[That most aspiring humbug and imposter]

About This Item

Title: [That most aspiring humbug and imposter]
Date: 23 April 1857
Creator(s): Walt Whitman
Whitman Archive ID: per.01350
Source: Brooklyn Daily Times, 23 April 1857: 2. Our transcription is based on a digital image of a microfilm scan of the original issue. Microfilm of original issue held at Pennsylvania State University Libraries. For a description of the editorial rationale behind our treatment of the journalism, see our statement of editorial policy.
Editorial note: This piece is unsigned, as was the case for most of Whitman's journalism. However, this editorial is part of a series of texts that deal with a coherent theme that has been identified by the Whitman Archive journalism team as likely authored by Whitman. This decision is based on a combination of historical and (auto)biographical accounts, similarity to contemporary Whitman writings, a history of scholarly attribution, extant clippings retained by Whitman, computational stylometric analysis, and, in some cases, manuscript evidence in Whitman’s hand.
Contributors to digital file: Thara Michaelis Kaylen Michaelis Samantha Gilmore Kevin McMullen Stephanie Blalock Karie Cobb
Cite this page: Whitman, Walt. "[That most aspiring humbug and imposter]." The Walt Whitman Archive. Gen. ed. Matt Cohen, Ed Folsom, & Kenneth M. Price. Accessed 16 July 2024. <http://www.whitmanarchive.org>.
Source File: per.01350.xml (TEI)

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☞That most aspiring humbug and impostor, Fernando Wood,¹ has sued out from Judge Davies an injunction against the Police Commission. The ground assumed by "his honor" is that the law establishing the Commission infringes upon the Constitution in not allowing the Board to be elected by the people of the Counties over the police force of which it gives them jurisdiction.² The order is returnable on Saturday next, and will then undergo argument. Perhaps it is as well that the constitutionality of the act should be tested in this shape as in any other. Fortunately Fernando doesn't own the Supreme Court even if he does the Police, hence the friends of the law are not alarmed as to the probable result.

Subsequently the Judge, on application of Commissioner Draper, modified his order, so as to admit of the meeting of the Commissioners, when Simeon Draper³ was elected President and the Treasureship extended to Mr. Stranahan, but he declining, Mr. Bowen was elected. The Commissioners meet again on Saturday. Neither Mayor Wood nor Mayor Powell⁴ was present yesterday.

Notes:

1. 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]

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. Simeon Draper (1806–1866) was elected to the Board of Police Commissioners on April 16, 1857, but he resigned before the end of his term due to what he perceived as the over-politicization of the force's appointments. [back]

4. 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]