The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-01-05

g.
nual Appropriation bill just at the close Of the session
grave and should DO discontinued. Moments ef
excitement the Of an adjournment when members
and weary in the din and hustle which attends
the last few hours OF protracted session. when many
have left for their respective homes and when those re-
naming are preparing TO do So are not the hours best
adapted 70 calm deliberate Judgment and action upon
bill containing grants OF money to more than
Que hundred various objects, amounting to moro
rom the people by direct taxation However long the
ustom has prevailed, necessity exists for its connu
nee The bill can be considered debated and enacted
much moro understandngy wisely, and for the comfort
and convenience OF members during the first month of the
session than during its last hours. is also highly
cessary as exhibiting the aggregate to be embraced
II the bill for taxation, and aordng the Executive that
time for examination and elaboration intended TO be al
lowed him. commend the subject to your earnest
siderauon In the belief that the recommended will
ghten your abors and terminate your duties here at
earlier period than could otherwise be done.
NEW YORK HARBOR
Under the act to establish regulations for the port OF
New York, passed April 16, 1867, the Legislature de-
cc duties in relation the harbor of New York. its
docks and its PIERS which had become much obstruc
ed with various nuisances as to cause apprehension in
that city Of serious injury TO its The Commits
soners have performed their duty promptly and eih
GENTLY, while the improved condition Of the territory
over which they have authority decided leave
doubt OF either the necessity or the wisdom OF the
enactment.
Not quite so much can be said Of the act passed at tho
came session, organize the Wardens Office Of the
port of New York provisions OF which deemed
oppressive to the shipping interest and require amend
ment. But think ii would be improper to destroy that
portion of IL which affords protection to the owners Of
cargo.
Professor A. d. Bache, Superintendent United States
Coast Survey made to my predecessor near the close Of
the year, report Of his observations in continuation of
the survey Of the bay and harbor of New York;
which will be laid before you
A HIT AT THE LOBBY.
The duties of legislators always arduous and perpex
ing have been rendered distastefu and rAsome Of
Inv Of
employing agents to surround them in their halls and to
waylay them their walks with representations
portunes in behalf of bills in which personal cOrpo
rate interest involved These agents gain to the
legislative halls and follow members to their Seats
So general and annoying is this practice that lobbying
has become trade, often ganful but never credable
Its existence and its tend to create general
pugnance 10 all bills involving private interest
claim or other bill, affecting private interest, may
properly be explained commended by person or
party Interested or by some one authorized to speak in
his behalf who should con6ne his efforts mainly to the
committee committees having in charge the measure
in question Beyond this lobbying is Objectionable; and
when 1t follows members to their private apartments, and
ntrudes upon hours for studying documents and
preparing reports, is insunerable is my deliberate
purpose TO discourage these PRACTICES and to dsapprove
all bills which shall have good to believe have
been passed by such means
ETERNAL QUESTION.
The State of New York has consistently maintained
conservative attitude with regard those Of sister
States which cherish ysems Of labor differing from her
own. Discaming all right or wish TO interfere with the
domestic concerns OF any community outside or her own
issue shall be legmaely presented the superiority Of
liberty slavery, whether condition of personal
enjoyment Of intellectual and moral Development OF
social and general well being.
While herself slaveholdng she voted to prohibit by
act of Congress the extension of slavery into federal ter
rtory as thirty years later she voted to exclude from
Missouri and from the federal territory stretching north
ward and westward from that State
Nearly twenty years later the question REQUIRED with
reference Territories then about to be acquired from
Mexico, and again her Voice raised, distinctly and
cmphaticay, on the side Of civilization and humanity
nhaAn
organization and settlement of Kansas, her devotion to
the of free labor doubtful ukewarm
No sOphsy has suced to blind her the fact that the
establishment oil slavery upon territory hitherto Free
would be calamity and wrong for which not only the
handful OF settlers who had already drfted the soil
of such Territory, but the whole American people who
permitted such establishment, would be Justly held
responsible To contravene the settled policy our
revolutionary statesmen, and remit the question Of
slavery or no slavery in Territory to the unchecked
voon OF majority Of the first hundred thousand per-
sons who might happen TO halt its SOIL is to concede
the fundamental assumption Of those who entertain differ
ent opinions upon the subject that national, moral
considerations are involved IN the issue between free and
slave labor that the preference one as the other
is to be determined by climate adaptation tdropcal
non tropical products or by some other purely physical
condition. 1t to refer grave question: vitality affecting
the reputation and welfare of twenty-five millions of peO
pie joint owners Of vast national domain, any OF whom
may be- and some of whom with the descendants of
y in the nature Of things must be- among the future
inhabitants of that domain the decisions Of less than
thousandth part of their number.
This Ii not genuine popular sovereignty. but the
sovereignty of chance OF accident Of eetness reaching
and dexerty in appropratng the Territory in question
the sovereignty Of few persons the destnes and
happiness Of millions. New York has assented and
cannot assent to theory which thus dvests her
all control the common heritage Of her with
those Of her sister States which declares her alien and
an intruder the patrmony acquired by the common
blood and treasure Of the whole American people, and
which virtually pr0cams 10 the world that she
whether her children who migrate westward shall thence
forth live where manual labor is respected and honored
where is regarded the fit employment only OF
ensaved and degraded Such indifference is not felt and
ought not 10 be feigDed.
Every American must in his heart desire either that
slavery should that it should be extended our
federal Territories and each has right proclaim and
act upon his choice If the deliberate sentiment of the
people, consttutonay expressed shall favor slavery
tension New York will submit she has always
submitted, to decisions fairly made, which contra
vene her convictions or her interests, however dis
appointed by any lawful action of the constituted auho-
rites of the United States She has fatered
sought redress in Of notification u threats of
dsunion. She wages upon the institutions nor
the interests Of her sister states While frankly ayowng
that should the legal exclusion of slavery from the federal
Territories conduce to the dmnuton of its influence, and
the limitation OF its existence throughout country and
the world, that fact far from constituting objection,
would afford additional for her emphatic ad-
herence to the policy of restriction
EDWIN b. MORGAN.
ALBANY, January 4, 1859