The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-01-04

HERALD, WEDNESDAY
II Sherman is now elected, Or any one else who
endorsed Helpers book, and Greeley and An
thon's Northern treason shop, the agitation In
the South will have more food, and will 60 on
increasing, while the reactionary sentiment al
the North will increase In speed and intensity
till the abolitionized elements that row rule
the black republican party have involved II
In ruin. Elect Sherman and prepare for the
Reign Of Terror.
The Governors Messags-The Opsnfag Of
| the State Legislature.
The Message Of Governor Morgan to the Lee
eislature Of this State, at its opening yesterday
will be found in our columns this morning. It
is remarkable only for Its length, and has not
even the merit ofbrevity. The copious details
about the canals, which occupy so large a
space, have already been for the most part pub
lished, and appear to be compiled from former
reports and from an article In Hunts Merchants
Magazine, copied into this journal several
months ago. Governor Morgan only says
what everybody knows when he informs us that
the competition of the railroads with the canals
Is continually increasing, and has so reduced
the canal revenues that they fall far short Of
paying the interest of the debt with which they
are chargeable. The surplus revenue for the
last year is less than million (s962 ,OO0), and
the canal debt is nearly twenty-seyen millions
| CSC, so7, Gs4).
Governor Morgan Is of opinion that the re-
ducuon Of the tolls on the canals has been far
greater than was necessary to compete with
che railroads. The tolls were reduced on two
millions of non-competiDg freight as much as
they were reduced on one million Of competing
freight, which is manifestly injudicious and
ought to be changed. 1t is estimated that by
the reduction of the canal tolls the State has
lost within the last two years over one million
of dollars.
In the two last years the canals have fallen
short of producing the annual constitutional
charges made upon them by the enormous sum
of $3,746, s24-nearly three millions and three
quarters of dollars. Governor Morgan advises
protection of the canals by imposing for few
years till they are finished) moderate toll
per ton during the season of navigation upon
all freight passing over railroads competing
with the canals. When the canals are complet-
ed, the Governor thinks that the railroads
ought to be relieved from the burthen,
and that the business of the canals will be
so Increased by the completion of the works
that they will yield handsome revenue.
He therefore advises their immediate compile
ton, which he calculates can be accom-
plished in the course Of the present year. The
cost is estimated at nearly two millions of dol
lars. II appears to us that the best thing which
could be done with the canals is to sell them to
help to pay off the debt contracted by their l
construction, and to raise the balance by direct
taxation and thus get rid Of this source Of cor
ruption and embarrassment at one stroke.
After adyerting to the prisons, the Governor |
enters upon the topic of pardons, which he says |
he has found to be very embarrassing to him, as
in most instances he cannot get at the real me-
rits of the case, as no minutes of the testimony
have been preserved. He advises that the pro.
scouting officers should be required to file in |
the County Clerks Office the minutes of evil |
dence taken by them. But these officers do not |
take full notes Of the evidence, and their min |
utes would be Of very little value. In England |
the judges are compelled to take notes of the |
whole testimony. This would be vast i'm |
prorement on our present loose system. The |
pardoning power has been so sadly abused in |
this State that IL would Le adsIsaDie to take IL /
out Of the hands of the Governor and vest it,
as in the State of New Jersey, in Court of |
Pardons.
The Message states that the public school |
system is increasing in value and efficiency.
We wish this were true, but we fear it is not. |
There was vast need Of improvement, but the
kind of officers elected last fall leaves little
room to hope for it. Sectarianism, too, has
crept into the management Of the schools
which has been unfortunately brought abont in
a great measure by the conduct Of the Board
of Education in stretching their powers beyond
the law by enforcing the reading of the Bible
in every school, which, in three wards of the
CITY, has led to great confusion, and to the
2 ,reatest hardship to the teachers in keeping
back their salaries. Such is the improvement
beasted of by Mr.. Morgan and is like that of
the police force, which be proves by showing
that arrests have increased. Crime has also
increased, and as the best part Of the
duty of the police is to prevent crime, it
would seem that the progress Of the
system is backwards, like the motion of crab.
The Governor gives remarkable example of
the efficiency of the police in the case of the
law ito provide for the care and instruction
of idle and truant children" He says it has
become dead letter because the police will
not carry out its provisions, and he recon-
mends the appointment Of special officers to do
it, just as if the police were oyerburthened
with work. This is about as good as the
Recommendation to increase the General Super
intendent's salary