The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-04-27

nSne0 c0rkC00f0te
statement. Many Of them are mere amendments Of
private charters heretofore obtained; large num-
Der are in relation TO streets, parks, roads, and |
bridges confirming theproceedipgs ofjustees Of the
peace whose ignorance Of duty and of law throw the
Community into convusion and disorder; authoriz-
ing towns and villages to borrow money for pretend
cd public Improvements, for the lobby cormorants
to waste and plumber; to enable aliens to hold real
estate; TO change the names of persons Who in most
instances, had rendered their paternal cognomen in
famous by deed Of lasting disgrace; in remov-
ing toll gates on turnpike and plank roads; for the
payment Of more claims for canal damages than The
revenues Of half dozen years can extingush; be-
sides hundreds of acts too ridiculous to claim mo-
ments consideration from sensible men, such as le-
gislators should be, and certainly insignificant
to claim line of attention in the HERALD. r.r
The time has been spent in wrangling about the
Maine law, banking and insurance and trust COM
panies, Liberia, colonization and free negroes,
special and general laws, appropriations to colleges,
including the McGrawvillc, in Cortland, the canal
bill, its constitutionalty hardpan quicksand, shale
and sandstone, canal lettings, Commissioners, au-
ditors, contractors, and all the roundelay there
| unto appertaining. ye.r,.s.. -.-
few leaders in both branches, who set their faces
sternly against imprOvident, careless useless, and
expensive legislation, and endeavored with their
might and power, to resist the torrent. few Of
those should be kept from the category of the reek
Stillwell, dem; Mr.. Moss, whig; Mr.. A. Smith,
wing; Mr.. Hurlbut, whig; Mr.. Milliner, whig; Mr..
Walsh, dem; Mr. Van valkenburg, whig; Mr.. Van
dem; Mr.. King, dem, and half a dozen Others;
and in the Senate, Messrs. Babcock, Morgan,
Ward, whigs and Messrs. Pierce, Cooley, and
Cornell, democrats. With these men the lobby
loafers had no influence, and scarcely approached
them.
Among the most important acts, and which many
consider as the only of not general Importance,
! is the ono reducing the half mill State tax to
! quarter mill. This bill produced considerable poti-
l al och rfv hali viuD ha
lar with the people, srove for the leadership. Mr..
Morgan, of the Senate, (whig) introduced bill for
this object, proposing that it should take effect
| year hence, which remained in committee of the
whele Mr.. McMuray, (dem.) being on the alert,
reported one of the character, which, as soon
rs introduced, was plaeedin condition for third
reading, thus overriding the first one. 1t has sabse
quently been passed into a law. Mr.. Morgan's bill
remains among the lost receptacles of the Senate.
The Steam Ship bill was another of q political
| character. This distinction was first given to them
| by Taber. He wanted to incorporate two special
lines of Galway steamers, for the purpose Of bring.
! ing the IRISH to our shores cheaply He intended
the wings to 60 for that measure as q party
advantage which would thereby be gained,
but Babcock and Van Scboonhoven refused to fol-
low in his lead. Mr.. Cooley, dem, led off in the
other direction. He went for general law, free
trade in ocean navigation, because then a compe-
ttion would be created by which Irish emigrants
! could he brought h.her ut a much cheaper rate
than by chartered monopolies-so thong hit the Sem
| ate-so thought the Assembly-so thought Gov.
| Hunt-and SO believe the Irish who are anxious
that their countrymcn should become Americanized
upon the cheapest possible plan.
In animadverting upon the inability and impo-
tence Of the present Legislature, do not intend
to impugn the people for sending such men. In re-
aty the public are not in fault the difficulty lies
| in the constitution The reward allowed members
for THEN services is altogether too inadequate. No
man, fit fer legislation can devote his time and tai!
ents, for three months in the year, for the small
pittancc Of three hundred dollars. 1t is we'll kno
/ fl
has been proceeding lower and lower every year
since the adoption OF the present constitution. The
consequence is, that the men who are qualified
for proper and discreet legislation will not devote
themselves to public duties upon such a meager al
lowance, and the people are therefore compelled to
descend iii their selections low enough in the scale of
| society where persons be found to 30 to the
capital for three dollars day. and run the chances
| for black mail This is the class of men, destitute
| Of the requisite qualification, generally irresponsi-
bic of themselves, Indifferent to the welfare of
| others, of the dignity and prosperity of the
| State, who are sent TO make our laws. Such
tie always held in leading strings by airoit,
| schcming, experienced lobby; such the
| whom half doz, leaders in the Legislature
any time and generally 10, when occasion requ'r res
| t, hol in he hollow of their hands
! One good result, however, has been produced
| One leak in tie trea snry of n great amount. has
been ,opped-and that is, the di>hon orabe practice
| # members voting themselves books. This has
| been invogue some six years. At the early
part oftEe session. 1.-THE House went or the same
fcCr OF eat ayaEance ana rtekt SsnesS winch Cha-
racerzed their predecessors. and resolved to have
quantity Of three four different kinds of valuable
books; and all they thought they had to do was 10
r,scr. to the contingent fund" The bills
| sent to the Comptroller for paymcnt-hc ''moante
his glasse astiide his nose thoughfully a-guei
the case in his own mind, called to his aid his
fdental deputy. overhauled all tho laws made and
| provided for drawing money from the treasury, and
for the life Of him, he could not. with the most Ia
lorious excrton during severalhours discover that
any such thing existed in his office under his
troll. contingent fund" of any amount, large
or small, out of which those books could be paid
for! He instantly communicated this important
fact to the soons Of the Assembly, who, swelling up,
toad-like, "swore terribly in Flanders" Here was
dilemma-they had purchased books to the amount
of So 600. and the Comptroller would not pay for
them! Some became very indignant and offered
to pay for these they received-others believed thr
dignity be compromised by paying for them
Others again caring nothing about dignity, or be-
ing willing to penetrate their own pockets,
threw themselves behind the resolution, leaving
the booksellers to get pay in the best mode,
or in any manner they could. Thus matters
remained until the supply. bill was brought in on
the day of adjournment, when it was found that the
money to pay for the books was placed theron. 1t
slipped through the House with unanimity and
clamation. The Senate struck out the books prompt
ly, and sent the bill amended back to the Assem-
bly,. This was insulting, the Lower House in
sisted. Another attempt was made. The Senate
stood their ground, like the heroes before Chapulte
pee Another rcpuise given to the lower branch,
anu ail III nouns DetWeeu HlunlRHI duu InOrulnR.
Their clamor threatenings and desperation, became
predominant. They never would consent to pass the
supply bill unless the books were n-theyd adjourn
frst-they never would "cave," no, not they. The
bill was again returned to the Senate. Instead of
captivating or sending flag of truce, the Senate
sent Messrs. Pierce and Beekman with message,
sine die. The House then discovered that they
must either yield, the bill must fall. o, then,
what caving in. Cushing the leader, and ten
minutes previous the most boisterous and deter
mined was the first to trafi his flag Col. Monroe,
who never was known to surrender to any man be-
fore, also showed the "white feather" All were
astonshcd ut this, as heretofore his courage stood
unimpcached, and was acknowledged as the Napo-
leon Of the House. Upon counting the votes, one
more was necessary, when Van Santyoord, the Kin
derhook pony, came to the rescue, eating his own
words uttered ten minutes previous, and voted
against his own oft declared Intentions. His COM
misseration for the booksellers vanished in a mo-