The Statesman.
London, England, 1820-12-08 00:00:00

HA MP/MN fia is As Tie

LEGTINI,APURN Or NEW lONIC.

Key You, Nov. 9.—Both branches of the Legis-
lature convened at the Capita! in Albany on Tuesday.
In the Mem, 121 members were present. Pete!'
Sharpe, Esq. of this City. was elected Speaker by a
majority of 17, over John C. Spencer, Esq.; and
Deriek L. Vanderheyden, Esq. was chosen Clerk by a
majority of I over Aaron Clark, E•q.
A committee was appointed to wait on his Excel-
lency and inform him that the House was dnly
iced, and ready to proceed to business.—At two
o'clock the Governor met the two Houses, and deli-
vered the foLiouing Speech:—

IiaNTI.EMAN OF THE •SERI ITV AND hose OF As.
sunns.v—Ott the reestrrence of an election of Presi-
dent and Vice-President of the United States, the
annual meeting of the Legislature is transferred from
its usual period to this time, in etntsegnenee of the
choir, of flee* ws by that body: and notwithstanding
an 'dimmed session has been considered expedient
after the transaction of extraordinary business, yet it
has been usual for the executive to make his t ounnti-i
nication at the first meeting—and as this measure is
reeommendeel by its salutary tendeerve and will nil-
able the legislature in its recess to bestow deliberate
attention .on the subject. recommended to their consi-
deration, and to consult tile sense. and understand the
views of, their constituents, I shall not hesitate to
comply with the customary rule on this °erosion.
lit adverting to the object 01 this anticipated meets
ing. it will readily ocrur to you, how much better cal-
cniateol it worthd be to promote crown's-, and to pre-
serve the pnrity of republican enveritment, and how
flinch more consonant with the representative prin-
ciple, if the choice of electors were brought nearer
home to the people. IneldmiL it toast be considered a
striking imperfmtion in the natisonal eonstitwtinn,
that no uniform role bas been preeerared ou this sub-
ject. In some States. elector* are chosen by the peo-
ple by districts: in others by a enteral ticket : and
in a I%‘• by the legislature: the last mode is certainly.
the most objectionable. A body, not numerous. and
selected foe several months previous to the period of
action, is exposed to the droloations of intrignr, and
is not doo safe a depository of this great trust, as the
community at large. In seamed eaws, a minority of the
iwo,ele may choose a majority of the legislature. The
election of that body in time of public tranquillity
may be mark without much reference to this object,
loud there is such a considerable intervening lime be-
fore the choice of electors, that a frill and fair rapers.
-stun of the public sentiment may duet take place, or
he defeated. ' The people are certainly less liable to
improper influence than any other body of nu-n, and
_in timie,pority, diseernment, nssil public spirit. we
must rely for thsistability anti pertianeria'nf thtt re-
pubiican institutions.
When I had the bottom- of orettpyine a scat in the
tad:idattiree I nag so foniblv impressed with con-1
id:Aerations of this nature, that I esteemed it my duty I
to introduce an amenthaent tee the constitution pre. i
(heated on district elections by the people. This .
principle wassaneritened at that time, still sitter, by the
legislatures; but it has never been engrafted into the '
constitution. As it may be supposes! that those std. ' es
where district elections are established, will not be .
in a situation to express an undivided opinion, and
wiil thereforefore be placed in a horse position than
those where a general choice prevails. I nimbi sag- i
gest the expeolieney of providing in future for a choice
by'tlee people, of electors by a grtseral ticket, until au
ttnifarm rule by district* is constitntionally establish-
ed. This will place the choice of :he principal magi-
strate of the nation where it ought to tor: more cote-;
pletely within the sovercie• anthority. Awl as there
are own- two intetveving bodies, between the people of
this state, and thee election of President and Vier Pre- I
silent, I see no reason why the principle of exclusion
should be applied almost entirely to them. . 1
In the course of your fro Teolings you will also be I
called upon to elect a Senator of the United Stalts. '
The position of nor national concerns will undoubted-
ly demand the ultimo eirenntspection, as well on this
subject, as on the mere immediate object of your
userting. In order to meet the deficiencies of the na-
tional revenue, great retrenchments must be made in
our exp,nditures, and wise plans of finance must be
adopted. Oar resources may he cherished, and tide,
rvil4 of heavy taxation or increasing debt, tnay be,
averted by the abolition of nselem utfiees, by the Jinni-
nition of expensive 4-,tabliahments, and by the coati-
;ahoy of that economy which is most congenial with
the simplieity of republican government, and which.'
is required ly the great pressure on the nat. : keep
ittg, however, always steadily in view the public de-
(rare, and the retorted safety. le order to restiseitate
the prosperity of the comsonnity, it is also necessary
to cherish the intercom, of predurtire industry, aunt
to promote ti... internal improvement of the monotry.
It is to be regretted that the colli*ion which, mesh
*lace at the last session of Congress. relative to the
lleohibition of slavery in new states, should leave tarn
attended with so much irritation, and that it should
be considered as ate attack on, the loral authorities,
'and an attempt tee violate the richts tel property. In
states where slavery leas been ratalohshetli by lan, it is
"-eat in the power of the national tiovernstwnt to inter-
fere; and all regulations tin this sohjeet must proceed
from the Inca! Ouvernments ; lent in the atletimion of
new states into thee union, it is the ditty of Congress
to protect the great obligations of morality. to enforce
the principles of the Ainericen revolittion. and to con-
sult the paramount and pernmoritt interests of the
Empire. ,
As a member of the American confederacy, it is nut
enly ear duty, but our interest. to mistake the re-
spectability, awl to remote the auditoria, of the ma-
Menai thoveroment, by a' petsintie and erdiglateeed es-
eerier of eons suffrages, and by remernnelleyi 101.osr
energies4to estaWish a wise unit public spirited *dad-
nistrati en. lint its attending to measures so important,

we ought sot to overlook the duties which we owe to
ourselvdn. Our Government is ertmillex in its organ-
isation, and it u. essentially necessary to preserve the
state Goterunteuts in their purity and energy. A free
Uovaismeat could never exist hi a country so exten-
sive as the United States,- Without a judicious com-
bination of the federal and representative principles.
The apprehensions whirls some of one wisest states-
men eintartainell at the formation of the Constitution,
that the State Governments would constantly encroach
on the powers of the national Government,-appear net
to hate hero realized. The practical tendency has
been ii the opposite direction. The power of the ge-
neral administration has increased with the extension
of its patronage. And if the officers 'under its ap-
pointment shall see lit, as an organized and dis-
ciplined corps, to inte.fetv in the state elections, I
trust MS there will be found a becoming dispuelt•
in the profile, to resist them alarming attempts upon
mill
the purity and independence of their local liovenis
meats : for wherever the pillars which support the edi-
fice of the general that ernment are undermined and
prostrated, the whole fabric' of national freedom and
prosperity will be crushed in ruin. I have considered
it my solemn duty to protest against these unwarrant-
ahle intrusions of extraneous influence, and I hope
flint the tuitional legislature will not be regardless of
its duty dlithis occasion.
If the ingenuity of man had been exercised to orga-
nize the apFointiog poster in such a way as to pro-
active continued intrigue an] commotion in the state,
Anne could have been devise.. with wore effect than
the present arrangement. We have seen its pernit:lous
infitictire in tie constant commotion, which atitste
tut: and we ran neer: expert that the conottunitv will
I,
be trasquil, or that the state will maintain its due
weight in the confederacy, moil a radical remedy is
' *ll4. Under this ituirression. I have heretofore ,
proposed the calling of a convention. 'I he constint- I
then contains no pros isi,vi for its aturnoltnent. In !SOL t
tie legislature NO-misted two specific, points ti a con-
,motion of delegates chosen lay the Iscuple, which met
real agreed to certalwansendments. A•tempts have!
bpen made at rations times ti, follow up this :arecedent, t
Which have been uosnc.cessful, not only on account of
vicallisiop of opinion about the general policy% of the 1
dissistronalsat also respecting the ()Neils to he proposed t
4 the aim Trottion. T:.ese didienhies may be probably
Aninesmlsel, either by submitting the subject of amend-1
mews geller.slly to a r onsention, awl tficreloyavoitli::g
controvesSy about the purposes for which it is called :
or by subtiaittiug the question to the people in the first
ioistance, 4 determine Whether one•ougla to be con-
vened : and in either case, to provide fur the ratifica-
tion by e people in their primary assemblies, of the
pror • of the convention. This don/le check
sett, he reeteetatestAs carry itsto• fleet the
sovereign authority of the people: to guard against
dangerous iuterpolations in our fundamental charac-
ter: to check a spirit of pernicious innovation, and
empirical prescription, and 10 all.ty the apprehensions
of s of our hest tot,.: wisost tel who,
already satisfied with the signal prosperity and high
.lestitties of the state, are unwilling, for the sake of
souse improvement', to etteowiter the risk of chang-
ing materially the features of a ronstitntinn, which,
in its general conformation, is admirably ealrnlated
to promote the happiness, In elevate the prosperity,
ant to protect the freedom of the conimonity.
It affords me the highest satisfaction to renew my
congratulations on the slows Ail Progress of unr in-
tern., I improvements. rowers!. of fifty one miles
of the ratialttsanreeti the 1:01Irs,e river and Mount,-
roma, ins-hling fifteen locks. are under contrart, and
the whole distance of•tin miles and a quarter, with two
additional locks, ran be easily e ',hoed by the first
day of September next. Thr contracts made daring
the last sr.asun, Were 1... better terms for the state than
those on the middle senior: and during the pPesent
year. they are front tli!x,y to forty per cant. lower, in-
cluding the mason work. 'I hirty miles of the section
east from Ctira, are als t under' contract, including
twelve locks, and will be completed the next season.
In the progress of these operations, rocks have been
exrava•ed at the loit•le Falls in seventy or -unity days,
which it ll'A% originally ,apposed would have taken
two Veat9,. The iallif 'cements in the Hudson fiver,
and by canals, to the distance oT twenty eight miles
south from Port Kiltvrol, still be effertrd the next
season ; and it is hoped that the remainig tell miles
to Waterford, te-airle will finish the %shook operation of
the inland navigation of the north, rail ;limo be memou
plishonl within that period. There will then remain
*at rue hundred miles on tile western and ahnut
'ditty right on the eastern section. in order to realise
our whole system of internal nal igation. The limi-
tation of the annual expenditure ha, had a tendency
t.o tor tcrastinate the completion si this great work :
and under a full persuasion that the whole cannot only
he accomplished, but well accomplished in three years
at Ow ut t, from the present periel, I eartiestly re-
r end the adoption of plenary and effeetnalmen-
sures for this purpose. The advantages to he gained
by this course will be great Ind striking. The fa-
culties of the state are fully adequate to the ope-
ration, and all controversy • about tl." order of
completion wil he avoided. The civilized s.orld
is now in a state of
.peace; butt the syuttonts of
great and extensive convulsions begin to appear in
Europe, and if wars shall unfortunately afflict that
portion of the glolw, we will perhaps be eoutpelled to
.1.•1111.1e a defensive attitude a7ainst aggressimot on the
rights of neutrality, which may finally ptnnge us into
hostilities. Now that we are free from great natioual
calamities, sail the prices of 1111 l ney, of labour, and
of commodities, are unc mainly low, we ought to
avail muss-Ives of the favenrable opportnnity. The
1 peblic

'instilment is sow tinned in -Car.itte of the mes-
ses?. and the progress of time may create loppositioo
from risinserical.apprelion•iions, from sel • s tints,
from jarring int,rests, and from best competitions,
flas increased accomusodation and easy remmunica-