The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-04-16
The sEattls Villains" Lssslalatare.


whole Of the present century for pr o.. - -
figrcy and corruption. Ever sir -. -.
Of Aaron Burr and the inter .,~.,,-s as ,h.t
arch demsgogue, down tc "a n-.ssrt aav
bsye ias people Of Ne York State been
afflicted and accurSa ~ish public leaders Of
the most intoIer' ASle endurance. Partisan
power has, Iu-.isg the entire period, been
welded by the most corrupt and unprincipled
men. The seffconstituted leaders of the
shrew 4 Bucktah faction, the dictators Of the
CHI ltonian dynasty, the old Albany Regency,
we're all men of the most desperate character
and INSCRIPTIONS conduct. But all those men,
unprineipled and villanous as they were in
their day and generation, were saints of
purity--were angels Of mercy amongst men-in
comparison with the little villains" who
have welded the Legislature for the two past
years, and who have had the State admins
tration in their hands daring that period Of
time.
In the iron grasp Of their hands they have
held che Legislature of eighteen hundred and
ffty,ive. The people imagined they had
elected majority to the lower branch pos
sessing sufficient courage to perform their pub.
lie duties for the welfare of the State. They
counted upon majority pledged against the
Albany Central Regency. The people ina
gined that the House of Assembly would stand
elevated above the influence of dictation; and
accordingly thatamajority placed man in the
Speakers chair who was bound by the most
sacred and solemn political pledges to carry
out the peoples. wishes. But he proved a
backslider-he deceived and betrayed the conf
dence reposed in him, and, together with thirty
six others, deserted to the enemy. The names
of all shese ba ksliders were exposed at the
time.
What have the slittle villains" of this Legis-
lature done?
l. They have elected William H. Seward to
the United States Senate; 2. They have
passed Prohibitory Liquor law; 8. They
have imposed direct tax upon the people of
fifteen hundred thousand dollars; 4. They
have squandered many, many thousands, as
gratuities to political favorites, in the annual
supply bill. Besides this they have endeavored
to destroy our police system in the city of New
York, in order that it might be made, as here
tefore, a mighty political engine. They have
undertaken to alter the charter of our city,
without the authority of our Common Council
or the will of the people. They have attempt
ed to cripple the energies, destroy the power,
and Illustrate the efforts of the Mayor of this
city, in his laudable endeavors to reform some
of the thousand evils Of magnitude which have
long existed in our midst. This Legislature
undertook to nullify a solemn law of the Con-
gress of the United States; and in one branch
the little Williams" labored to open the con-
stitution so as to allow negroes to vote at cleo
tons and become amehable to hold Office.
This model administration, after having bank
rupted the treasury, set about to obtain the
ways and means to replenish it, in order that
the funds might again be squandered. The
first proposition was to compel the railroads to
furnish the quota-supply the deficiency. The
locomotives crushed the project at once Then
resort was had to levying taxes upon banks,
insurance, and other Incorporated companies.
This received only five votes in the whole
Legislature. An attempt was made to borrow
money upon the pledge of the Sinking Fund of
the State. And, finally, the whole power of the
wing State administration, in the Cabinet in |
the executive chamber, in the kitchen, and in
the Legislature was directed towards opening |
the constitution, and postponing the debt of !
the State, twenty eight millions, for the period
Of thirty years.
The election of Seward, the passage of the |
liquor bill, and the church property law, are
the only important measures of the session. |
These measures, either Hngly or combined,
have been the means of raising the mighty tor
pado now so majestically sweeping over the
State Of New York The Regency, by electing
Seward, by persistiDg in his election, and no
wbig else, have dethroned Themselves. That
victory was their own overthrow. That success
was nothing but destruction and disaster to
themselves. BY forcing upon the people an in |
temperate prohibitory law many thousands |
are forever driven from the wing ranks.
The ''little Williams" have run through be- |
tween four and five hundred bills, and enacted |
them into laws. Not fifty of them are of the
least general Importance to the people. The
remainder are all for the benefit of those who
have been in the lobby all winter. There has
scarcely bill been lost which the lobby de-
manded, and they were mostly for claims
against the State upon some frivolous pretence
or other-the large number Of companies incor-
.porated, turnpikes, bridges, plank roads, and
amendments to former laws, constitute the work
accomplished since the first Of January.
Such gathering of legislators, reckless,
Needless party bound as they are, would have
remained at the Capitol during the rest of the
year, if their per diem was provided. To cap
the climax of their labors, it was attempted,
before they separated, to present their sigma.
lures to the Governor, soliciting him to call
an extra session of the Legislature, at the latter
and Of Ann Eaa III |