The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-06-27

OJRA-TY AMONG SLATORS-lMPEACHMENN
IN VoGus.-One of the most extraordinary so
cial phenomena which distinguish this particu- |
lar latitude and the epoch in which we live. is
the frequency with which, in these latter days,
instances of gross corruption among legislative
bodies and other public officials are brought
to light If specific accusations of malfeasance,
openly uttered not only through the press, nor
n deliberative assemblies, but even through the
indictments of grand juries, are to be regarded
as any sort ofcriterion to enable future ages to
Judge of the state Of morality existing among
Aldermen, State officers, Canal Commissioners
and other officials, in this era of our existence,
then we very much fear that the general opin-
ion will be. as indeed it is now, that the honor
ofpublic men had fallen far below zero, and
that personal reputation was q quality very
lightly esteemed among those classes Of the
American people in this decade.
Our State Legislature at Albany seem. by
some sort of political infatuation, to be bent on
disclosing to their constituencies the various lit
tie rascalities of which, from time to time. one
and the other sections ofparties have been, accor-
ding 70 their own showing, culpable. They APP
pear to envy the notoriety acquired by our mu-
nicipal corporation. and to be determined, if
possible, to show themselves still more deser-
wing of public contempt, as will have been seen
in our telegraphic despatch from Albany in
yesterdays HERALD. and from the letter Of our
correspondent in to-day's.
The canal management furnishes the most
prolific and unfailing mine from which to ex
cavate the pearls of former corruption. The
barnburner party in the House of Assembly
led on by Mr.. Loomis. have been recently
making extensive prospectings in these dig
gings. and have discovered that one Of the
former bunker commissioners of that Board
Mr.. John G. Mather, was guilty of some acts
during his administration in 1850-'51, which
render him deserving of impeachment, and
accordingly. for the first time in many years.
a high court of impeachment is to be formed in
Albany. consisting of the Lieut.. Governor-if
not incapacitated by charge against himself
thirty-two Senators and eight Judges of the
Court of Appeals and before them Mr.. John G.
Mather is to render an account Of his steward
ship.
Having got into the vein of offering up sa-
critics., one victim was quite insufficient to
satisfy the craving which had thus seized the
barnburninS section. A party Of the wing
canal Official were also to be delivered
over to their tender mercies. and for
this purpose it was necessary to .ex-
plore still deeper into the mine. And
so, on Saturday last charges were pre-
ferred in the House of Assembly against Charles
Cooke, Canal Commissioner in 1850; Alvah
Hunt. treasurer Philo c. Fuller, Comptroller;
Hezekiah Seymour, State Engineer, and Chris
TOPPER Morgan, Secretary of State. alleging that
all these gentlemen had entered into corrupt
confederacy, and had been guilty of corrupt and
improper conduct in their Office; and another
batch of charges was preferred in these same
resolutions against William ]. MeAlpine,
bunker. and formerly State Engineer, and Fred
erick Toilet, soft shell and one of the present
Canal Commissioners. These resolutions were
referred over to the Champlin committee, the
same which had reported in favor of the i'm
parchment of Mr. Mather.
Then came one of the hard shell section, and
offered apreamble and resolution charging John
G. Wright soft she'll. and Comptroller of the
State. with any amount of high crimes and mis-
demeanors contained in no less than thirteen
distinct specifications. This got the same refe-
renee.
1t will be, therefore. seen how very laudable
and highly successful have been the exertions
-four representatives, in the State Legislature,
to exhibit themselves to their respective con-
oil vuit
very qualmish sentiments as to public morality
or private rectitude. One section of party de-
files the other; SO that it would require larger
amount of perspicaciousness than we can, at
present. bring to bear on them, to discover the
existence Of purity on any side. The New York
Common Council will henccforth appear inno-
cent, virtuous and spotless, when contrasted
amount Of infamy alleged against the latter
by themselves will be proved to have been per-
petrated. We fear, gentlemen, your conduct
in this matter has been foolishly suicidal, and
that the old adage has been forgotten among
you. that "those who live in glass houses
should not be the first to throw stones" But
we wait for the impeachment proceedings.
To PREVENT ACCIDENTS ON RAnRoADs-Our
Legislature are actively engaged in devising
ways and means to prevent accidents on rail-
roads. and they would do well to look to the
formation of the directors of each railroad in
this State. Some of the Presidents and direc-
tors Of these Institutions occupy similar Office
in half dozen different railroads, and their
time is so completely divided up in the several
railroads in which they are officers, that it is
utterly impossible for them to give their undi-
vided attention to any one railroad in particu-
lar hence the careful supervision and manage
ment of our railroads are most wofully neg
lected from the fountain heads of these depart
ments, upon whom the greatest responsibility
rests, and many of the accidents that occur