New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-04-17
Firm Our Own Correspondent.
ALBANY, Monday, April l6. 1860.

IdDit,
lie prinea forthwith by vote Of 6S to 3l-more than
two ihirde-Shich indicates that the Assembly viii
lows:
STATE OF NEw-YoRx, ExEcUrvs Dyp,nrsrsr,
ALBASf;April TO- 1900
10 he AssemJly.
Isturn 10 the Assembly in which they originsted,
tte following bHlr, authorizing the construction OF
Railroads in the streets Of the City Of NewYork;
An se 10 authorize the construction Of Railroad Avenue
D. est Brosdwsy and ether streets and avenues Of he City Of
An authorize the construction Of Railroad rask
to snthor1e the construction Racosdln Seventh
syenGs and certain other streets and avenues Of the City OF
scl authorize the construction Of Railroad in Tenth
avenue, Feryctnd street ard certain other avenues and
An te suihoIi1e the construction Of Railroad In -Four
Yois."
No person appreciates more fully than myselt the
utility Of railroads a medium Of communication be-
tween distant sections OF great city.
In the conviction that greater facilities in this re-
greet were required in New-York took occasion in
nv sprual message to advert to this necessity and 10
recommend that the number OF railroads In the upper
pait of the city be increased and took occasion IN
this connection to add In doing this, however, care
Should be taken while limiting and equazing
I" the rates Of fare all railroads in that city,
"to render the valuable franchise source OF in-
"come to the city," 1t obvious, therefore,
to the Legislature, from these declarations, that
al which was necessary to secure my approval
Of the additional railroad facilities required by
the interests Of the citizens OF New.fork was,
inst the grants for this purpose which might De
made should impose suitable conditions, in view OF the
valuable franchises granted should guard against the
abuse of the privileges conferred, and should require
the services to be performed az the least COST 10 tne
public consistent with the obligations imposed. Ii IL
because the bills before fail to embody these essen
tia provisions, and deficient in other respects OF
those safes yards which deem necessary to the pro-
lection Of the public interests that am constrained
to withhold my signature from the bills herewith re-
turned. That the privileges proposed to be conferred
in these acts are deemed of great pecunary value,
needs no other calculation than the tact, that resPon-
sble individuals sard ready 20 pay large bonus into
the treasury OF the City of NewYork for the franchises
confs upon the persons named in these bills, with
ont coss equivalent. i
/ deemed zone return TO the city simply equitable,
heoause the streets have been opened graded and rem
ceed ready for the reception OF the rails proposed 10
be laid down, at the expense Of property hodeTs aud
that suitable payment into the City Treasury would
TO that extent alleviate the burden OF taxation which
mesees 70 heavily upon tie citizens. Or, II this method
were deemed Objectionable, t would have c1n.enled
had the bill in question 80 reduced the fares, Tor
TIE transportation of pasengers 20 as 10 have proved
q yeiable benefit to the humber classes OF ctzeDs
Who are driven far from the eenters of business by the
b.h rents prevalent in the more accessible districts OF
the city In this respec also, the bills before ne fan
10 conform 70 the limitations contained 10 my annual
message While Il is notorious that tue profits OF the
existing railroads in the City Of New York are vastly
djs,ropcitoped " the amount OF capital actually In
yested the roads row proposed are Tei TO conform
to the prices for the transportation of passengers
charged by those already in operation, without any
| other restriction or reduction.
Again. the bills to which am constrained to inter-
posf my objections grants OF power in perpet1ty
Ordnsiy prudence, would suggest that this should DO
avoided. Powers that are useful to-day, utder tne
changing circumstances Of communities, and OIL NUM-
cinal OF eIaiions NAV few years hence, become OBJ
eoonable Hence it ia, that the exclusive benefits OF
Iaepts are lmited the existence OF corporations CIR
cpmo1ited within certsin periods ferry franchises
defined ~ restricted The whole genius OF our gov
eminent requires, that pry leges granted especSuy
those \, pecuraYy value or affecting the pubic con-
verifsse shall, after certain nme, ceaee anu 'e
rover OF revision and amendment be exercised III
accordance with the requirements OF pubic Interest.
But the privileges conferred in these scts authorizing
in some cases the entire engrossment OF Streets are With
out Limitation; ard if at any fuure tune, the use Of these
onbc avenues should be demanded for other purposes,
there ia No Discriminate period to which the Inhabitants
or corporate authorities could look Tor cessation Oh
the privileges now granted. Nor is ihere ahy power
reseryea Oh the part of the Legislature TO alter notify,
or repeal these grants however tsgrant shall be the
abuses which may gro up under them. Nor Is there
any provision in these bills, prescribing time wthn
which the proposed alToads shall be constructed
sscuIe In the privileges conferred the parties in in
erest NAV delay action 10 such time their own con-
venience thal be best subserved. Ia the mean time
the mnunilies granted may be the subject OF constant
batter ard fae without the slightest Ac.rulng adyan-
zoe 10 the public Equally deficient are they iR
Quiz emens as 10 the time snd manner IN which the
| cars sha run or the distance to which car, when
started, shsll proceed. Running in agzag directions
il Is IL tie power OF the several Companies TO break
their connections at short Intervals and thus, igstead
Of carving passenger the whole distance he may
wish TO proceed compel him to psy two or more fares
before reaching the desired point.
An objection more fragrant than any to which have
| adyerted ia the utter want of responsibility which
pertains to these associations. They are not re ifed
10 file any articles OF association, and within month
after organization the public may be entirely at loss
TO know who are the parties IN interest Beng wltn-
ont CORPORATE name and without corporate response
bility secutons could only be maintained against
individuals end these with no accessible public record
10 exhibit either their names residence or interests
might prove altogether intangible. And As if this i'm
mnI ty not sufficient, the bills before me, Vlo-
ating all just precedent provide that suits Tor damage
or demand he brought exclusively IN the Courts OF the
First JUDICIAL District Thus while the persona upon
whom these privileges conferred In these acts, are
resd6ns Of various sections Of the State, tgants are
COMPELLED TO resort for redress to the City OF New
York no matter what may be the ccumst ances OF the
case OF how onerous the burden thus Imposed. That
this s fqgrant departure from tho principles and
practice which govern ordinary legal controversies
cannot be questioned.
| l have thus briefly stated my objections to these
measures drawn from le inherent dstects manifest 10
/ the bills themselves. They in my judgment OF 80
grave character and clearly calcnla ed to destroy
tie utility Of the measures proposed, that cannot con-
cent 10 become Iarty TO their enactment sincerely
do dspfeea.e the want Of additional railroad facilities
in the city with whose interest," social civil AID COM
mtrcial, / have long been connected. Blu. cannot
consent to the sacrifice Of permanent Interests for ten
pornry advantages The thus objected to are
in their present shape at variance with justice and
sound policy; lot in consonasce vita the wishes, or
the wants Of the grea. Of these for whose benefit
they Vrofessedly designed and being deficient IN
these legislative safeguards which shond marx wise
and discriminating legislation, my only alternative lies
in the exercise of my constitutional prerogatye aud
therefore return them seyeraly without my Signature
Il. ID. MORGAN
| THE CITY TAX LEVY.
| he HQusa amendments