The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-03-05
ouR ALBANY coRRksPoNDkNeE.

ALBANY, FED e, ioof
csnal Fsa,.is-inrs'iisati~s Connaitss-Ror'~g
COMMITTEES of the Lsgrs!atWs after the Adjourn
p,en.--Ya,! Amounts Of Money iratc~ from the |
1ytaswy therefor, &c, r..
At an early period of the last session OF the Lee
gslature, Mr.. Senator Guinnip offered resolution
appointing three members OF the Senate to invest
gate certain alleged charges which Madame Ru-
NOR had circulated, touching The course which had
been pursued by Mr. Corlmis sioaer Cook in rela-
ZION to The expenditure of public moneys on the
Chemung Canal The resolution, after two or
three weeks delay, was adopted, and two whig
Senators were associated with him On the Inyesti-
gazing committee. L consisted OF two wings, Mr..
Upham and Mr. Schooamaker, and one demo Graf,
Mr. Guinnip-,he wings having majority in that
body A day was agreed upon TO meet a. the viii
lage of Jefferson, Chemung county, 10 enter upon
the inquiry in relation 20 the conduct OF the Com
missioner. Mr. q proceeded th!Iher, ana procured
a lawyer and clerk TO aid ann; but ne waited
week for the arrival of mis- associates, IN vain, when
he returned 10 mis- seat in the Senate. The other
two members subsequently visited the locality, OBJ
tanned testimony, ana reported their doings 10
the Senate, generating the Commissioner from
the alleged charges preferred against him
The affair having thus apparently assumed POI
ltical aspect, was taken up IN the lower house,
where the democrats held the ascendency Mr.
l.. d. Smith, member of that branch from Oswe-
60 county, offered resolution raising a committee
Oh nVt 10 investigate the C0nQuCl oil all Inc CdGal
Commissioners. This was adopted and MI. Speak
er EldeTkin selected the committee, but delayed
several days without making the announcement
In the mean time, the names spread among the
members, when II appeared that the name OF Mr.
Burroughs, OF Orleans, democrat, was obnoxious
to bis party friends, a. was also that OF Mr. box,
OF Ontario, whig, TO those of his party. As the
Speaker had not announced the committee, reso-
linton was offered, that the committee should be
chosen by ballot. This Was supported by both
parties, because each desired TO prevent the ap
poniment Of the membe RS above named. The re
solution was carried, the power taken ont Of The
Speakers hands, and a committee chosen by the
House, consisting OF Messrs. Smith, Church and
Mcintosh, loco iocos, and Messrs Townsend and
Wheeler, whigs-Burroughs and box being pur-
posely thrown oil.
Well, this committee being invested with full
power TO sit and travel after the adjournment; TO
send for persons and papers, appoint clerks, mes
sepgers and serge ant al arms, and also draw
spOn the treasury whenever desired, set about
their mission of nve stigatlon as soon they could
organize after the FIRST of June. They have been
regular travelling committee, visiting every por-
hon OF the State where any canal work has been In
progress since IT has been under the control of the
wing commissioners. Their inve stigations closed
just previous to the assembling OF the present Legs.
lature, two months since, when the chairman and
his sergeant, arrived at the capital. From the
early part OF January TO within week, they have
been engaged in writing out their report Three
or four days since, the chairman announced TO his
whig associates that the report was ready for
their perusal and signature. They have been en-
fact that il has not yet (today, Thursday been
submitted TO the House, II appears evident that
Messrs Townsend and Wheeler do not ap-
prove il, and hesitate TO sign Mr.. Smith, the
author Of it, will nevertheless present it, If they
GO not sign, as majority report, signed by him
sell, Mr. Mcintosh and Mr. Church, comprising
majority of the committee.
The State is about being saddled with the pay
ment of an enormous sum OF money, consequent
upon the appointment of this travelling committee
during the summer months They are expected 10
fnYa hun fred nd fv davs
each, which, in the aggregate, will reach, If not
overrun, S. TOO The travelling fees, at five cents
mile, will reach the sum of some $500, making
the enormous sum of g, 900, be sides charges tor
stationery, clerk hire and many other incdeatals.
The report will be extremely voluminous, doubt
kss, making one thousand pages !; and as II will be
absolutely useless, and perfectly worthless, the
State, as matter Of course, must contribute two
or three thousand dollars more 10 have il printed
and placed in the hands of the Legislature and the
people, in for operation before the cleo
non, when Cana Commissioner is TO be elected.
IL is seriously 10 be lamented that the Legisa-
tare Of this State will, year after year, with epor
able exi enses before hem, continue sending out
travelling committees. The Senate also had its
caravan, during the last summer, going up TO
Rouse's Point, Ogde nbnreb, river ST. Lawrence,
iske Champlain over into the Queens dominions,
10 ASCERTAIN whether railroad bridge ought TO be
built over a narrow strip OF water. And IN pre-
seHtng their report, MIR. Geddes submitted enc
view MIR. Dart another, and Mr. owen still another,
the whole at an expense 10 the State Of something
less than FIVE hundred dollars and without achiev
ing any practical result.
Those committees, appointed 10 after the
adjournment are undoubtedly unconstitutional,
less they devote their time without pay. Three
huodred dollars only appropriated for the pay OF
each member during session. and the trainers OF the
constitution never contemplated the authorization
OF rambling, rowing summer conmittees-one week
at Coney Island, another al Saratoga, and another
ct Niagara, during the season Of fashionable resort.
And now, in the face Of all this, and when all
these iasss staring the members of both branches
full in the face, an honorable Senator deliberately
proposes the appointment Of committee of that
body 10 visit every safety fund bank, every free
bank, and every savings bank IN the State,
during the approaching summer The resolution
has not yet been adopted, but if il should be, no
committee could perform the duty from the time Of
adjournment TO the commencement OF the neAtses-
sioo, in January, 1852.
These enormous evils should al orce be arrested.
The people should be made acquainted with the
manner and the purposes for which their public
treasury becomes, year after year, heavily drained
Both parties are at fault-the political papers dare
not expose those unconstitutional transactions, be-
cause, IL they do, as many Of their own friends as
those Of their enemies would become expose TO
the gaze OF the people. Ponder upon these things,
ye servants Of the people in the capitol. W.