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 38
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So in the case of Faneuil Hall Market ; what possible object of rational apprehension can there be in a debt created for the purpose of purchasing a traet of territory, whose value must be increased by the purchase, which, if sold, cannot fail to excite a great competition, and if retained, the incomes of which, so far as respects the market, are wholly within the control of the city author- ities ? It is possible, indeed, that more may be paid for some estates than abstractedly they may be worth. It is possible that great changes may take place in the value of real estate between the time of the commencement and the time of completing such a project. But the reverse is also quite as possible. Providence does not permit man to act upon certainties. The constitution of our nature obliges him, in every condition and connection, to shape his course of conduct by probabilities. His duty is to weigh maturely, previous to decision, to consider anxiously both the wisdom of his ends and the proportion of his means. Once decided, in exeention he should be as firm and rapid as in coun- cil he has been slow and deliberate; cultivating in his own breast and in the breasts of others just confidence in the continuance of the usual analogies and relations of things.
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The destinies of the city of Boston are of a nature too plain to be denied or misconceived. The prognostics of its future greatness are written on the face of nature too legibly and too indelibly to be mistaken. These indications are apparent from the location of our city, from its harbor, and its relative position among rival towns and cities; above all, from the character of its inhabitants, and the singular degree of enterprise and intelligence which are diffused through every class of its citizens. Already capital and population is determined towards it from other places, by a certain and irresistible power of attraction. It remains then for the citizens of Boston to be true to their own destinies; to be willing to meet wise expenditures and temporary sacrifices, and thus to cooperate with nature and Providence in their apparent tendencies to promote their greatness and prosperity ; thereby not only improving the general condition of the city, elevating its character, multiplying its aeconunodations, and strengthening the predilections which exist already in its favor, but also patronizing and finding employment for its laborers and mechanics.
It is true the power of credit, like every other power, is subject to abuse. But to improve the general convenience of the city, to augment its facilities for busi- ness, to add to the comfort of its inhabitants, and in this way to angment its resources, are among the most obvious and legitimate uses of that power, which, doubtless, for these purposes, was intrusted to the City Council.
Having thus explained some of the principal proceedings and sources of extra- ordinary expense occurring during the past year, I feel myself bound to make some general remarks on the nature of the office I have had the honor to hold, and to which the suffrages of my fellow-citizens have recalled me. It is import- ant that a right apprehension should be formed concerning its duties, its respon- sibilities, the powers it ought to possess, and what the people have a right to expect, and what they ought to exact from the possessor of it. And I do this the rather, because I am sensible that very different opinions exist upon this subject. There are those who consider the office very much in the light of a pageant, destined merely to superintend and direct the general course of administration, to maintain the dignity, and to " dispense the hospitalities" of the city, and who deem the office in some measure degraded, by having any thing of a laborions or working condition connected with it ; and I am well aware that the practice in other cities justities such an opinion. I have not thought, however, gentlemen, that a young and healthy republic, for such the city of Boston is, should seek its precedents, or encourage its officers in looking for models among the corrupt and superammated forms of ancient despotisms. On the contrary, it seemed to me incumbent on the early possessor of this office, in a state of society like that which exists in Massachusetts, and for which this city is preeminent, to look at the real character of that office, as it is indicated by the expressions of the char- ter, and exists in the nature of things, with little or no regard to the practice of other places, or to opinions founded on those practices.
: In this view, therefore, my attempt has been to attain a deep and thorough acquaintance with the interests of the inhabitants and of the city; and this not by general surveys, but by a minute, particular, and active inspection of their publie concerns, in all their details.
Although this course has been the occasion of much trouble, and perhaps made me obnoxious to some censure, as being busy, and perhaps meddling, with
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matters out of my sphere, yet I have thought it better to expose myself to those imputations, than to forego the opportunities such a course of conduct afforded of obtaining a deep and thorough acquaintance with the business and interests of the city, which the charter plainly presupposed, and indeed was necessary to fulfil the duties in a very humble degree which it made inenmbent. And the more experience I have had in the duties of this office, the more I feel obliged, both by precept and example, to press upon my fellow-citizens the necessity of considering this as a business office, combining as indispensable requisites, - great zeal, great activity, great self-devotion, and, as far as possible, a thorough acquaintance with the relations of the people.
Nor is it only necessary that these qualities should at all times be exacted of the chief magistrate, and that he should be held to a rigid exhibition of them, in his official conduct; but, on the other hand, it is also necessary that all the departments should be so arranged as to throw upon him the full weight of all the responsibility which the charter attaches to his office. Whatever has a tend- ency to weaken that sense of responsibility, above all, whatever enables the exe- eutive officer to cast the blame of weak plans or inefficient exeention upon others, has a direct tendency to corrupt the executive, and to deprive the citizens of a chief benefit, contemplated in the charter.
If there be any advantage in the form of a city over that of a town govern- ment, it lies in one single word, - efficiency. In this point of view, all the powers of the City Council may be considered as comprehending also the execu- tive power, of which the Mayor is but a branch. For they enact the laws which enable his department to possess that efficiency the charter contemplates. Now, efficiency means nothing more than capacity to carry into effect. Whatever form of organization of any department tends to deprive the executive of the city of the power to carry into effect the laws, or transfers that power to others, dis- connected from his responsibility, has a direct tendency to encourage the exeen- tive in ignorance, inactivity, or imbecility, which will inevitably, sooner or later, result just in proportion as the organization enables him to throw the blame of mismanagement upon others, or not to hold himself accountable for it.
Within the narrow limits and in relation to the humble objects to which the exeentive power extends, its responsibility should be clear, undivided, and inca- pable of being evaded. On the executive should ultimately devolve the account- ability for the efficiency of all the departments; and every organization is defect- ive which enables him to escape from it. Every citizen, in making complaints to this officer, should be certain of finding redress, or of being pointed to the path to obtain it. And as to those general nisances which offend sense, endan- ger health, or interfere with comfort, his power should enable him to apply a remedy upon the instant, or at least as readily as the nature of the partienlar subject-matter permits ; and to effect this, not by reference, not by writing sup- plicatory letters to independent boards, but personally, by application of means. in his own hands, or by agents under his control, and for whom he is responsible.
The true theory of the form of government which on fellow-citizens have chosen, results in a severe responsibility of the executive power, and with it are. identified the true interests of the citizens and the real advantages of a city organization. But responsibility implies a eoextensive power as its basis. The one cannot, and ought not to exist without the other. The charter makes it the
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duty of the Mayor " to be vigilant and active at all times, in causing the laws for the government of the city to be duly executed and put in force." Now, how can vigilance and activity be expected in an officer, in relation to a great mass of laws, and those of the most critical and important character, the execution of which is formally and expressly transferred to others, with whose execution, if he directly interferes, he takes the risk of giving offence to the nice sense of honor and right of an independent board ? The charter makes it his duty "to inspect the conduet of all subordinate officers in the government thereof, and as far as in his power to eanse all negligence, carelessness, and positive violations of duty to be prosecuted and punished." Now, how can he do this, when those who execute your laws do not consider themselves as subordinate, and are justi- fied in that opinion by the form and circumstances of their organization ?
Again, the charter plainly implies that the Mayor of this city should make him- self acquainted thoroughly and intimately with all its great interests, " with its finances, its police, its health, security, cleanliness, comfort, and ornament."
Now, what encouragement is there to endeavor to fulfil these duties, when any of' its great interests are so constituted or vested, that he has no control over them, nor any power of making any inquisition into their state or conduct, except by personal solicitation and request ; not denied, indeed, out of politeness and respect, but perhaps granted, not because he has a right frout his official relation to claim, but because, on the present occasion, there exists a willingness to give the desired information ?
The organization of the executive power, by division among independent boards, has a direct tendency to corrupt a weak executive officer, and to embarrass one of opposite character.
The study of the former will naturally be to get along easily ; for this purpose he will yield whatever power another department is disposed to take, for thus his responsibility is diminished; and instead of a single definite, decided, official action, on every occasion giving security to the citizen, regardless of personal consequences, his course will be tinnd, shuffling, and compromising, beginning with the vain design of pleasing everybody, and ending with the still vainer, of expecting in this way loug to maintain cither influence or character.
An executive, on the contrary, who is tiem and faithful to the constitution of the city, will exercise the powers it conters. He will claim the right to inspect all subordinate officers ; he will consider every branch of executive power, ema- nating from the City Council, as subordinate by the charter to the city executive. Ile will clain of all such an accountability that will enable him to understand every interest of the city in detail. Such a course would, probably, sooner or later, lead to controversies concerning the rights and dignities of independent boards; to heart-burnings and jealousies ; perhaps to pamphlets and newspaper attacks, which, if he does not answer, it will be said, that it is because he camot ; and which, if he does answer, will lead to a reply, and that to a rejoinder; and thus the executive of the city, instead of a simple and plain exercise of power, humble and limited in its sphere, yet important to be both efficient and unem- barrassed, may be harassed with disputes about the pretensious, authorities, and dignities of rival powers, vexations and unprofitable, terminating in nothing but divisions in the city, and iuefficiency in the exeention of the laws.
I have deemed it my duty to express myself thus distinctly, and in a most
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unqualified manner, upon this point ; and the rather, thus publicly, because opi- nions in this respect are liable to be misrepresented or misunderstood. On such occasions, therefore, I choose to throw myself on the intelligence and virtues of the mass of my fellow-citizens, whose interests, as I understand them, it is my single desire steadily to pursue, and who, whether they coincide or differ with me, in relation to the particular mode of pursuing those interests, will, I have a perfect confidence, justly appreciate my motives.
The result of my experience, during the past year, on this subject, is this, - that the interests of the city are most deeply connected with such an organiza- tion of every branch of executive power, as that the ultimate responsibility for the execution should rest upon the Mayor; and which he should, therefore, be incapable of denying or evading ;- that, at all times, the blame should rest upon him, without the power of throwing it off upon others, in case of any defeet of plan, or any inefficiency in execution.
In making these remarks, I trust I shall not be understood as not appreciating as I onght, in common with my fellow-citizens, the exertions and the sacrifices of those excellent, intelligent, and faithful men, who, in present and in past times, with so much honor to themselves and advantage to the community, have admi- nistered the concerns of independent departments. I yield to none of my fellow- citizens, in my sense of gratitude and respect to them, both as officers and indi- viduals .. But the organization of a city is, in the nature of things, essentially different from that of a town. The relation to the city, in which I have been placed, has compelled me to contemplate, and prospectively to realize, the cer- tain embarrassments which must result from an organization of the executive department, varying from that simplicity which the charter establishes, as likely deeply to affect the efficiency of the system now upon trial, and to encourage, and sooner or later to introduce both imbecility and inactivity into an office which can alone be beneficial to the city when it is possessed by directly oppo- site qualities.
I have no apprehension that my fellow-citizens will attribute these suggestions to a vulgar and vain wish to extend the powers of an office holden but for a year on the most precarious of all tenures. The efficiency of this new form of govern- ment is mainly dependent on its simplicity, and on the fact that its responsibility is undivided, and cannot be evaded if the departments be organized on charter principles. Much of the benefit of the new system will depend on the spirit which characterizes its commencement. On this account, the individual now possessing the executive power is anxious, on the one hand, that none of its essential advantages should be lost through any timidity on his part, in expressing opinions, the result of his experience, or through any unwillingness to incur any labor, or meet any just responsibility. On the other, he has no higher ambition than by a diligent, faithful, and laborious fulfilment of every known duty, and exercise of every charter right, to set such an example, and establish such pre- cedents as will give to this new government a fair impulse, and a permanent and happy influence upon the destinies of the inhabitants of this city.
Gentlemen of the City Council : -
It is the felicity of all who are called to the government of this city, that they serve a people capable of appreciating, and willing actively to support faithful
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and laborious efforts in their service ;- a people in all times distinguished for uniting love of freedom with respect for authority. May it be your happiness, as it will be your endeavor, to maintain those institutions, under which such a people have been elevated to so high a degree of prosperity ! Under your auspices, may the foundations of the fabric of their greatness be strengthened, its proportions enlarged, its internal accommodations improved ! May the spirit of liberty and the spirit of good government continue to walk hand in hand within these venerable walls, consecrated by so many precions recollections. And when we shall have passed away, and the places which now know us shall know us no more, may those who come after us be compelled to say, that the men of this age were as true to the past and the future as to their own times; that while they had preserved and enjoyed the noble inheritance which had descended to them from their ancestors, they had transmitted it not only min- paired, but improved to their posterity.
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THE MAYOR'S INAUGURAL ADDRESS, MAY, 1825.
Gentlemen of the City Council : ---
I HAVE again to acknowledge my grateful sense of the confidence of my fellow-citizens, expressed by their suffrages ; and to renew assurances of my endeavors to evince my gratitude, by increased zeal, activity, and devotion to their interests.
Whatever success has attended the administration of city affairs, is chiefly to be attributed to those excellent and faithful men, who for the two years past have composed the Board of Aldermen. It is impossible for me to speak too highly of their disinterested and laborious services; or to separate from them, in official relations, withont expressing my personal obligations for the uniform respect, confidence, and urbanity, with which all their proceedings have been characterized, both as it respects myself and each other. Their persevering and firm pursuit of the interests of the city, often under ciremustances of great deli- cacy and diffienlty, entitle them to be ranked among its distinguished benefactors.
Nor ought I to permit the occasion to pass, without paying a similar tribute to the labors and fidelity of the last Common Council.
It will be expected, perhaps, that, on this occasion, I should speak of the measures of the last year, and of the success which has attended them; such as the establishment of an anditor's department; the new organization of that of health ; the connecting the system of scavengers with that of the House of Indus- try ; the farther extension of Fanenil Hall Market, and others of a less obtru- sive character. All'these have been condneted, as far as I have been informed, generally to the satisfaction of our fellow-citizens; and I know that the detail of results would still farther justify that satisfaction.
I prefer, however, to occupy the present moment with inquiries concerning
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future duty, rather than with illustrations of past snecess. The charter of the city has made it incumbent on its executive officer to inform himself on all sub- jects connected with its prosperity and happiness, and to recommend measures for the advancement of both to the City Council. This injunction it has sane- tioned with the solemnity of an oath. In obedience to these obligations, thus sacredly enforced, I hasten to a topie, deeply interesting to the prosperity, safety, and character of this city, which events and experience press upon the mind with an intense and absorbing interest. I do this the rather because the subject is of high responsibility ; touches some interests and more prejudices; and is also of a nature easily to be mistaken and misrepresented. This subject, therefore, is one on which it is the incumbent duty of him, who is intrusted with the chief office in this city, to form and to express a decided opinion, and to leave no doubt concerning his own path, in relation to it; and none concerning his opinion of the duty of others.
What though the development of this opinion may affect that evanescent splendor, which is called popularity ? Of what valne is any popularity, which will not bear the hazard of fulfilled duty ? Precious as is the possession of the confidence of fellow-citizens, yet even this is more worthless than " the light dust of the balance," in comparison with the infinite consequence of possessing the consciousness of deserving it.
The topic to which I allude, relates to the effect, nnder a city organization, of the existence of independent excentive boards, and the consequences of the particular form of constituting those which exist in this city.
The existence of such boards is an anomaly under a city organization; is inconsistent with the theory of, or any known practice under, such a form of government ; and seems also incompatible with the attainment of the objects which the people propose to themselves in establishing it.
In every other city the representative body, chosen by the people, as their city council, has the control of every relation of a municipal character, whether it affect economy, protection, or general superintendence. If, in any case, it act through the instrumentality of boards, the members of such boards are selected by it, and responsible to it, in like manner as the members of the City Conneil are, in their turn, responsible for such selection, as well as for all their other aets, to the people.
In all this there is a manifest simplicity, calenlated to produce harmony and energy. The people, who look only to their City Council, know who to blame, if there be fault. The City Council, on the other hand, when any good is to be effected, is not embarrassed by fears of trenching upon rival authorities, of awakening jealousies, or of being troubled with contests about jurisdictions.
The objects a people propose to themselves in forming a city goverment are, efficiency and responsibility. Now, can any have a more obvious tendency to obstruct, or defeat both, than an organization which severs from each other naturally allied portions of municipal power, and divides them out by very indis- tinet limits among independent boards ? Can any thing be better calculated to create discord, jealousies, and controversies in a community ?
The form of constituting these boards, under our city charter, is still more exceptionable ; and, what is very extraordinary, is just as inconsistent with the
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practice of the ancient town government, as it is with the theory of city organ- ization.
Under the town government all the boards, of Firewards, Overseers of the Poor, and School Committee, were chosen by the votes of all the inhabitants, in a general ticket. The theory and practice of the town government was, that those officers, in whose character and adaptation to their office, all the citizens had an interest, should be chosen by the major voice of all the citizens.
Two consequences obviously flowed from this mode of election. 1st. A con- currence of a majority of all the citizens being requisite for a choice, the candi- dates were, for the most part, selected from men of high, general character, and from no local or sectional considerations ; whereby a very fair proportion of the general talent and respectability of the town was necessarily infused into those boards. 2d. The form of election being by general ticket, previous consultation was had, not only in relation to the adaptation of the candidate for the office, but also of the adaptation of candidates to one another; so that the board might be composed of men agreeable to each other, and thus capable by consentane- ousness of views and feelings, to produce a similar consentancousness of system and action.
The necessary effect of this form of election was to enlarge the sphere out of which candidates could be obtained. Men being always more willing to under- take an office of a laborious and responsible character, when they know, pre- viously to their election, with whom they are likely to be associated.
. These consequences are obvious, and were among the causes of the long and happy organization of those boards, under the town goverment.
These advantages are in a great measure, and some of them wholly, lost under the provisions of our city charter.
Instead of being chosen by all the citizens, by a general ticket, the members are divided among the wards, each choosing its proportion. The fundamental principle of the ancient town government, - that officers, in whose character and adaptation all the citizens had an interest, should be chosen by the major . voice of all, - has thus been abandoned. All the inhabitants of the city have consented to barter the common right they formerly enjoyed, of having a voice in choosing the whole, for the sake of an exclusive right, in wards, of choosing « twelfth part. And the power the whole people of the city once possessed of attaining a certain result, conformably to the general will, has thus been exchanged for the chance of attaining an uncertain result of twelve particular wills, coexisting in that number of wards.
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