The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-04-11
Our Albany Correspondence.

Mr.. johnson has reported to the House an inte-
resting BILL entitled "an act for the benefit of the
Indians, and adopting them citizens" This bill
will be interesting to all those benevolent citizens
who are DESTROYS to improve the social and politi
cal condition of the relics of those mighty tribes
that in former times were the undisputed masters
OF these fair demesnes, and this their virgin soil.
We are most happy to perceive that the present
Legislature has, several occasions, evinced a
cordial interest in the welfare of these children of
nature. In fact, there seems to be an increasing
desire among the people to .prolong the existence
OF the few representatives of the Indian race that
still exist among us. Still, they fading away
their number is diminishing; they seem to be
doomed to extinction.
The first section of the act alluded to- provides that
any person residing within this State who shall sell or
give spirituous liquor to any Indian shall be deemed
guilty Of misdcmeanor; to be fined $50 and imprisoned
Section two provides that any person who shall re-
ceve any article from an Indian in pledge for payment
for spirtuous liquor sold to such Indian shall forfeit
times the value Of such article
The third section declares that the first title of the
eighth chapter and second part of the Revised Statutes
of husband and wife," and the act entitled ian act to
punish seduction as crime" shall be made applicable
to oil Indians residing within this State with the same
force as If they were citizens thereof .t
Section four provides that all Indians heretofore
hereafter married according to the Indian CUSTOM shall
be deemed lawfully married.
Section five provides that Courts OF Special Sos
sions shall have jurisdiction of msdcmeanor
committed within their respective counties.
Section six approprates fines collected for misdemea
to the treasury Of the nation Indians which
the Indian to whom such liquor sold given be-
longs.
Section seven provides that all nations, tribes,
or bands Of Indians, who and occupy Indian
reservations within this State, and hold lands
therein as the common property Of such nations,
tribes, or bands may by the acts Of their respective
Indian governments, divide such common lands into
tracts or lots and distribute and partition the same
or parts thereof quantity and quality relatively
hn inlv finnlC ~
such nations, tribes, and bands respectively that
the same be held in sevcraty and in fee simple
according to the laws Of this state but lands
pied and improved by any Indian. according to the
laws usagcs customs Of the nation shall be set OF to
any person other than the occupant, his her
family.
Section eleven provides that every native Indian
residing within this State, who shall be sesed and pos
sessed of freehold estate in land shall be- and is here
by declared to be- entitled to all the rights and privi
leges OF citizen Of this State and such entitled to
vote at elections provided he sha declare his intention
to become such by signing declaration to that effect
before the clerk of the county in which he shall resde
such county clerks shall keep Of such decara-
ons In ms ONCE and issue certificates thereof under
his seal of Office to the Indian who shall make such
declaration which certificate shall be evidence Of the
facts stated therein But such Indians shall reside
on any reservation shall not vote at town school
district elections meetings except for local officers
within their own reservations long they preserve
their own Indian governments They shall be subject
to taxation for State and county taxes except for
schools be liable their contracts with white
well as Indians and subject to the jurisdiction of the
courts OF law and equity.
The Senate to-day, ordered the following i'm
portant bill to a third reading:-
An act for the appointment of referees in the city OF
81. The Governor shall nominate and with the con-
cent OF the Senate appoint many referees In the city
Of New York he may from time to time deem neces-
sary, not exceeding twenty who shall hold their offices
for two years and shall receive the compensation now
allowed by law to referees.
I ". When and no far the parties to any action
pending in court in said city shall not agree upon
referees all references in action refcrabe by existing
ss aef :a & b gssS sy
may designate. .I s.s g.. .5...5 ss.l p.
IS This act shall take effect Immediately
Mr. FLOYD introduced two highly important re-
solutions; first declaratory of the fact, that the
President of the United States had formed his
cabinet and made his appointments, so as to indi-
cate his intention to protect and extend the nstitu-
ton of slavery and secondly, that the State of
New York repudiate any threats, direct or implied,
intended to coerce her action on that question.
The first resolution, on motion of Senator Cook,
(whig) was tabled the second was referred to
select committee-a very good way of evincng
their determination not to take any notice of the
subject.
The course Of the Senate, upon the bill turning
out Of office the. Commissioner on Practice and
Pleadings, has been erractic and nexplicable
They passed the bill once by large majority
they then defeated it by tie vote (lI to lI) and
now, frightened from their propriety by Greeley
and Weed, they have determined to re-appoint
these Commissioners, and have introduced bill
to effect that object. 1t has been referred to a
committee, to report complete.
A movement has been made in the Legislature,
to withhold the salary of A. l.. Robertson, Com
missioner of the Code he does not associate or
communicate with the other Commissioners at ALL
TERRIBLE EARTHQUAKE IN New ZEAIASD.-Ad-
vices OF November IL, from Wellington, New
Zealand, bring theimportant news that Port Nicho-
son had been visited by series of earthquakes of a
most alarming and prolonged nature, by which the
town of Wellington had been reduced
to all but heap of ruins, the edces of brick and
stances, totally destroyed. Friday the 18th 0cto-
Der, was fine day, but very sutry, and on Satur-
day there was wind and heavy rain. This lasted
all day on Sunday, and at haf-past one on Monday
morning distant hollow sound was heard, the
sound travelling at most rapid rate, when almost
instantly, and In the course of few seconds, the
whole town was laborng under the most severe
shocks of earthquake ever experienced. This con-
tnued at intervals until halfpast seven Two-ffths
public buildings .wers damaged. On Tuesday the
shocks were again felt and the houses quivered like
ships In a gale; three persons, Barrack Sergeant
Lowell and his two children, killed by the fall
ling ruins. The colonial and military hospitals, the
jail, &c, were so much injured, that the patients
and prisoners had to be removed. On We'd
nesday all was tranquil. but on Thursday re-
newed shocks were felt, and being more violent
Wesleyan chapel and other buildings were
thrown down; several cracks appeared in the earth,
especially along the reach and in the sky there was
a fiery glare On Friday, the 10th October thirteen
successive shocks were felt, and on Tuesday, the
oath, there was renewal. On that day the earth
quake appeared to have subsidized. and up to the
18th November nothing more was felt. The ship
ping had afforded refuge 10 the inhabitants; and
the officials, in conjunction with the residents,
were making great efforts 10 repair the damage.
The, earthquake WAS !eit in other parts of New
Zealand, but we have no particulars of damage
dCne. 80 tar our information goes, the earth
Guakes lasted nine days, and were felt at various
places, from the I'D to the 10Th degree Of east
longitude, and from the 39h TO the Nth degree of
south latitude. The heaviest and most continuous
shocks were experienced at Wellington, Queen
Charlotte's Sound, and Cloudy Bay, nearly in the
The earthquakes were preceded by stormy wea-
ther, with heavy gales from the. south and east,
which lasted the greater part of the nine days.
The volcano of Tongaro was not in activity, nor
were any others known to be so. On the after
noon of Tuesday. the 18th, bright flame was
seen to shoot up in the northeast at Wellington,
4 81 al. Ax,, boz, ,,A Kor A