The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-04-21

What the Legislature has Ac-
complished.
HeRrIxT FACTS r01 THE PEOPLE,
10, DO, DO
Our Albany Correspondence.

Our Albany Correspondence.
AIaASy April, 10 1889
Ne Late Eegislstre-u Acts cxd Tyansactions-1 Deeds
sad ki'dseds-An Empty Treasury, and Forty A'''o"
Dat Investigation of Charges Of Fraud and Corapt'0"
EAscked-Lction on Quarantine Remoual-7Ae l"s4ra"0s
Rsu-1hs Caaal Loan and the Vao-I'ro Raio Ha's'ods
PseioM Bu 10 Help he Canal Intsre&-N9ros Voss'9 Q"
Es,ssI FoOtinQ soilh Whte--Fhe Of TIE Pesondi IL
hssty BslI-Hi,tcry Of tie Charter BH-Appt'odtio" %
ss,sutyv Member for Eailroads-he Brooklyn Tansd
1H-CS,yupsios of he City Railroad LOtby-1ae Go
yrsssr's Vstoes amd he Republican Party
ne body Of who assemble al the cap'pa Oh our
Unse dcnominated its Legislature, are annually SINKING
apsr in he estimation the people fan expression OF
NJ rrsat aud honest could be had they would
undoubtedly decide upon biennial sessions and mort
ksely would extend the time between them 10 trenna
ssrps Ninety nine hundredth of the business which
Rsee men are engaged in during the hundred and odd
says for pering plundering and direct stealing pur
psses The State treasury bombarded IRON every sde
- bAtterng against It's vaults are absolutely irri-
sastse The treasury is not only empty aud hollow but
marc is at this debt Of forty millions of
asxs hanging upon the necs Of the people, one quarter
" which, upon the most charitable construction has been
sqnadered by partisan State officers, upon their pet poll
Neal bedfenows Year after year We receive reports
sm the financial officers of the government, assuming to
,5Aars. In those reports find wonderful displays OF
ALPHABETICAL skill, produced by the mathematical clerks
n Tho various departments. We nnd the &C.
nsea fund debt tie old canal debt, the new canal
sbs revenues deficiencies LOANED from one fund
b another Great reliance placed upon what called
fhs Canal Sinking Fund, spoken Of In the constitution,
which provides that after paying the expenses o. coec
cn superintendent and ordinary repairs there shall be
appropriated and set apart in each fiscal year, out OF the
revenues Of the canals the of million hun
sved thousand dollars Now from this sinking fund, the
aase officers have been in the habit Of borrowing for
Nc use Of what called the general fund But it is
discovered that there is such thing sinking fund
10 borrow dollar from. Such loans made upon the
credit Of that fund, at the time that the State
ssHoers knew there existed such fund, and never
wcsd. II ID q myth--t possesses not u shadow Of
. substance.
And although the payment Of the greater portion of this
nnornous forty million debt is put of for the longest
period OF Time falling upon the next generation the State
possesses not single dollar which can De appropriated
directly to the payment OF the interest upon these
bends, annually due. Taxation direct taxation, is re-
rted TO- from session to session. and the real and per-
ssoal esate OF the people, of the whole people, made
responsible for the payment of this enormous debt two
thrds Of which has accrued for canal purposes In
Head Of prospect Of decrease there yearly
pn.tnued 70 long as the lobby Of the Legislature is filed
With canal cormorants from tide water 10 lake Erie. |
Notwithstanding all there facts are prominently staring
members directly the face they have not the least ef
fBes producing economy. Though our benevolent and
sharitebe institutions made TO suffer the private nva
isn Of the treasury is more determined and formidable
than ever There end 10 the claims made upon the
saaae simply for "canal damages" There are premises
lying alongside of the Erie Canal the value Of which has
been paid again. under various pretsnces
md W different parties under the assumption Of clas
uxanst the State damsgesn Pretended damages OF
chi nature have twice paid onehah the residents
Of Csnsoharc The empty condition OF the treasury
ss in the least weigh the legislature The members
n the Two houses many Of them directly linked with
sr partners the lobby and the business Of obtaining
Ais become organized to such an extent, and sich
Admirable combination cemented, that il is impossible
- the few honest the Senate or House OF Assem-
bly, To nterpoee successful resistance against them The
pan Ia TO get the Legislature TO authorize the Board Of
Appxasers to and adjust tine different amounts
md the treasury 10 bleed and the people, by
legislative direction must advance the money. There
a this moment than three millions in amount be-
e the Board Of Appraisers and Canal Board OF this kind
n claims two thirds Of which spurious unounded and
snjust But this scarcely makes dIerence-ihe several
boards composed OF politicians.
Al an early stage Of the session, committee OF the
senate instituted under paragraph the Governors
message TO investigate matters relative TO bribery and
sorrspNon the passage OF laws by vena legislation.
was evident that there Senators then in Office who
we're opposed TO ouch inquiry. From the moment when
Ne committee organized several Senator'S commenced
srswng mpednents in the way Of successful proscca
ION OF the investigation, though there CT
which corruption was believed to exist but when
NE committee asked power send for persons and
If Ear.t tn Slu
. single case, which the nttee might select Being
Chained down to this limit, they selected the
Albany bridge case. 1t we'll understood when that
NV was passed that the Central Railroad Company had
emssaries in the lobbes in the seats Of members, at
seR boarding houses, in the Streets and every where
s,ee eieconeerng for votes for the bridge This nvest
eating committee issued subp@nas demanding the at
sssdance before the committee Of several well known
agents OF Central road who conspicuous that
memorable occasion. The Sergeant AT Arms Of the
Senate directed serve these subpunas. Bot in
svery caee of Importance he failed bring the reluctant
wtncsses the stand One Seplo the respon-
sahity Of urging hun not 70 the subpgBas the
very amable Clerk OF the Senate demanded TO have the
yseponas his possession in order that ne might secree
them from the Chairman Of the investigating committee
A dozen hangers on in the lobby, and others well sus
pected OF Deing engaged Ia distributing money procure
the Bridge bin, abruptly absentod themselves
from capital and their homes OF them led az
Al az the Island of Cuba to evade perepory order 70
Ars,ify IN the matter One member the select commit
Zee was constant conference with the lobby, at
every meeting OF the committee threw bis power and in.
AUence in OF rendering the investigation bur-
Asque Of breaking Is up entirely. About the time
when the testimony becoming intercsiingwhen
parties about being exposed in that corrupt az
6hir-when Thurlow Weec John l.. Scboolcraft Erasus
Corning, Farmer Abel and Gilbert c. Davidson,
we're about being brought before the commit
see-and when every honest in the State was
awaiting the result OF their evidence their abettors
isside the Senate suddenly dissolved the committee and
arrested all further exposures Of the employed TO
carry the Albany Bridge bill through the legislature
This transaction E convincing proof that the republicans
the Senate dared allow the CATION 70 proceed
fearing an exposure which would confirm Governor Nor,
CAMS assertion that large amount Of legislation was
secured by the most corrupt aud progate use of monev
the purchase Of votes Let therefore henceforth be
understood that majority or the State Senate ohersd
m inquiry which would have enlightened the people of
he which rich and powerful person and cor.
psrations control the things that 70 Albany
70 manufacture laws. The moment that investigation
arrested the telegraph informed us that the