New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-08-20

an unnamed person whom he designates an agent
of Mr.. Weed said checks to be paid only in
case Of the passage of the Cent Ferrage Dill
He goes on to say that Mr.. Weed, after confer
ence with Mr.. James s. T. Stranahan of the Ferry
Company, informed him (Dayton) that he (Weed)
"eoud not 60 against his friends" wherefore nc
declined to exert his influence on the side OF the
Cheap Ferriage bill, but went the other way, and
the bill was defeated. Mr.. Dayton adds that his
checks for Sl7, 500 were returned to him by the
agent" aforesaid.
We have given above only so much OF Mr.. Day
tor story as seems to stand uucontradicted
tbouph Mr.. Weed has twice alluded to the sub
iect We do not know who is referred to BY Mr.
DAYTON as Mr.. Weeds "agent;" we do not know
that any person acts in that capacity. We cannot
help noting, however, that Mr. Weed has not de-
manded the name of that "agent;" has rot denied
any knowledge that checks were deposited as Mr.
Dayto states; in short has not denied that he WAS
privy and for time tacitly consentiDg to conspir
acy to pass an important bill, seriously affecting
both public and private interests, through our State
Legislature for money and for sum SO large as
renders preposterous the idea that it was intended
to be used egitimately and honestly. The inevita-
BILE differences from these notorious facts are uni
yersally drawn, and they are deeply injurious not
only to Mr.. Weed, but to the great party with
which he is identified. 1t is DO fault or merit Of
ours that they suggest to the public mind explana
tons OF much that was wrong discreditable, and
odious, in the doipgs in and about State Capitol
last Winter. For instance:
la December last, Gov. Morgan, after free and
full consultation with his prominent friends, and
with eminent citizens of all parties fixed upon
what he regarded as just right and beuehcent
line of policy to be pursued by the State With re-
gard to her Canal Finances and the competing
Railroad interests. That policy was clearly uu-
derstOod by us-and we could not well be mistaken
to have received the deliberate and hearty assent
of the Editor of The Albany Erening Journal. In
the event, however, he turned against it, and be-
came powerful element in the combination
headed by Deaf Richmond which defeated it, The
State was thereby compelled to add to hsr already
too heavy per centage of direct taxatOn but 10
dividual, made large sums out of the stock specu-
lations based upon an early and certain knowledge
that the Governors recommendation as to Ra lr0ad
Tolls was to be defeated.
Our City Railroads engrcssed large share of the
attention of the late Legislature. Gov. Morgan, in
nis Annual Message, traced out, very briefly but
clearly the principles whereOn the concessions for
new City Railroads should be made. Had the
Governors suggestions been embodied or needed in
the bills as they passed, the enormously lucrative
monopoly now enjoyed by the grantees of existing
privileges would have been modified, the public far
better accommodated, and the City decidedly ben
Fitted in her revenues and every way. But Mr..
George Law took up his quarters at Albany early
in the Session and CT mmenced series of financial
operations which resulted in the passage of FIVE or
six bills charterng new Railroads terms utterly
defiant of the righteous and salutary suggestions Of
Gov. Morgan-terms which in effect confirmed
and strengthened the existing monopoly denied to
our City and compensation for the use of her
principal thoroughfares, securing everything
to the monOpolists, nothing to the
People. Gov. Morgan vetoed these bills,
as, without betraying his trust and stultying him
self, he could not fail to do. To our blank amaze
ment, those bills which we supposed utterly dead,
were passed over the Governors Veto, and the
Editor of The albany Erening Journal is well
known TO have been the most active and powerful
agent in inducing Republican Senators and Mem
beers of Assembly to humillate the Governor and
nullify Lis mot righteous and popular veto. We
cay with absolute confidence that outside Of those
who had pecuniary interest IL the Railroad
Grants thus made, there is absolute unanimity
among the People of our City and State on the
side OF the Governor and his Yetoes and against
the legislative hardihood in corruption which over.
rode them.
We might speak of other matters which gave an
nfan Gus nOtorty TO the legislation of last Winter;
but the above 81 ecimen bricks will sufficiently indi-
cate the character of the entire structure
Such legislation is either to go on or stop here.
Which shall it bel Ninety mine hundreds of the
Republicans We meet are firmly resolved that it
shall stop--tbat if Democrats like Dean Richmond
and George Law are to run the Legislature of our
State making its action abjectly subseryient to
their selfish schemes and private interests it shall
be Legislature of their own stripe, politically as
well as commercially if they are to have the
use of it, they must elect lit they shall not
make the money and fasten upon their political ad-
versaries the nfamy of such atrocious proceedings.
They are firmly resolved that the next Legislature
shall be either composed of men whose votes can
not be bought and sold, ard bawked and chartered
and blown upon, like mackerel or mink-skns, or of
men for whose curse the Republican party shall
not even seem to be responsible
In the arduous fight against Legislative Cor
ruption last Winter, the Republican Governor and
~ ID an, bI;o.n Masaas bad navar n xuord