New-York daily tribune., 1857-04-17
FROM ALBANY.
.al Correspondent

From Our Special Correspondent
ALBANY, Wednesday, April Is, 1857.
The License bill has finally passed, shorn of the
only provision which made it of any real value to
New-York and the other large cities. mean the
clause which provided that no license should DO
granted 10 any person dealing in family groceries
and provisions. The original bill had been amended
40 that the appointment OF Excise Commissioners,
after the expiration Of the first term, should be gwen
to the Boards of Supervisors, very wisely removing
the influence of the rum question from the Ju-
dicia Elections. This was stricken out by Inc
Assembly and the appointment of Commits
siopers continued in the hands OF tho judges.
The number of freehOders required to petition as
a condition Of granting license has been reduced
from 80 to 90. Many other amendments have been
made which calculated, and, no doubt, designed
10 destroy the the efficiency of the bill. For in
,tapce: Sec 81 provided that all Incorporated
Companies engaged in carrying passengers such AZ
Railroad and Steamboat Companies should on
pain of fine from $50 to 800, refuse employment
to all persons CONNECTED with the moving power or
management or whose duty, if neglected would
diminish the safety and security of life,
limb and property intrusted thereto) who,
ON good aud sufficient proof, shall be- shown
TO indulge in the frequent use Of intoxicating
drinks; and such Companies were required to DIS
charge from thor employ any person or persons who
shall on competent proof be shown to be under the
influence of intoxicating liquor at any period while
II
TO intemperate use which DESTROYS that provision.
FREQUENT use is matter of fact and susceptible
of proof while incorporate use Is OF course,
matter of opinion. Under the influence
of intoxicating liquors has been stricken
out and the word INTOXICATED has been
inserted The excellent provision which pro-
hbited the sale of liquor election days has been
changed so as to prevent the sale only within one
quarter of mile of any poll on that day. But it is
idle TO enumerate the instances which this bill has
been amended by the Assembly, and those amend
ments concurrcd in by the Senate, for the especial
benefit of the rumsellng interest. herewith SEND
YOU a corrected copy of the law (fOr there is no
doubt of its receiving the Executive sgnaturc) so
that you may see it in all ts grim deformity There
are stories ahOat that shekes 10 n considerable
amount have been disbursed by knights of the toddy-
| stick to produce this deplorable enasculatlon of
| bill which for license BILL was very good one as
went from the Senate to the popular branch of the
| Legislature Whether these rumors are founded in
| truth or not, am unable TO say but there can be
| no doubt that many members Of both Houses will
find il somewhat difficult to satisfy their cOnstitl-
cnts Of the correctness of their action on ques-
| on of such general and vital Importance.
| There was no necessity whatever for concurring
| with the Assembly's amendment, striking out the
great feature of the bill prohibiting the sale by cor
Der groceries. The Senate at first, on the motion
of c. y. Smith, voted not to concur in that amend
ment while accepting all the others; but finally re-
ceded and concurred i'll all, under the absurd plea
that the bill would otherwise be lost entirely No
extraordinary amount of brains is required to com
| prebend that this plea was a sham. Had Confer
! ence Committee been called for on the simple issue
| of the "corner-grocery amendment, the Assem-
| bly would undoubtedly have taken the back track,
and thus this useful provision might have been
retained. Every prohibitionst could have
voted principle for recedng, and with this force
| to begin with, there would have been enough
| strength from those who favor stringent license
| law to have given the bill larger vote than it
ceived on its final passage in the Assembly At all
events this should have been tried and the Senate
should ONLY have concurred after all efforts To save
| the clause had been exhausted was greatly
prised to see Mr.. c. p. Smith, who moved the
currence in this amendment, and whose Brooklyn
constituents are 50 deeply interested in the subject,
turn suddenly round and agree to concur; but great
is the mystery Of legislation. presume your regu-
lar renorter will furnish the divisionsts on this
| important question.
| Mr. Lee has reported to the Senate complete the
| bill appointing Commissioners to erect a new City
Hall in New-York, naming Commissioners
| Messrs. r. NJ. Blatchford. G. A. Conover, Robert
Emmett, f. d. Morgan and Henry Eyesson.
The act Relating to the Board OF Supervisors Of
the County Of New-Yorb" has passed both Houses
| aud only wants the Governors signsture 10 become
| law. 1t is as follows:
SECTION The Msyor Recorder OF the CITY OF Ne"
County Of NewYork There shall be vsted tox 81 esen snd
YORK reT. & IL ee ee.n.hf ns the
Of Supervisor. of the County of New York and ho.a o & @
from the srs, Of January in each and every ysa
SITTER They shall be voted for upon sepes'e genera
bu, only six for Supervisors s BE- upon one nct
Tho six receiving the highest number OF votes snA
deeaS-S elected BY the H0aa Of City csays''ef' ~a0 '