New-York tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1841-1842, 1842-04-16
ADDRESS
dr. who Members of the Legislature.
r. a. p.,.J. of,.l STATE Of York


dn,y 10 submit to their constituents view OF Tie
extraordinary measures which have characterized
the present sessAn and some considerations on The
political condition ot the State: and ,hey do this
with the high qualification that results from rrn
conviction that thew have faithfully discharged the
iynportan, trusts and duties which the People have
conidctl 10 them with single eve TO the advance
men, Of the honor ard dignity OF the State-that
whatever NAV be the injurious consequences which
NAV. ana probably WILL rcsuf TO the interests.
comfort and happiness Of tneir fellow citizens
from the measures prepared and enacted By this
Legislature, they liavetscd all possible exerlions
10 prevent their consumma,ion.
il has alnos, become political axiom, that
when the pure fountains of legislation become
tainted the tairest interests Of the State are a-
fec,ed And nothing can provc a more serious
ell 10 community ;aan 70 have their Legis!a-
tive Councils actuatcd by mere party consldsra-
lions, to Snch an extent as TO make ever: other
matter sub5cr@;cilt to It's advancement. And
such. truth coupesli lis TO acknowledges has been
the Illuminating spectacle presented 70 the pubic
view BIZ the legislation Of this session. 10 for
ward such yiews--to advance the interests OF
their party, the Loco Foco majority among their
fret acts, denied to the Governor the night TO
place upon the records OF the People kept by the
Senate a Message which they admitted to be re-
spectfill in its terms and which he sent 10 them
in the performance Of his official duty-and that
TOO when tie entering at length upsn the Journal
Of such Message, was in accordance with the long
settled practice of the Legislature froms first or
ganizalion. Thcy nat only denied the exercise OF
thar ,lndoubted right TO the Executive co-ord
nate branch Of the Legislative authority but they
also withheld from the minority the exercise OF
their constitutional privilege of placing upon tho
Journal of the Senate the resolutions and facts
upon which that minority were required 10 record
their votes by ayes and nays. So that posteritv
cannot possibly know upon what principle the mi
noritv of the Senate roted on those Qaestions and
the minority cannot by the record protect them
selves against misrepresentation OF their views
and conduct An assumption of power which has
for the first time in our history found place in
the nails OF Legislation.
But the Democratic Wing Members could have
forgiven this attack upon their right. as the rep
lescntslves of free people, although they must
in the discharge of their solemn trusts protest
against it as invasion Of undoubted right and
an usurpation of power,) if that mujority had
manifested e proper regard for the interests ot
the State. In TINT however they have been want
Ing, and to such extent, as TO hunlliute allrue
friends of their country, who feel pride IN look
ing back=upon shat has heretofore been done by
previous Legislatures to advance the interests,
honor and dignity of our people.
Tho course of public opinion is regular, and in
relation to great measures requires time to
turc. Ga one subject has this truth been more
strlkingly developed than in our system of Inter
nal Improvements, which first began to excite the
attention OF the community, and through them
that Of the Legislature in 1898; and i, required
the long period intervening between that time and
the year 1917, before the information and talents
OF distinguished individuals, with De Witt Cln
ton at their head could induce to settle delini
lively upon the same Us system OF public policy.
But long anterior to the accession OF the Wing
party to power, the Internal improvement system
was the policy Of tn Slatc--and when the Gov
ernmcnt came to our hands we found the enlarge
mont Of the Erie Canal determined upon and con
tracts made TO an amount exceeding - millions
and hall Of dollars-thc Genesee Valley and
Black River Canals in the progress of cons true
tion-thcir Canal Commits souers estimating the
increase OF the tells on the Erie Canal at 10 per
cent per annun,, 50 as to double in ten years
and our opponents, as party londly in favor of
Internal Improvements. We had always been the
friends Of that system, knowing that the growth of
The State in population and wealth is identified
with H. and we prosecuted those works. which
our opponents had thus left to our charge with
fidelity and zeal. Ii is true did not estimate
tho increase of those tolls at SO high rate US.
they had done, limiting to seven and half, In
stead OF ten per cent per annuni--yet it appeared
even at that low rate Of increase, they would be
abundantly sufficient to discharge all the debts Tor
the construction OF those works. That the fiscal
affairs of the State, in relation TO those works,
were prndently managed by the Wings, is evident
from the fact, that while the contracts which we
made for the enlargement were only q little over
a million OF dollars; yet out OF the contracts pre-
viously made by our opponents winch became due,
amounting 70 about 10 millions and a half OF dol
lars we paid abou, $500, 900 dours, they having
paid the balance, between one and two millions.
before they went out OF power.
What n change dc now witness That same
party, once SO vocitcrous in praise of the public
works. dcnouncc thcm-abandon them-turn
out contractors and aborcrs without employ TO
see, their subsistence for themselves and families
nthis tire of general distress Il. they may. Whci
the Wing party went out OF power in this State,
at the beginning of the present year, left to cur
opponents of the debt for the enlargement of the
Erie Canal of between thirteen and fourteen mil
lions of dollars, which they had contracted, with
The exception of about single million. but little
over three millions to provide for; and of that,
less than half million was due-they at once
proved their utter ncllcicncv manage the fiscal
concerns Of the State by declaring their inability 10
meet II without laying onerous direct tax, and
that TOO while we, Notwithstanding all the attempts
of our opponents 10 affect the public credit: paid
more than three times the whole amount without
rcsorti:s to penny Of taxation, and with mucli
less OF canal revenue than our opponents will nov
receive. Let the people Judge from the plain and
simple statement OF facts. which. of ;lc parties
IS most competent to manage their fiscal ai.ir<
and which can do it with the least burden to the
people We urc opposed TO laying direct tax
ipon the people. and then stopping the public
works. If, however. the people were willing. in
the present emergency, when our credit suffers il,
with that OF the other States to bear
the imposition of 4 tax for the purpose Of carrying