 
 offence for the City Chamberlain to receive for his own use 
 
19 
 
 any profit or per-centage upon the public money; the giving 
 to the Mayor power to remove commissioners or members 
 of State Boards for cause ; and the authorization of taxes in 
 the City and County of New-York, according to the follow- 
 ing 
 
 PLAN OF RAISING TAXES. 
 
 TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY TAX-PAYERS, PAY- 
 ING TAXES ON PROPERTY OF THE TAXABLE 
 VALUE OF NOT LESS THAN TWENTY THOU- 
 SAND DOLLARS, SHALL BE SUMMONED BY THE 
 MAYOR OF THE CITY, FROM AMONG WHOM, IN 
 THE PRESENCE OF THE PRESIDING JUSTICE OF 
 THE SUPREME COURT, TWENTY-FOUR SHALL 
 BE SELECTED BY LOT, WHO SHALL SIT AS A 
 JURY. 
 
 BEFORE THEM EVERY BRANCH OF THE LOCAL 
 GOVERNMENT, INCLUDING ALL BOARDS AND 
 COMMISSIONS, SHALL BE, BY LAW, COMPELLED 
 TO PRESENT THEIR BUDGETS, AND ANY TAX- 
 PAYER MAY APPEAR AND OPPOSE THE 
 AMOUNTS ASKED FOR, GIVING HIS REASONS 
 FOR SO DOING. A MAJORITY OF THE JURY 
 SHALL DETERMINE, AFTER HEARING ALL 
 SIDES, THE SUMS NECESSARY TO BE RAISED 
 FOR ALL LOCAL PURPOSES, IN THE CITY AND 
 COUNTY OF NEW-YORK, AND THEIR DECISION 
 SHAIV 'BE FINAL 
 
 r S M k Association is continually gathering facts and pre- 
 paring arguments for the use of prominent members of the 
 Convention, and trusts to be thereby instrumental in accom- 
 plishing much lasting good. 
 
 As to the other important part of the work of the Asso- 
 ciation — the procuring of legislation abolishing all distinc- 
 
tions between the city and county, and transferring all the 
 powers and duties of the Board of Supervisors to the Common 
 Council — the public hardly need to be convinced of its pro- 
 priety. The danger to be apprehended from the continuance 
 of the county government can be readily estimated from the 
 fact that the Board has already spent this year $400,000, for 
 fitting up armories and drill-rooms, the greater part of which 
 has gone for the purchase of expensive and elaborately 
 carved and gilded black walnut furniture, &c, and has ex- 
 pended, with interest, &c, some $4,378,835.96 on a new 
 county court-house, which was originally to cost but $250,000. 
 Although the appropriation of $800,000 for this year was 
 expressly mentioned to be for the completion of the court- 
 house, yet the whole of this money has been spent, and the 
 building does not approach completion. 
 
 CITY CHAMBERLAIN. 
 
 The Association has also an important work to perform, 
 in putting a stop to the system whereby the City Chamber- 
 lain receives annually large amounts of money from certain 
 banks in this city, for depositing the public funds therein. 
 The present Chamberlain receives an annual salary of $23,000 
 for the performance of merely nominal duties. The interest 
 upon the average daily balances in the Broadway Bank 
 cannot amount to less than $80,000 per year. The bank 
 allows interest upon such balances at the rate of 4 per cent. 
 To obtain this balance, large and unnecessary amounts of 
 money must be borrowed by the city, for wh* 7 ' the city 
 pays 6 and 7 per cent, interest; it is then allowea^^^main 
 on deposit, for which the bank allows the 4 per cent. ? 
 
 TAX LEVY. 
 
 Another important part of the work before the Association 
 is the preparation of a suitable tax-levy law for local pur- 
 poses of the year 1868. The Association will prepare a 
 
21 
 
 thorough and exhaustive analysis of every item of appro- 
 priation in the Comptrollers budget, based upon the expen- 
 ditures of the present year, and will also watch over the 
 interests of our tax-payers, by seeing that the prohibitory 
 sections of the present law are retained in that of 1868. 
 Unless ceaseless vigilance be, exercised, the amounts of the 
 appropriations will be increased on various pretexts, and all 
 the provisions prohibiting excess of expenditure over appro- 
 priation will be annulled. By the efforts of the Association 
 last winter, it was enacted that the Comptroller's budget 
 must be presented to the Common Council in January, and 
 sent to the Legislature within three weeks afterwards. This 
 will remedy the evils of the old system of sending up the 
 budget during the last days of the session, when, in conse- 
 quence of the press of business, it is impossible to get such 
 a hearing as the magnitude of the subject demands. 
 
 LAWSUITS. 
 
 The Association is also engaged in carrying on several 
 lawsuits, involving large amounts and important principles. 
 
 It is proposed to commence an action against the estate 
 of Daniel Devlin, the late City Chamberlain, to recover 
 the money paid to him by the banks in which the city funds 
 have been deposited ; no portion of which interest was paid 
 over to the city. It is estimated that at least $442,500 was 
 thus improperly received by Mr. Devlin, and appropriated 
 to his own use. To obtain this amount for the Chamberlain, 
 at least $700,000 of unnecessary interest must have been paid 
 by the city. Large sums of money were borrowed by the 
 officials when the public wants demanded no such amounts, 
 and large balances were kept on hand in the bank, for the 
 purpose of enabling the Chamberlain and his confederates 
 to make the 3 and 3 J per cent., allowed by the bank, amount 
 to a round sum ; w r hile the city would be paying 6 and 7 per 
 cent, to the bank or individuals for the same balance. 
 
22 
 
 If this suit shall result successfully, it will have a great 
 tendency to check similar acts of misconduct on the part of 
 officials ; for when they realize that, after their death, their 
 estates may be forced to disgorge their ill-gotten gains, they 
 will hesitate to perpetrate frauds upon the public. 
 
 ALBANY LEGISLATION. 
 
 During every session of the Legislature, various schemes 
 are brought forward highly detrimental to the interests of 
 tax-payers. The Association proposes, this winter, to direct 
 special attention to all such projects, and to have able 
 representatives at Albany for this purpose. Every pro- 
 posed law affecting the interest of New- York will be care- 
 fully examined, and where objections exist they will be 
 stated in a letter addressed to the Chairman of the Com- 
 mittee before which the bill comes in its regular order. 
 This letter will be an official communication from the 
 Association, and will be published in all the papers — thus 
 calling public attention to the law and the objections to it. 
 If then the Committee report the bill favorably, another 
 letter will be publicly addressed to the President of the 
 Senate and Speaker of the House, protesting against its 
 passage. In case, however, it finally passes after this oppo- 
 sition, another letter will then be publicly addressed to the 
 Governor, with an urgent appeal for him to veto the bill. 
 Such extensive publicity as this, with the reasons clearly 
 and forcibly stated why the proposed measure should not 
 become a law, would defeat all objectionable and injurious 
 legislation. 
 
 This arduous and expensive labor the Association will 
 undertake, if sustained in its efforts by those whose interests 
 it labors to defend. 
 
 PAST WORK OF THE ASSOCIATION. 
 As a guarantee of what it can accomplish in the future, 
 the Association points to its record in the past : 
 
23 
 
 1. Its efforts and labors to establish the Board of 
 Health. 
 
 2. It originated the Paid Fire Department for this city. 
 
 3. It co-operated in the passage of the Excise Law. 
 
 4. It succeeded in having introduced in the City Tax 
 Levy of 1866, several important prohibitory sections, re- 
 straining the Common Council from expending money 
 beyond the amounts authorized by the Legislature. 
 
 5. It succeeded in having the prohibitory judgment 
 clause inserted in the City Tax Levy of 18G6. In 1864, 
 judgments were obtained against the city to the amount of 
 $1,200,000. This was in excess of the appropriations. 
 
 THE BOARD OF HEALTH. 
 
 For many years the friends of sanitary reform labored 
 with untiring zeal to establish in this city a Sanitary Bureau, 
 such as the interests of the people and the prosperity of our 
 city demanded. Success finally crowned their efforts, and 
 we have to-day a Board of Health composed of men of pre- 
 eminent professional and business ability. 
 
 The prosecution of City Inspector Boole, the publication 
 of our Sanitary Report upon the Condition of the City, and 
 the agitation of the questions connected therewith, were but 
 the first of a series of acts that ended in the overthrow of 
 the corrupt City Inspector's Department and its two score 
 of incompetent Health Wardens, and in the establishment 
 for our city of a Health Board which is everywhere acknow- 
 ledged to be a model among the similar institutions in the 
 world. 
 
 We do not consider it necessary that we should stop to 
 recount the blessings that this Board has conferred upon us 
 all, the lives it has saved, the pestilence it has fought and 
 conquered at our doors, and the marks of general confidence 
 
24 
 
 felt in its fidelity to its mission. We are too near the time 
 when we looked to its efficient action to protect ourselves 
 and those we hold most dear from the horrors of a threat- 
 ening pestilence, to need to be told, except by the beatings of 
 our grateful hearts, that the Board of Health has already 
 earned not only oar respect and admiration, but also the 
 thanks of all of us, for keeping from our hearthstones the 
 footstep of death. While gaunt pestilence stalked through 
 other cities less blessed with proper health regulations, and 
 gathered a rich harvest of victims, he was here boldly met 
 by our Health Board, fought at our threshold, followed step 
 by step, night and day, by ceaseless vigilance, and finally, 
 instead of becoming a conqueror, was conquered. 
 
 THE PAID FIRE DEPARTMENT. 
 
 With the Paid Fire Department, as a system, no one can 
 justly find fault; for there can be no more propriety in 
 having a Volunteer Fire Department than a Volunteer 
 Police Force. It was very long, indeed, before the people 
 of this community would abandon the old Department; 
 they felt reluctant to abandon a system which in its day 
 had done good service, and because also a portion of them 
 were intimidated by the hue and cry raised by the politi- 
 cians, who feared the loss of power if the Volunteer system, 
 which had become thoroughly corrupt, was broken up. 
 But, like institutions outliving their daj r . like other land- 
 marks of previous generations, the Volunteer Fire Depart- 
 ment was swept away, and a system inaugurated equal to 
 the advanced position of our age. It seems extraordinary 
 that the greatest commercial metropolis of this continent, 
 with- its vast interests, its wealth, its population, its spirit of 
 progress in the arts and sciences, its intelligence, its use in 
 other respects of the forces of nature to control the forces of 
 nature, should have been the last of the great cities of the 
 world to realize that — in a vast community of persons 
 
2.3 
 
 where individuals of the worst and lower classes congre- 
 gate to prey upon the lives and property of others, where 
 there is not only a great amount of good, but an equal, if 
 not greater, amount of evil — affairs which concern the 
 common interest of all must be made a matter of business, 
 and not left to the voluntary and spasmodic efforts of un- 
 official individuals. 
 
 The insurance companies, who insure §1,000,000,000 of 
 property in the Metropolitan District — owned in every part 
 of the State — have, as we understand, taken steps to sustain 
 this Commission, and would on no account recommend a 
 return to the old system, or to a system by which the Mayor 
 of the city would have the power to appoint the Commis- 
 sioners. It was proved by witnesses, before the State 
 Senate, that the Volunteer Department cost directly and 
 i ndirectly over a million of dollars per annum. Thousands 
 of young men in this Department were ruined yearly, and 
 their suffering wives, mothers and sisters prayed for the 
 abolition of a Department in which their husbands, sons 
 and brothers met with so great temptation. 
 
 THE EXCISE BOARD. 
 
 This Board, so unpopular with the liquor dealers and 
 criminal classes, and so popular and dearly cherished by 
 every good citizen, is composed of the same able men who 
 compose the Board of Health. The Excise Law last year 
 brought about $1,000,000 into the treasury of the city, and 
 the same amount this } r ear, upon the sound principle that 
 those who, by their occupation and habits, add so largely 
 to the burdens of taxation, must themselves bear their full 
 proportion of that tax. The necessity of an Excise Law has 
 always been admitted. Is not the only complaint against 
 this Board that it has fearlessly, fully and efficiently en- 
 forced the law ? Under the old system less than $20,000 
 per year was collected from excise. 
 4 
 
26 
 
 REFORMS IN THE TAX LEVY. 
 
 6. The Association succeeded in having introduced into 
 the City Tax Levy of 1867, several important sections, in 
 substance as follows : 
 
 Section 1. Limits advertising to $50,000 ; requires 
 Comptroller to specify three daily and three weekly papers 
 as Corporation papers, and prevents papers other than these 
 from obtaining judgments. 
 
 Section 2. Forbids the transfer of appropriations ; the 
 incurring of obligations in excess of appropriations; and 
 prohibits the Common Council from creating new offices 
 and increasing the salaries of present officials. 
 
 A similar provision is inserted in the County Tax Levy. 
 
 Section 3. Prohibits judgments against the city for any 
 matter arising out of contract unless the object is author- 
 ized by the act, or for any amount beyond the amount 
 appropriated by the act ; and also prohibits judgments 
 against the city, except upon proof in open court that the 
 amount sought to be recovered still remains unexpended in 
 the City Treasury, to the credit of the appropriation for 
 the year, to the specified object upon which the claim is 
 founded. 
 
 Section 6. Provides that no judgment shall be entered 
 against the city on a contract made in 1866, unless on proof 
 that the amount sued for is still unexpended, of the appro- 
 priation of 1866, for the purpose upon which the claim sued 
 for is founded ; and also gives the Supreme Court of the 
 First Judicial District exclusive cognizance of actions 
 against the city. 
 
 Section 7. Provides that no portion of the amounts 
 raised in 1867 shall be expended in discharging the obliga- 
 tions of previous years, except as is otherwise expressly 
 directed in such act. 
 
 Section 8. Extends the term of the present members of 
 
27 
 
 the Board of Councilmen to the first Monday of January, 
 1869, and also requires a three-fourths vote of all the mem- 
 bers elected to each Board to appropriate any money or 
 incur any obligations binding on the Corporation, and also 
 makes a three-fourths vote necessary to transfer or lease 
 any property owned by the Corporation. 
 
 PROSECUTION" OF OFFICIALS, &c. 
 
 The Association also refers to its prosecution of several 
 prominent officials in this city. 
 
 1. The prosecution of City Inspector F. L A. Boole, 
 which culminated in the Board of Health, and destroyed 
 Boole's power. 
 
 2. The presentation of charges against Corporation 
 Counsel John E. Devlin, which culminated in preventing 
 his re-election to office. 
 
 3. The prosecution of the charges against Brennan, the 
 former Comptroller, with the same substantial result. 
 
 4. The presentation of charges against the former Street 
 Commissioner, Charles G. Cornell, which resulted in his 
 resigning his office. 
 
 5. The presentation of charges against the former Fire 
 Commissioners, which resulted in a change of Commission- 
 ers, and in placing the department upon the basis of 
 thorough efficiency. 
 
 6. The mandamus obtained against the Board of Super- 
 visors, compelling it to deposit the books and papers refer- 
 ring to the New County Court House in the office of their 
 clerk for public inspection. 
 
 7. The mandamus compelling the former Street Com- 
 missioner Cornell to permit citizens to inspect the books 
 and papers of his office. 
 
 8. The injunction restraining the Common Council from 
 making a contract for gas for the term of twenty years. 
 
28 
 
 COMMUNICATIONS TO OFFICIALS. 
 The Association also refers to its investigation of several 
 important matters connected with the local government, 
 and to its communications addressed to officials calling 
 attention to certain abuses ; and among the most important 
 of these communications are : 
 
 1. A communication to the Board of Supervisors in re- 
 lation to the expenditures upon armories and drill-rooms. 
 
 2. Two communications addressed to Street Commis- 
 sioner McLean, calling attention to matters of complaint in 
 his department. 
 
 3. The communication to Comptroller Connolly in rela- 
 tion to our markets. 
 
 4. The communication to the Board of Supervisors in 
 reference to the County Court House. 
 
 5. A communication to Chamberlain Sweeny in reference 
 to the interest paid to him by the banks holding the public 
 money. 
 
 6. Two communications to the Corporation Counsel, in 
 reference to his management of the Law Department. 
 
 All of these communications were published in the daily 
 papers, and drew the attention of the public to the several 
 abuses of which they treated, and some of the officials to 
 whom they were addressed have promised to abate the 
 evils complained of; but, of course, promises from our 
 officials will not cause the Association to cease its vigilance 
 or relax its energy. 
 
 If our capitalists and property owners would subscribe 
 more liberally to the funds of the Association, its efforts 
 could be made more effective. 
 
 Able engineers should be employed upon all public 
 works, investigating as to the expenditure of every dollar, 
 and competent legal gentlemen should be ready to deal 
 vigorously and promptly with every official who violates law. 
 
29 
 
 NOT A DAY SHOULD INTERVENE BETWEEN 
 THE OFFENCE AND A PROMPT EFFORT TO 
 PUNISH THE DELINQUENT. 
 
 THOSE WHO RULE OUR CITY HAVE WON 
 POWER BY ORGANIZING ON THEIR SIDE 
 EVERY ELEMENT THAT IT WAS POSSIBLE FOR 
 THEM TO CONTROL. INTELLIGENCE, CAPITAL 
 AND HONESTY ARE ENTIRELY COMPETENT TO 
 PROTECT THEMSELVES AGAINST THIS ORGAN- 
 IZED POWER; BUT TO DO SO THEY MUST 
 IMITATE THEIR OPPONENTS, BY ORGANIZING 
 ON THEIR SIDE THE INTERESTS IN FAVOR OF 
 GOOD GOVERNMENT. SURELY THE GREAT 
 END IS WORTHY OF THE EFFORT. THE HIS- 
 TORY OF THE ASSOCIATION SHOWS WHAT 
 CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED BY UNITED EFFORT. 
 
 Every thousand dollars saved by the efforts of the Asso- 
 ciation is not only so much money preserved to the enjoy- 
 ment of its rightful owners, but is just so much strength 
 taken from the corrupt men who are in power in the city. 
 
 In order to enable the Association to fulfil its mission, 
 break down corruption and continue its work of introduc- 
 ing into the local government the important reforms which 
 it has so successfully begun, it is necessary that the capital 
 for whose protection it is laboring should appreciate its 
 services and contribute some portion of the sum it is 
 annually saving towards carrying forward the work. The 
 operations of the Association have been conducted with 
 the greatest economy, and great results are accomplished 
 with very small outlays of money. Numerous very im- 
 portant law suits, for the protection of property, and the 
 punishment of official delinquents, have been carried on. 
 Engineers have been employed to survey our public works, 
 accountants have been kept busily occupied in examining 
 the accounts of the various departments, and the expenses 
 
30 
 
 of the government, and a vast amount of labor performed 
 which it would be tedious to recapitulate here. The work 
 and labors of the Association are too well known in their 
 general scope and character to render it necessary to dwell 
 on a lengthy review. 
 
 THE ASSOCIATION DOES NOT HESITATE TO 
 PLEDGE ITSELF TO GIVE NEW-YORK A GOVERN- 
 MENT SUCH AS WILL BE A SOURCE OF HONOR 
 AND JUST PRIDE IN EVERY RESPECT, AND TO 
 REDUCE TAXES TO ONE PER CENT. ON THE PRE- 
 SENT BASIS OF VALUATION, IF CAPITALISTS 
 WILL LIBERALLY SUSTAIN ITS EFFORTS, AND 
 AS A GUARANTEE FOR THIS RESULT, IT POINTS 
 WITH CONFIDENCE TO WHAT IT HAS ACCOM- 
 PLISHED IN THE PAST. 
 
 When we survey the improvements in our local govern- 
 ment, inaugurated by the Citizens' Association, we can see 
 what would be the result if the Association should close its 
 labors and cease to exist. It is the only body agitating 
 great questions of reform, and laboring to stem the tide of 
 corruption, and, if it should cease to exist, the effect on the 
 men who so abuse their power in this city would be pre- 
 cisely the same as the effect upon the ordinary thieves and 
 burglars, if the police should be disbanded. And this 
 would be brought about by the operation of causes which it 
 is unnecessary to enlarge upon here. Neither the Muni- 
 cipal, State, nor National Government, turns its attention to 
 advancing the great social and commercial interests of the 
 people. 
 
 The history of the local government of this city is a his- 
 tory of neglect and oppression, and it is only through 
 complete organization, such as we have in the Citizens' 
 Association, that we can hope for progress and real sub- 
 stantial improvement. 
 
 Nothing is more erroneous than to suppose, that a cor- 
 
31 
 
 rupt government in this city is a necessity. Neglect and 
 indifference only have brought us where we are, and energy 
 and determination can alone carry us where we desire to be. 
 
 Neither passive endurance on the one hand, nor revolu- 
 tion, riot and bloodshed on the other, will do it, but regular, 
 lawful, PERSISTENT efforts will accomplish it. 
 
 If our capitalists and merchants saw it to their advantage 
 to examine carefully this whole question, and would place at 
 the disposal of the Association the requisite funds, corruption 
 and bad government could be crushed out in two or three 
 years, and our taxes reduced to one per cent. The Citizens' 
 Association has ceased to be an experiment. Its four years' 
 labors have demonstrated, beyond all question, that, if pro- 
 perly sustained, it can successfully cope with all the frauds 
 and corruptions of the day ; and if it commanded ample 
 means to employ, whenever required, the most able men to 
 advance along the wmole line of corruption at once, it could 
 deal such blows that the enemies of honest and economical 
 government would be overthrown. 
 
 If the" reduction of our taxes to one per cent., or even the 
 prevention of their increase; if the inauguration of a broad 
 and comprehensive system of wharves and piers; if the 
 development of all legitimate sources of income ; if, in 
 short, all the labors and efforts of this Association are 
 worthy of the serious consideration of large capitalists, 
 merchants and tax-payers, the time for giving the subject 
 such consideration has now arrived. 
 
 Any government the capitalists and merchants may de- 
 termine to have in New-York can be established. If good, 
 wise, economical government is desired, the agencies and 
 appliances only have to be used. If, on the other hand, 
 every evil of the pasu and present is not only to be borne, 
 but greatly augmented, that end supineness and neglect 
 will bring aJ)out. The great question of the day is retrench- 
 ment, and intelligent, thorough, and comprehensive reform. 
 
Will those who have large interests to protect say that 
 this great city, under a Republican form of government, 
 shall, in all things appertaining to its government, present 
 the aspect of ruin and decay, while Paris rises higher and 
 higher, as the great model city of the world, under imperial 
 rule ; or will they resolve, in earnest, to bid New-York be 
 free, and make her the grandest city of the world ? 
 
 The power, intelligence and capital are here to do it. 
 Remember, with good government we have nothing to fear, 
 and without it, nothing to hope. 
 
 If free government in this great city (and in cities all 
 free government has originated), which is an empire in 
 itself, shall prove an utter failure, what guarantee have we 
 that the same result will not follow in all parts of our 
 country as it becomes thickly populated? And thus it 
 may come to pass that the spirit of liberty and free govern- 
 ment, which had its first full inception in America, and 
 gathered to itself strength and beauty here, will perish in 
 the land of its birth ! 
 
 RICHARD M. HENRY, 
 
 Secretary. 
 
 New- York, 813 Broadway, February 8, 1868. 
 
/3 *