USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Boston > Municipal history of the town and city of Boston during two centuries : from September 17, 1630, to September 17, 1830 > Part 37
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The remedy attempted by the city charter is, to provide for the fulfilment of all these duties, by specifically investing the chief officer of the city with the necessary powers; and thus to render him responsible, both in character and by station, for their efficient exercise. By placing this officer under the constant control of both branches of the City Council, all errors, in judgment and pur- pose, were intended to be checked or corrected ; and, by his annual election, security is attained against insufficiency or abuse, in the exercise of his authority.
The duties, enjoined by the charter on the exeentive anthority, are concurrent with its powers and coincident with its spirit. If, in making a sketch of them, I shall be thought to present an outline, diffienlt for any man completely to fill, and absolutely impracticable for the individual who now occupies the station, let it be remembered, that it is always wise in man to work after models more per- fect than his capacity can exeente. Perfect duty, it is not in the power of man to perform. But it is the right of the people, that every man in public office should know and attempt it. Let it also be considered, that it will be advanta- geous, both for the individual who may hold, and for the people who judge and select, that both should form elevated conceptions of the nature of the station. The one will be thus more likely to aim at something higher than mediocrity, in
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execution ; and the other, forming just notions of its difficulty, delicacy, and importanee, will select with discrimination, and receive more readily faithful and laborious endeavor in lieu of perfect performance.
The great duty of the Mayor of such a city as this, is to identify himself, abso- lutely and exclusively, with its character and interests. All its important rela- tions he should diligently study, and strive thoroughly to understand. All its rights, whether affecting property, or liberty, or power, it is his duty, as occa- sions ocenr, to analyze and maintain. If possible, he should leave no founda- tions of either unsettled or dubious. Towards them, he should teach himself to feel, not merely the zeal of official station, but the pertinacious spirit of private interest.
Of local, sectional, party, or personal divisions, he should know nothing, except for the purpose of healing the wounds they inflict ; softening the anino- sities they engender ; and exciting, by his example and inthience, bands, hostile to one another in every other respect, to march one way, when the interests of the city are in danger. Its honor, happiness, diguity, safety, and prosperity, the development of its resources, its expenditures and police, should be the perpetual object of his purpose and labor of his thought. All its public institutions, its edifices, hospitals, alshouses, jails, should be made the subject of his frequent in- spection, to the end that wants may be supplied, errors corrected, abuses exposed.
Above all, its schools, those choice depositaries of the hope of a free people, should engage his utmost solicitude and unremitting superintendeuce. Justly are these institutions the pride and the boast of the inhabitants of this city. For these, Boston has, at all times, stood preeminent. Let there exist, elsewhere, a greater population, a richer commerce, wider streets, more splendid ave- nues, statelier palaces. Be it the endeavor of this metropolis to educate better men, happier citizens, more enlightened statesmen ; to elevate a people, tho- roughly instructed in their social rights, deeply imbued with a sense of their moral duties ; mild, flexible to every breath of legitimate authority ; unyielding as fate to unconstitutional impositions.
In administering the police, in executing the laws, in protecting the rights, and promoting the prosperity of the city, its first officer will be necessarily beset and assailed by individual interests, by rival projects, by personal influences, by party passions. The more firm and inflexible he is, in maintaining the rights, and in pursuing the interests of the city, the greater is the probability of his becoming obnoxious to all, whom he causes to be prosecuted, or punished ; to all, whose passions he thwarts ; to all, whose interests he opposes. It will remain for the citizens to decide, whether he who shall attempt to fulfil these duties, and thus to uphold their interests, in a firm, honest, and impartial spirit, shall find countenance and support, in the intelligence and virtue of the com- munity.
Touching the principles, by which the cusning administration will endeavor to regnlate and conduct the affairs of the city, nothing is promised, except a labo- rious fulfilment of every known duty ; a prudent exercise of every invested power ; and a disposition, shrinking from no official responsibility. The outline of the duties, just sketched, will be placed before the executive officer, without any expectation of approximating towards its extent, nich less of filling it up, according to that enlarged conception. By making, in the constitution of our
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nature, the power to purpose greater than the power to perform, Providence has indicated to man, that true duty and wisdom consists in combining high efforts with humble expectations.
· If the powers vested seem too great for any individual, let it be remembered, that they are necessary to attain the great objeets of health, comfort, and safety to the city. To those whose fortimes are restricted, these powers, in their just exercise, ought to be peculiarly precious. The rich can fly from the generated pestilence. In the season of danger, the sons of fortune can seek refuge in purer atmospheres. But necessity condemns the poor to remain and inhale the noxious effluvia. To all classes who reside permanently in a city, these powers are a privilege and a blessing. In relation to city police, it is not sufficient that the law, in its dne process, will ultimately remedy every injury, and remove every nuisance. While the law delays, the injury is done. While judges are doubting, and lawyers debating, the nuisance is exhaling and the atmosphere corrupting. In these cases, prevention should be the object of solicitude, not remedy. It is not enough, that the obstacle which impedes the citizen's way, or the nuisance which offends his sense should be removed on complaint, or by complaint. The true criterion of an efficient city government is, that it should be removed before complaint and withont complaint.
The true glory of a city consists, not in palaces, temples, columns, the vain boast of art, or the proud magnificence of luxury; but in a happy, secure, and contented people ; feeling the advantage of a vigorous and faithful administra- tion, not merely in the wide street and splendid avenue, but in every lane, in every court, and in every alley. The poorest and humblest citizen should be made instinctively to bless that paternal government, which he daily perceives watching over his comfort and convenience, and seeuring for him that surest pledge of health, a pure atmosphere.
The individual, now intrusted with the executive power by his fellow-citizens, repeats, that he promises nothing, except an absolute self-devotion to their interests. To understand, maintain, and improve them, he dedicates whatever humble intellectual or physical power he may possess.
Gentlemen of the City Council: -
In all the relations which the constitution has established between the depart- ments, it will be his endeavor, by punctuality and despatch in publie business, by executing every duty and taking every responsibility which belongs to his office, to shorten and lighten your disinterested and patriotic labors. Should his and your faithful, though necessarily imperfeet exertions, give satisfaction to our fellow-citizens, we shall have reason to rejoice, - not with a private and personal, but with a public and patriotic joy ; for next to the consciousness of fulfilled duty, is the grateful conviction, that our lot is cast in a community, ready justly to appreciate, and willing actively to support, faithful and laborious efforts in their service.
Should, however, the contrary happen, and, in conformity with the experience of other republics, faithful exertions be followed by loss of favor and confidence, still he will have reason to rejoice, - not, indeed, with a public and patriotic, but with a private and individual joy, - for he will retire with a consciousness, weighed against which, all human suffrages are but as the light dust of the balance.
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(C. Page 121.)
THIE MAYOR'S INAUGURAL ADDRESS, MAY, 1824.
Gentlemen of the City Council : -
THE first impulse of my heart, on thus entering a second time upon the duties of chief magistrate of this city, is to express my deep sense of gratitude for the distinguished support I have received from the suffrages of my fellow-citizens. It has been, I am conscious, as much beyond my deserts, as beyond my hopes. May these marks of public confidence produce their genuine fruits, truer zcal, greater activity, and more entire self-devotion to the interests of the city !
To you, gentlemen of the Board of Aldermen, who have received such gratify- ing proofs of the approbation of your fellow-citizens, permit me thus publicly to express the greatness of my own obligations. You have shunned no labor. You have evaded no responsibility. You have sought, with a single eye, and a firm, undeviating purpose, the best interests of the city. It is my honor and happi- ness to have been associated with such men. Whatsoever success has attended the administration of the past year, may justly be attributed to the spirit and intelligence which characterized your labors and councils.
The gentlemen of the last Common Council are also entitled to a public expression of my gratitude, for their undeviating personal support, as well as the zeal and fidelity which distinguished their publie services.
It is proper, on the present occasion, to speak of the administration of the past year, with reference to the principles by which it was actnated. If, in doing this, I enter more into detail than may seem suitable in a general discourse, it is because I deem such an elucidation conformable to the nature of the city govern- ment, and connected with its success. Whatever there is peculiar in the charac- ter of the inhabitants of Boston, is chiefly owing to the freedom of its ancient form of government, which had planted and fostered among its people a keen, active, inquisitive spirit ; taking an interest in all public affairs, and exacting a strict and frequent account from all who have the charge of their concerns. This is a healthy condition of a community, be it a city, state, or nation. It indi- cates the existence of the only true foundation of public prosperity, the intelli- genee and virtue of the people, and their consequent capacity to govern them- selves. Such a people have a right to expect a particular chicidation of conduct from public functionaries ; whose incumbent duty it is to foster, on all occasions, among their fellow-citizens, a faithful and inquisitive spirit touching publie con- cerns.
The acts of the administration of the past year had reference to morals, to comfort, and convenience and ornament. A very brief statement of the chief of these, which had any thing novel in their character, will be made with reference to principle and to expense. If more prominence be given to this last than may be thoughit necessary, it is because in relation to this, discontent is most likely to appear. In the organizing of new systems, and in the early stages of beneficial and even economical arrangements outlays must ocenr. These expenditures are inseparable from the first years. The resulting benefit must be expected and
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averaged among many future years. No obscurity ought to be permitted, con- cerning conduct and views in this respect. In a republic, the strength of every administration, in public opinion, ought to be in proportion to the willingness with which it submits to a rigorous accountability. With respect to morals, there existed at the commencement of last year, in one section of the city, an auda- cions obtrusiveness of vice, notorious and lamentable ; setting at defiance, not only the decencies of life, but the authority of the laws. Repeated attempts to subdue this combination had failed. An opinion was entertained by some that it was invincible. There were those who recommended a tampering and palliative, rather than eradicating course of measures. Those intrusted with the affairs of the city were of a different temper. The evil was met in the face. In spite of clamor, of threat, of insult, of the certificates of those who were interested to maintain, or willing to countenance vice, in this quarter, a determined course was pursned. The whole section was put under the ban of authority. All licenses in it were denied; a vigorous police was organized, which, aided by the courts of justice and the House of Correction, effected its purpose. For three months past, the daily reports of our city officers have represented that section as peaccable as any other. Those connected with conrts of justice, both as ministers and officers, assert that the effect has been plainly discernible in the registers of the jail and of prosecution.
These measures did not originate in any theories or visions of ideal purity, attainable in the existing state of human society, but in a single sense of duty and respect for the character of the city ; proceeding upon the principle, that if in great cities the existence of vice is inevitable, that its comse should be in secret, like other filth, in drains and in darkness ; not obtrusive, not powerful, not prowling publicly in the streets for the innocent and unwary.
The expense by which this effect has been produced, has been somewhat less than one thousand dollars. An amount already perhaps saved to the community in the diminution of those prosecutions and of their costs, which the continuance of the former nnobstructed course of predominating vice in that section would have occasioned.
The next object of attention of the city government was cleansing the streets. In cities, as well as among individuals, cleanliness has reference to morals as well as to comfort. Sense of dignity and self-respect are essentially connected with purity, physical and moral. And a city is as much elevated as an individual by self-respect.
To remove from our streets whatever might offend the sense or endanger the health, was the first duty. To do it as economically as was consistent with doing it well, was the second.
How it has been done, whether satisfactorily as could be expected in the first year, and by incipient operations, our fellow-citizens are the judges. As far as the knowledge of the Mayor and Aldermen has extended, the course pursued has met with unqualified approbation, and given entire content.
In respect to economy, there were but two modes, -by contract, or by teams and laborers provided and employed by the city. The latter course was adopted ; and for several reasons. The value of what was annually taken from the surface of the streets of the city, as well as the quantity, was wholly unknown. There were no data on which to estimate either, and of course no measure by
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which the amount of contract could be regulated. The streets of the city had been ahnost from time immemorial the revenue of the farmers in the vicinity, who came at will, took what suited their purposes, and left the rest to accumulate.
It was thought important that the city should undertake the operation neces- sary to cleansing the streets itself, not because this mode was certainly the most economical, but because it would be certainly the most effectual ; and because, by this means, the city government would acquaint themselves with the subject in detail, and be the better enabled to meet the farmers hereafter on the ground of contract, should this mode be found expedient.
In order, however, to leave no means of information unsonght, contracts were publicly invited by the city government. Of the proposals made, one only included all the operations of seraping, sweeping, and carrying away. This per- son offered to do the whole for one year for seven thousand dollars. All the other proposals expressly declined having any thing to do with seraping and sweep- ing, and confined their offer to the mere carrying away. The lowest of these was eighteen hundred dollars. When it was found that the city was about to per- form the operation on its own account, the same persons fell in their offers from eighteen to eight hundred dollars ; and when this was rejected, they offered to do it for nothing. And since the city operations have commenced, the inquiry now is, at what price they can enjoy the privilege. These facts are stated, because they strikingly illustrate how important it is to the city that its administration should take subjects of this kind into their own hands, until by experience they shall have so become acquainted with them as to render their ultimate measures the result of knowledge, and not of general surmise or opinion.
The general result of the operations may be thus stated. At an expense of about four thousand dollars, between six and seven thousand tons weight of filth and dirt have been removed from the surface of the streets. All of which have been advantageously used in improving the city property, under circumstances and in situations in which these collections were much wanted, - on the Com- mon, on the Neck lands, and at South Boston. There can be no question, that, in these improvements, the city will receive the full value of the whole expense; to say nothing of what is really the chief object of the system, that the streets have been kept in a general state of cleanliness satisfactory to the inhabitants. By sale of the collections the next year, it is expected that we shall be able to compare directly the cash receipt with the cash expenditure.
The widening of our streets, as occasions offered, was the next object to which the attention of the city administration' was directed, and the one involving the greatest expense. The circumstances of the times, and the enterprise of private individuals, opened opportunities, in this respect, unexampled in point of number and importance. If lost, they might never ocenr again, at least not within the lifetime of the youngest of our children. The administration availed themselves of those opportunities, as a matter of duty, in the actual condition of a city so extremely irregular and inconvenient as is Boston in the original plan and pro- jection of its streets. Important improvements have been made in Lynn, Ship, Thacher, and Mill Pond Streets ; in Hanover, Elm, Brattle, Court, and Union Streets ; in Temple, Lynde, Sumner, and Milk Streets; in Federal, Orange, Eliot, and Warren Streets. The expense has been somewhat less than twelve thousand dollars. A considerable cost in comparison with the extent of the land .
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taken ; but reasonable, and not more than might be expected, when considered with reference to the nature of the improvements, for the most part in thick-set- tled parts of the city, where the land taken was very valuable, and the improve- ment proportionably important.
Another object of attention during the past year has been the drains. The ancient system, by which these were placed on the footing of private right, was expensive and troublesome to individuals, involving proprietors in perpetual dis- putes with those making new entries, and was partienlarly objectionable, as it respects the city, as that in a degree it made onr streets the subjects of private riglit, and as such placed them out of the control of the city authorities.
The principle adopted was, to take all new drains into the hands of the city; to divide the expense as equally as possible among those estates immediately benefited, upon principles applicable to the particular nature of this subject, and retain in the city the whole property, both as it respects control and assessment. In its first stages, such a system must necessarily be expensive ; but the result cannot fail to be beneficial, and, in a course of years, profitable. During the past year, the city has built abont five thousand feet of drain, one thousand feet of which is twenty inch barrel drain ; of this the city is now sole proprietor. It has already received more than one half the whole cost from persons whose estates were partienlarly benefited ; and the balance, amounting to about four thousand five hundred dollars, is in a course of gradual, and, as it respects the far greater part, certain, ultimate collection. Considering the effect which well- constructed drains must have upon the city expenditure, in respect of the single article of paving, there can be but one opinion upon the wisdom and economy of this system.
A new mall has been nearly completed on Charles Street, and all the missing and dead trees of the old malls, the Common, and Fort Hill, have been replaced with a care and protection which almost insure success to these ornaments of the city.
The proceedings of the Directors of the House of Industry, and the flattering hopes connected with that establishment, would require a minuteness of detail, not compatible with the present occasion. They will doubtless be made the subject of an early and distinet examination and report of the City Council.
Two objeets of very great interest, to which the proceedings of last year have reference, remain to be elucidated. The purchase of the interest of the proprie- tors of the ropewalks west of the Common, and the projected improvements about Faneuil Ilall Market.
The citizens of Boston, in a moment of sympathy and feeling for the sufferings of particular individuals, and without sufficient prospective regard for the future exigencies of the city, had voluntarily given the right of using the land occupied by the ropewalks to certain grantees for that use. In consequence of the exclu- sion of the water by the Mill-dam, a traet of land has been opened either for sale, as an object of profit, or for use, as an object of ornament, with which the rights of these proprietors absolutely interfered. It was thought that no moment could be more favorable than the present to secure a relinquishnent of those rights. An agreement of reference has been entered into with those proprietors, and the amount to be paid by the city for such relinquishment, has been left to the deci- sion of five of our most intelligent, independent, and confidential citizens, with
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whose decision it cannot be questioned that both parties will have reason to be satisfied, notwithstanding it may happen that their award on the one side may be less, or, on the other, more than their respective previous anticipations.
Touching the projected improvements in the vicinity of Faneuil Hall Market, not only the extreme necessities of the city, in relation to space for a market, have led to this project, but also the particular relations of that vicinity have indicated the wisdom and policy, even at some risk and sacrifice, of bringing together in one compact, efficient, and commodious connection, the northern and central sections of our city, so as to facilitate the intercourse of business and enterprise between them, and bring into market, and into use, and into improve- ment parts of the city, at present old, sightless, inconvenient, and in comparison with that competeney which must result from a judicious arrangement, at present absolutely useless.
Both these measures of the city government, relative to the Ropewalks and to Faneuil Hall Market, will necessarily lead to what, to many of our citizens, is an object of great dread, - a city debt.
As this is a subject of considerable importance, and touches a nerve of great sensibility, it ought to be well considered and rightly understood by our fellow- citizens. I shall, therefore, not apologize for making, on this occasion, some observations upon it.
The right to create a debt, is a power vested by our charter in the City Coun- cil. Now this, like every other power, is to be characterized by its use. This may be wise and prudent, or the opposite, according to the objects to which it is applied, and the manner and degree of that application. Abstractedly, a debt is no more an object of terror than a sword. Both are very dangerous in the hands of fools or madmen. Both are very safe, innocent, and useful in the hands of the wise and prudent.
A debt created for a jmrpose, like that which probably will be necessary in the case of the ropewalks, that of relieving a great property from an accidental embarrassment, is no more a just object of dread to a city than a debt created for seed wheat is to a farmer; or than a debt for any object of certain return is to a merchant.
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