Daily American telegraph., 1852-03-29
AMERICAN TELEGRAPH.
Editors correspondence.
From our New York Correspondentl
Legislative Matters in New York State
A Sketch OF Mike WaIsh-Gas-Works.

Legislative Matters In New York State
| Sketch OF Mike WaIsh-Gas-Wor orIss.
ALBANY, March 25, 1852.
have been spending some days in this the
seat Of legislation of New York In State with
population Of over three millions there will ne
cessarily be enough Of business to keep the lc-
gislature busiy occupied during the whole hun
dred days to which the sessions arc limited. Busi-
ness is despatched with much more system than
in Congress: the rules are more rigidly adhered
to, and speeches to Buncombe much less frequent
Still 1t necessarily happens that a large proper
ton Of the business is not in readiness for the
action of the House until the last few days Of
the session; and, as the constitution requires the
assent of majority of all the members elected to
be recorded by yeas and nays before any bill can
pass, there is very monotonous time amid the
perpetual call of names. There are but few pub
lie acts called for, the last legislature having, ut
its two sessions, accomplished enough to last for
u while.
The canal BILL which created so much noise, did
not provide for giving contracts to the lowest bid
der, as was desired by many of the Wings, and
the consequences are now being felt. An inyes-
tgation has been made into the system Of let
tngs; and the testimony shows, beyond all doubt,
that political considerations controlled the giving
of contracts, rather than the merits Of the app-
cants or the amount of the bids Both parties were
represented in the contracting board, and all
colors and shades Of partisanship are represented
in the bids. The auditor of the canal depart
ment has declined to pay the drafts, and an infe
lol @Io 1, - IN
tional 1t will be some time before this question
will be passed upon by the Court of Appeals,
and in the mean time an effort is making to COM
pei the auditor to pay the drafts by legislative
enactment. The contractors here i'll large
numbers to force through this law; but it is to
be hoped that more conservative views will pre-
vail, and that action will be taken to bring the
matter moro speedily before the highest court.
If that court should decide it to be unconsttu-
tional, the money received for the scrip must be
paid back and if the work goes on, it must be
under an amendment of the constitution.
The House exhibits less of talent than at any
former session for many years. The system, fol
lowed in many counties, of changing their mem
bers almost every year, causes the return Of very
few who have had any experience, and new
member is not " familiar with the ropes /" until
towards the end of the session.
Amongst those who notorious is Mike
Walsh, who represents district of the city where
the b'hoys do most preponderate. He was a
member once before in 1S4S and is consequently
not without experience of the rules and usages o
the house. He is photographer by trade, bu
has not, believe, for several years, followed that
misunderstanding been part of the time an editor
on his own hook Of paper called the Subterranean,
and at other times kind of assistant in one OF
the Sunday papers, and at all times n radical
Democrat of the most dyed-in-the-woo order,
though never very submissive to party leaders OF
any kind This year he has acquired more i'm
portancc than usual, because the two political
parties so nearly equal in numbers that, to
accomplish any party object, it is necessary to
have every vote, and, Mike will follow no
leader, the others must needs follow him, though
not without much chatting and bitterness on the
part Of those who feel themselves entitled 10
control.
What advantages Of education he has had
know not, but he uses language with much cor
rectness and writes with force. lie speaks with
much nuency and point, and is at times quitC
eloquent; but his judgment is blinded by prCju
dice, and not the slightest reliance can be place,
upon him in any matter. lie has associated $,
generally with the lowest class Of society that h,
has no reasonable views Of the ordinary bushes.
transactions Of life lie considers the possession
Of wealth to be prima facc evidence Of knavcry
in its possessor and the surest way for such i
man to secure Mikes support for any measure is
to urge him TO vote against il, while anything
like persuasion or argument in its favor would
make him bitter opponent He objects to every
thing in the House. without rhyme or reason.
There is reason to believe he pursucs this course
for the purpose Of showing his power and indie
pcndencc, and making people fearful Of him, and
the more anxious to secure his support and aid
While hc is hated most cordially by many Of his
Democratic colleagues from New York, they
nevertheless fear him, and dare not oppose him.
This he knows, and tyrannizes over them accord
ingly.
Mike is no friend Of the Maine law, and daily
imbibes enough TO do the business Of every ordi-
nary man. 1t all seems to be absorbed in his skin,
which is Of fiery rcdncss; and the only effect on
his course is to make him very cross, without cx-
actly interfering with his pcrccptive faculties
Nothing is too extraordinary for the benighted
locofoco district where Mike resides and you need
not wonder if ono day you see him elected to
Congress by the b'hoys who control, by fist and
browbcating and rum-drinking, tho primary
elections there. Were he to leave off drinking,
he would perhaps show less of obstinacy and ig-
noranco but as it is now, his hand is against
every man, and every mans hand against him