The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-05-21

head The Catholic Council closed its session at
Baltimore yesterday.
Last evening a magnificent banquet was given to
George Law, Esq. at the Astor House. 1t passed
OFF with great fctat Our substitute, Horace
Greeley, not there to do the humbug and drink
cold water. So could not report OF make a
spec for him. His absence is accounted for by
the telegraphic despatch from Rochester, wherein
he is described as having been very busy Mt the
meeting Of the Peoples College Association He
is DESTROYS of establishing cheap manual labor
school. He is, doubt, in constant communica-
ton with the knocking spirits there =.
An Extra Session OF the I.sgtslaturo-O ught
Governor Hunt to Authorize 1t
II is fact uudeniablc, that legislation in this
State is overdone. The people Disguised with
the manner, character and results of our legisa-
ton, and would heartily rejoice if our organic law
permitted only biennial sessions, and those of only
fifty days each. The members who occupied the
Capitol during the years 1851 and 1852, have en-
tailed more disrepute upon the character of the
State than penance during their whole natural
lives could fully atone. The niquities practiscd
arc beginning to be realized by the people. The
enormries which they committed are now being
felt The State is in dsgraceful, deplorable
~ can the relief be afforded Will it be prudent to
convene the VIGOROUSLY incompetent persons who
compose the present members of the Legislature in
an extra session /! Is it safe to place power again
in their hands These questions Governor Hunt
has undoubtedly rovolved in his mind while con-
sdering the rropricty Of calling an extra session
Notwithstanding the supo.abundance Of stupidity,
ignorance and recklessness of which nino-tenths
tI,, IL
nevertheless n small moiety Of the members are
qualified for meeting an emergency which now
ists and possess sufficient honesty to apply aremcdy.
Although nearly every man Of them is under polti-
cal slavery and surveillance, still, We think the
urgency Of the will justify an attemp. to cali
them together The press having control of The
Governor, has declared that no extra session will
be ealed-that there exists necessity for tho
penso-that the only way which now remains for
completing the canals, is by amendment Of the
constitution An session. it urged provide
TO facilitate those public works 1t urged
that law under the constitution, borrowing money
to finish the canals-imposing tax necessarily upon
the whole people-wil not be sustained, but be re-
pudatcd at the polls Such an assertion does not
meet the question. The constitution provides the
mode ard manner in which money may be borrowed
and it is faretched conclusion determine, in ad
vance. that the people viii not sustain such Law,
if found 10 be necessary. There can be no harm in
giving them the opportunity ofsaying whether they
desire ''more speedy completion of the canals,
under the constitution as It now stands.
We are decidedly opposed to amending orr funda-
mental law to meet the views Of political dema-
gogues, whenever they imagine emergency exists
therefor. Tho present constitution has only in
existence some five years. There has not yet suf-
cient time been given to test onetenth part Of its
provisions. Besides every person at oil cognizant
of public expression. very well knows that the
only reason Of any importance which was urged for
calling convention for amending the constitution Of
| 1921, was to take from the Legislature the power
which it then possessed Of borrowing unlimited
OF money, md loaning it to rotten railroad COM
ranes and other worthless specializing and sculess
corporations. The improyidence and recklcssness
with which the State credit had been usedthe ail-
lions which the people had to contribute TO lguidatc
the debts uslayishly imposcd-was the paramount
cause for remodelling the constitution TO take
from the Legislature the power to place tho State
uron the verge Of bankruptcy and population.
| And now when a seeming emergency arises to pro-
coed raising money under the financial article Of
the constitution, are the people TO be told that there
Is danger in submitting the question directly to
! them Such is the irresistible inference which every
candid mind must draw from the arguments Of those
arch politicians who nre now urging an alteration Of
the constitutions to meet their own peculiar notions.
| No let that fundamental law stand. Let it not
be tinkered and mended az our bank laws, school,
\ insurance, militia, and others, are, until at last
they possess no more public regard than mere reso
luticns city ordinances This question has never
been fuirly submitted TO the whole people: and now
If ii is necessary to finish the canals than The
annual revenues provide means, let the Legislature
be convened, pass law the constitution provides
and the people will soon determine whether the ur-
gency Of the case demands throwing the credit Of
tie State in Wall street.
In declining TO convene the Legislature, we feel
persuaded that Gov. Hunt has not fully convassed
the whole ground or taken such extended view
as his comprehensive mind should naturally suggest.
Now ly the decision Of the Court OF Appeals there
lies in the treasury the Of million five hun
drcd thousand dollars, borrowed from capitalists.
IL cannot be used for any purpose whatever. Some
ninety thousand dollars Of interest annually accrues;
but from this time forth not dollar Of interest can
be paid until some further provision shall BE- made
therefor Now, WI not the s. ate be the gamer by
immcdately--lnder a legislative enactment-cnus-
ing the million and half TO be refunded to tho
lenders rather than suffer the interest 70 accrue un-
til January next! Six months interest can thus be
saved, which i than double the expense of an
extIs session. Will his Excellency bcsto. thought
upon this consideration!
There is still another very important feature in
this matter. Nearly the whole amount OF Tic canal
revenue certificates have been deposited in the Blnk
Department, security for paper purlortng to be
money. Issued by some twenty or thirty banking az
snninlnna IrniInl Sinins md Siaie slncka Lnar.