The New York herald., 1851-07-15

or captain before leaving, parting com pliment;
and they will have the sympathy and encourage
ment" Of portion Of the people of the United
States.
The late Legisiature-Its Transactions and
Omissions.
The people of this State have been kept in high
state of excitement by politicians, ever since the
commencement, in January last, OF the celebrated
Legislature Of 1851. The acts which that body
have perpetrated will for ever remain on the jour
mails records Of their incapacity for legislation
The few laws Of public necessity which have been
passed bear meagre proportion to the host of pr-
vate speeulations granted to the lobby, the ruling
power ofthe Legislature At the regular session,
2l5 laws enacted, and, during the special one,
Of four weeks only, 333 more have been added.
Nne-tenths Of these acts have never been exa-
mined; and both grave Senator'S and honorable
members of the House. have voted for scores of bills,
without ever enquring even the nature of their
titles. Every bill has its lobby agent in atten-
dance, and perfectly reckless were members, that
they uniformly voted under the dictatien of their
masters outside. Not only this, but Senators and
member, of the House permitted agents and attor-
neys for bills to occupy seats within the BAR for the
convenience of having their advice and counsel at
hand.
The pressure upon the public treasury has been
Unprecedented. Scores Of loungers about the Legs-
lature-many Of them whose claims have been re-
jected year after year, and some Of twenty
years standing-have a.length succeeded in thrust
ing their hands into the treasury. Canal contrac-
tors, whose demands have years since been ad-
justed, and whose receipts therefore are on file in
the Comptroller's Office have been all owed, under
L.
many cases, a repayment These men had sta
toned attorneys at Albany, during the entire ses-
sion, who receive, per agreement, large share of
the plunder obtained under each and every bill.
The Canal Enlargement bill, from the time of its
conception by Mr. Burroughs in January last, to
the time Of its final contamination, on the 10th of
April, has enlisted more anxiety, more feeling,
more. enthusiasm, than any measure that has ever
been brought before any Legislature in this or any
other state. 1t has produced an excitement, in
ocal sense, equal so the late Compromise measures
of Congress, in general view. Every man in the
State, already has, will take sides upon the
question of the constitutionality of the law, in
respect to the right Of the State to issue nine n
lion canal certificates, in anticipation Of the re-
venues for twenty one years; and also whether the
banking clause of the bill can be authorized by the
latpg medium. The determination Of the majority
to pass that bill, and the pertinacity with which IL
has been resisted by the minority, have been the
occasion Of making q new issue and il Is GER
tain that an ordeal Of adjudication must be under
gone before the first dollar will be deposited in the
treasury based upon the pledge contained in those
certificates. Now, all this excitement ILL feeling,
irritation extra session and ALL might easily have
IL IL 1.
the reasonable proposition submitted by Senator
Crook on the 18th Of April-.he day Of the adjourn
pent-that the bill sho uld &c submitted to the
highest legal tribunal in the State for an opinion
as TO its cons,itu,onality. In the course Of
single month, by common consent, that opinion
could have been obtained and with IL The
people would have rested content. But the
proposition secuted and rejected, and the con-
sequences before US. The friends of the
bill apparently acquiesced; but when they were
informed that the Attorney General intended to
bring il before the courts and ask for injunction
until the question could be argued and decided a
law was speedily hurried through lie Legislature,
n advance Of the canal BILL which has for its OBJ
jec the restraining the Attorney General from any
such action. This fact speaks volumes in favor Of
the opinion that the Law will not stand the test of
constitutional argument, and will 20 very far in in
ducng capitalists to Withhold their de posts upon the
contemplated canal revenue certificates.
The offer Of large per cent upon quarter mil
lion contract to the Attorney General, shows be-
yond doubt that the whole enlargement was to
have been placed in the hands Of com pany Of pre-
ferred and selected individuals, there is no com
pulsion TO award contracts to the lowest bidders.
Three wings and two canal democrats have their
names the "slate," and one Of the former Is sus-
pcc,ed as the person who had the presumption to
think that Mr.. Chat6eld would yield to his infa-
nous offer Of bribery. Although Mr.. G. has
thought IL prudent for the present to withhold the
name Of that contractor, imagine that his testi-
mony may readily be obtained before the courts,
for IL is well known about the purieus Of the capi-
tol who the attempted seducer is.
In connection with this question, and az part OF
the programme concocted by those Of the inner
temple" the tolls upon railroad freight have been
removed. This was not anticipated when the canal
bill was first concocted, nor even intended at the
time Of the adjournment, in April II was we'll
known that the entire railroad interest Of the State
was adverse TO the canal bi and the tone given to
the Albany meeting g-the first one held TO endorse
the action Of those who opposed the bill-wss in
fused BY Ersstus Corning, the railroad king Of the
central line. II then rang through the State that
the influence OF the railroads was to be brought to
bear agar the canal bill But the result has not
carried out this assertion, but has proved the con
trary-for the sudden freedom from tolls the roads
shows beyond question. that the directors and stock
holders formed combination with the friends Of
the canal bil with the understanding that upon the
passage Of that bill, tolls should longer be paid
on the rOads. The capitalists who preparing to
deposte then money upon pledge Of canal reve-
nues, will understand that the sum Of sl50, 900 an.
hually, and probably much larger amount, is now
from those revenues.
Within three days Of the adjournment, IL was be-
ieveo that the lobby could not prevail upon the
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