The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-06-05

divided, and we're discharged by the sheriff This
disagreement of the jury viii be the means Of causing
the interference of the executive power to stay the
execution of the sentence until further action be
taken.
From the last report of the City Inspector we learn
that the number of deaths in New York during the
past week was $40, which is decrease Of Is on the
mortality of the previous week. The deaths from
| consumption were IS, from commissions rs, from
| marasmus To- from smallpox 8, from Inflammation
of the lungs 49, from Inflammation of the bowels Is,
from dropsy in the head H. and from Group 10.
In connection with great variety of interesting
foreign and domestic intelligence, todays inside
pages contain letters from London, Paris and Bos-
ton; report of the smite Convention, at Hartford;
| sketch of the origin and progress Of the German
| Turner'S financial review, &C.
Proceedings Of the Legisloture-r The Railroad
Accident Law.
1t lis excessively unpleasant to allude to money
matters in connection with gentlemen but it is
| impossible to forget that memorable clause in
the sixth section of article third in the con-
stitution Of this State when convened in
| extra session by the Governor, the members of
| the Legislature shall receive three dollars per
| day." Our Legislature has now been in session
| twelve days at a cost to us of something like
| four hundred dollars day, exclusive OF
| mileage incidental expenses. &c. We may fair
| ly be allowed to inquire what equivalent we
have received for this large outlay. When there
| are so many public works Of urgent necessity
| which cannot be undertaken or completed for
wants of funds, it is but natural that we should
| object to allowing the public money to be
| spent at the rate Of four hundred dollars
| per day. if no benefit accrues therefrom
| to the State That the proceedings of the
| extra session now being held at Albany have
been hitherto absolutely useless and unprofta-
bic, no one who has read the telegraphic reports
can doubt for moment. We have had personal
alterations, coarse language. angry debate, and
acrimonious repartee. to our hearts content.
Mr.. A has called Mr.. liar. and Mr.. G has
clearly convicted Mr.. D Of snoring during Mr.. C's
speech-both which edfying facts it is ex-
tremely useful to know. We have, further,
groped through long and pointless debates on
the canal question, which now seems farther
from settlement than ever. We have also
heard of petitions for and against the City Park.
urgent entreaties that Jones' Wood be pur-.
chased. and anxious prayers that the Central
Park be chosen in preference. Mr.. Taylor has
called for a committee to inquire into the cause
of railway accidents-and there the matter has
ended.
Now, if the people of New York are prepared
to pay four hundred dollars day to read a
formal account Of such proceedings as these,
| we shall, for our part, utter no complaint. We
think the article is dear at the money; but, no
matter. We will pay our SCOT and look cheer
full.
But five can excuse sins Of commission, we
cannot extend like charity to those Of omis-
sion. The former tax our purse, which is toler-
ably elastic; the latter our patience, which has
already been stretched as far as it will 60. Mat
tiers Of the highest Importance, involving life as
well as property, now call for legislative inter-
! ference. Commerce demands the definite settle
ment Of the canal question; the poor of New
York plead, on Bonded knees for Park; ira
vellers throughout the State call for some qua
rantee for their personal safety on railroads.
All three measures require immediate atten-
ton; all three are dealt with by the Legisla-
ture as though their indefinite postponement
was the most natural thing in the world.
We have said SO much, and pleaded so ear
nestly on behalf of all three, that it is almost
wearisome to recur to any. We will, however,
make one last attempt to recall the Legislature
to a sense of its obligations in respect to the
lives Of our citizens. fit fails our only resource
will be to mark our present members at the
next elections The man who wilfully allows
the extra session to pass over without making
some attempt to prevent slaughter on rail-
roads lin this State may safely look forward
to retiring into private life after the expiration
of his term Of legislative service; nor will he
retire with unblemished character An in
tegral share Of the responsibility of future rail-
way accidents will rest on his shoulders.
Widows and orphans. deprived of their ma
tural protector, by such means. will regard
him as the original cause Of their be-
reavement. Had he devoted few hours
to framing law for the prevention of acci-
dents-had he exerted his influence to carry it
through the Legislature-the murdered man
would still have lived. Does any sane person
| believe that The Norwalk disaster would have
occurred if the law had compelled the New
Haven Company to pay $4,000 for each Of the
forty-fve or forty-six lives there sacrificed?
This is LITERAL a matter of life and death
One requires unusual selfpossession to treat it
calmly. Men and women are slaughtered
helplessly, openly slaughtered, at our doors, day
after day For a week after the disaster the
| whole city is in an uproar but on the eighth
| day tranquility reyives and those who caused
the slaughter walk in our midst, not only I'M
harmed, but absolutely respected The New
Haven Company testiGes its contempt for the
public judgment, and its Indifference to the fate
Of the victims at Norwalk, by re-electing the
| President and Directors. A few weeks or
months hence we NAV again have a similar