The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-01-29

both sides OF Hudson the
cities of Albany and Troy, extending GAY twenty four
miles along the banks Of the river and tho same distance
from It on each side.
preconcerted and organized resistance
passing the unarmed power Of his baiwick, employed
thersupon issued proclamation which followed
by exhibition of the military of the State Re-
sistance ceased Offenders who had contumaciousy de-
fled process were arrested and punished The tenants
respecting advice contained in the proclamation OF the
Executives applied to the Legislature for redress OF their
grievances The Governor in his annual message of
1910 in giving account OF those occurrences declared
that the tenures were inconsistent with existing insti
buttons and unfavorable to agriculture injurious to the
prosperity OF the districts where they prevailed and
opposed to sound public policy" He declared that the
trovsrsy and the great number of citizens interested in
it, rendered the subject worthy of the consideration of
the leg ture That while full force allowed to the
circumstance that the tenants had entered voluntarily
into such stpulaons tho State had always recognized
SS THAT he
lature had the same power over the remedies upon
contracts between landlord and tenant all other
forms Of legal redress And no expressed a con-
vction that ought to be adapted which
without violating contracts or working injustice to
either party would assimlatate the tenures in ques
ton to those which experience had proved to be more
accordant with the principles Of republican governments
peace and harmony Of society Encouraged by this re-
commentator from the Chief Magistrate of the State,
given performance Of his constitutional duty recon
mend such he should deem expedient, the
tenants covered the tables of the Legislature with petit
tons These with the Executive recomm endations
referred to very able committee, who heard
sci in support of them and in due time submitted ella
boate report, in which they discussed the obnoxious
tenures alluded to the questions raised concerning the
title OF the proprietor OF Rensselaerwyck and to the
various hardshps and wrongs of which the tenants CON-
planned.
The committee declared that these tenures were un-
usual ard contrary to good policy and detrimental to
consideration OF the subject. had introduced bill
for the relief Of the tenants which provided in the first
place 20 obGsn distress ior rent IN an cases where rent
the remedy by action OF ejectment when the lease had
become forfeited by the nonPayment by tho tenant Of
reviewed that report and opinion that these
meaures could not be eectualy adopted because they
would violate the constitution of the United States But
the commae declared their opinion that the State pos.
sessng the right of eminent domain, might nterpose by
virtue of sovereign power change the upon
just to be made by the tenants to the
Not for the interest Of the tenants to impair the
good and they referred the passed the
18th year OF charles H., by which tenures in chivalry
mending that board of commissioners be appointed to
examine fully all the grievances complained Of and TO
obvate the necessity Of further legislation. According
ly law passed in the same year, under which two
enlightened commissioner Hugh Maxwell aud Garry
Sackett Esqrs., were pointed to examine the grev
OF the tenants and to endeavor to effect q cOmpro
mise These commissioners labored assiduously in the
discharge oil their duties but their report made in ls4
showed that while they found these tenurss exceedingly
injurious to the interests OF the tenants and the country
been Intellectual; nothing done by the Legislature
for several years thereafter to remove the difficulties
which had come to be regarded as incurabe The spirit
Of controversy had difused itself throughout the
central portions Of the State with the large
easehod estates 1t appeared in manifestations of i'll
suppressed discomfort; combinations were org anized
some of which proceeded openly, and contemplated
dress by lawful measures and others secretly banded
together dsordey PERSONS disguised armed and deter
mined to achieve the objects by sedten and vio
ence.
These combinations, in one form or the other, at
length extended from Albany and Rensselaer,
ties into Columbia, Schenectady, Delaware, Greene
Ulster, sullivan schoharie MONTGOMERY, Fulton, OF
nj ratkor
tons were continually made to the Legislature tor re-
Dress in forms various as the characters Of the
or sympathsed with them Some prayed for law
which would prohibit any person. after the 4h day Of
July s4e IRON es more IMAM one thousand
vented the commencement OF suits by the State to
cover the great estates covered by the obnoxious ten
night be repealed; others desired laws modifying
the leases to allow rents reserved wheat to be
paid in money others insisted that law should be pass
ed which should oblige landlords TO sell the demsed
premises their tenants at the appraisal Of commits
oners others required that distress for rent should be
abolished; others again that the landlords should be
sessed by an income tax And all united in praying for
the passage Of law which would compel the landlord
to his title in an action founded on covenant
condition contained in his lease, at least that the tenant
might show by way Of defence that the landlord
without title, regardless Of time the provisions Of the
tons in which seemed to forbid all hope of
legislative inerposition in the year is45 attended
in many parts of the State with spirit Of deter
mined and sedous resistance The cause OF the tenants
advocates
of Justice, and in popular elections as well as in the
legislature while it Is not to be denied that the great
orderly and law abiding citizens but the un
lawful associations which had been organized n their
| behalf absolved them from all control. The Gov
in his annual message in le4o informed the egis
ature that the difficulties which have been described
had entered into the popular elections That without
waiting for the action of the legislature, resistance to
the law and its officers had be renewed in forms and
under circumstances of the deepest oggravaon; that
organized bands OF assuming the dress Of savages
as disguise, with arms in their hands, had already bid
haG IN md nfn and in
repeated instances and in more than county had
put the life Of the sheriff and his do utios in
peril orcby taken from them their official papers and
burned them in open day. and compelled the officers to
desst from the further discharge Of their duties That
the msg uded vioaos OF the law and the disurbers of
the public peace had confined their outrsges within
this limit But that already the lives Of two peace.
able and unoending citizens had been taken In both in
stances when neither the sheriff or his officers were pre-
sent aud when attempt was made to serve legal
He declared that the question between the land.
lord tenant what way these contracts
their exactions and enures their nature and charac
ter uncongenia with the habits and opinions Of ciu
could be peaceably and justly and constuonally
modified to meet the changed circumstances of the
times. That IL question in which the feelings and
strongly ncning in favor of the tenants and that under
other circumstances he might have invited the careful
attention Of the Legislature to those issues but that he
exravagsnt and ndefensble positions given to the
troversy by the unlawful and violent proceedings of
those who assumed take charge OF the rights and in
terests of the tenants involved in the litigation
Tho Governor then informed the legislature that the
principal disturbances Of recent dao had been confined
to the counties Columbia and Rensselaer, That
persons concerned in resistance to the Sheriff. and
peced accessaries, or principals in the killing OF
citizen that county had been arrested and confined in
the Jail at Hudson that rescue was threatened, and
made by disguised bands to effect that OBJ
ject That military force had been established at Hud
son to the public authorities and would remain
there until the offenders in prison should be tried for
their crimes. The Governor recommended the passage
of law to prohibit persons from wearing DISCUSSES to
facilitate the commission OF crime, or to escape its penal
ties The Legislature passed the law recommended on
the 2sh day OF January 1885, and the 10Th April
the legislature passed IAN act to enforce the laws
and public order whereby the Governor was
tion and to adopt extraordinary for the preser
walton the public peace The Governor in his annual
message Of the following year. announced that the coun
Of Delaware hereoiore comparatively peaceful had
after the passage Of the law Of the 2sh Ct January
1916, become the theatre OF open and active
against the officers of the law than had previously
prevailed elsewhere That the courts and jures OF the