The Doctors Persist But The Patient Dies
image 1
image 2
image 3
image 4
cropped image 1
THE DOCTORS PERSIST BUT THE PATIENT DIES.
Mayor Powell1 acted in a manner unworthy of his better convictions, when he absconded from the Board of Health, yesterday, because that body would not work in the same harness with himself—non-acknowledgement of the Metropolitan Police Law.2 It was the move of a zealous partisan, and not of a sensible man, Mayor of a city of two hundred thousand people.
All that was necessary for Mr. Powell to have done, would have been to have made something like the following remarks, and carried out the spirit of them:
"Gentlemen of the Board of Health, it is well-known that I do not recognise the constitutionality or propriety of the alleged Metropolitan Police Commission—and that I have taken a decided stand against their interference with the established Police force of Brooklyn. This course I shall not change; and I put these remarks in the nature of a protest before the Board. Nevertheless, in so vital a matter as the sanitary condition of the city, I do not think proper to separate myself from you, but shall remain and give my aid, authority, and counsel in all that refers to such important matters."
Suppose he had spoken in that manner—it would have retained the consistency of the Mayor, and "put him right” with the camarilla, and, (what we begin to think is the governing power in Brooklyn, after all) with the Fernando Wood3 and Bill Wilson4 democracy of New York city.
Is it not disgraceful that this vast and populous city, with all that belong to it—wealth, improvements, and the very lives and health of the citizens, should be made the mere footballs, playthings, for partisans? that the Mayor himself should have his common-sense, manliness, and independence, all subordinated to a few selfish party leaders? that their dicta, and not those of the body of the people, are to be obeyed?
We shall continue to watch these movements in the Brooklyn Board of Health, with an intention not to spare those who evidently would have the patient die rather than retract an obstinate course.
Notes:
1. Samuel S. Powell (1815–1879) served as mayor of Brooklyn from 1857 to 1861, and then again from 1872 to 1873. In 1863, he was nominated to become water commissioner by a previous mayor of Brooklyn, Colonel Alfred M. Wood, but was denied confirmation by the Board of Aldermen. Thomas Jefferson Whitman mentioned Powell's nomination in a December 1863 letter to Walt. [back]
2. The Metropolitan Police Act of April 1857 was passed by the New York State Legislature in order to dissolve New York City's Municipal Police and replace them with the State-controlled Metropolitan force, overseen by a board of commissioners. This new force covered the combined areas of Manhattan, Brooklyn, Staten Island, and Westchester County and was considered controversial in scope, with some parties arguing that the Act was unconstitutional. Embedded within the Act was a series of provisions that impacted both the sale of and access to alcohol. [back]
3. Fernando Wood (1812–1881), a Democrat, was mayor of New York City from 1855–1857 and 1860–1861. He was widely regarded as corrupt. During his time at the Brooklyn Daily Times, Whitman penned numerous fiery articles against "King Fernando." [back]
4. William Wilson, also referred to as Bill Wilson, was an English native who was elected as New York City alderman in 1856. He became a member of Mayor Fernando Wood's so-called "Mozart Hall Democracy" and was later appointed as U.S. colonel in the American Civil War. [back]