New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-04-14

~teu IN psouuct OF tshes
SGr raw expenses and disbursements incurred by the
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MR.. coYKLIye AND MR.. JAQuEs
In one of my letters few days ago reported the
fact that Mr.. Conkling charged his colleague Mr..
Jaques with perpetratng fraud the House in ref
erepce to certain bill which he had reported from
special committee. 1t is but smpe justice 10 both gen.
temen TO state that after an explanation Of the affair
OIL a subsequent occasion by Mr. Jaques Mr. Copking
formally withdrew his charges and expressed the con-
vcton that he had been mistaken in regard to the mat
ter The charge grew ont Of the fact that Mr. Jaques
had interlned sentence in bill to confirm grant OF
the Common Council to lands under water; and ii APP
pears that without such qualifying sentence as Mr..
Jacques inserted the States title to all the lands II may
own in the city would have been conveyed away.
THE SUPPLY BILL.
The Senate passed large lumber Of local bills to-
day, and ordered the Supply bill TO third reading
after an animated debate on motion TO strike out
provision giving the States Prison Inspectors $JOO
each in the form of travelling expenses more than they
received last year.
The motion 10 strike out was lost. As the bill now
stands gives each Inspector 5000 for travelling FEES
Whether any portion Of this sum is for travelling around
and through the Hobbies of the Legislature during the
past three months does not clearly appear.
QUARANTINE.
Mr. Vermlye's bin for the removal of Quarantine
was reported this morning, and ordered to third
reading. The TRIBUNE has already published the
main features of the bill.
THE PROPERTY QUALIFICATION.
The Senate bill to provide for the amendment Of the
Constitution, to abolish the property qualification
for colored voters passed the Assembly to-day by
vote of 73 to 49, Democrat Mr.. Arcalarius, voting
for it., and one Republican, Mr.. Dorsch, voting
against it.
BROOKLYN FIRE LIMITS.
The Assembly also passed. beside ten or dozen unim
porant bills the Senate bill to establish the fire limits
for the Eastern District of Brooklyn, and rejected
Strawberry Basket BILL and the bill TO incorporate the
Coast WIeckng Company
THE POLICE COMMISSIONERS.
The new Police Commissioners drew for terms before
the Secretary of State day Mr. Bower drawing the
long term Of sx years, hr. Bergen the term OF four
years. and Mr. Pllsbury two years.
THE NEW YORK INSTITUTE FOR THE BLIND.
BY virtue of the following resolution Of the Assem-
bly,, Mr. Van Dyck has investigated the condition of
the Blind Asylum, and made his report 10 the AS
sembly:
Re;olred That the Superintendent of Pubic Instruction be-
sS BE Tie for the G s the
in Si departments the qualifications character add Spos
yegscn into the alleged grievances Of pupils hereto
fore connected with the Institution and to report the result OF
sucLinvestgaiion to the Legislature foTlhwith,'
We have been able only to make an abstract of the
report and testimony, which is very voluminous. BY
the testimony of the pupils teachers, officers and man
sgeTss appears that very serious dissatisfaction ex
iks so the management OF the Institution, and es
pecialy with the Superintendent MIR. Thomas Golden
Cooper. A striking diversity of opinion. however,
prevaisgmoDg the officers, teachers aud managers as
to his cnduct. Of the managers, MessIs. Cravens,
Church. Oracle, Augustus Schell Robert l.. Case and
Others appear TO sustain the Superintendent and ap,
prove of 6s management, while Messrs. William Car
lis NOyes, !. p Croeby, MIR. Olyphant and DR.. WOOD
ex managers condemn it in most decided terms. All
these latter gentlemen have resigned their places IN
the Board because Of Mr.. CoOper's misconduct and be-
cause their colleagues persist in sustaining him. The
principal charges against the Superintendent are Vio-
lent, ungovernabe temper, want of interest III the
school, and lack Of religious qualifications. The ex-
q of inat of
tons Of duty and proprety as an officer and gentle
msn.
The officers, such as Clerk, Matron, Housekeeper,
Seamstress, &C., who are now in the service of the
Institution, sustain Mr. Cooper. But those who have
left recently testify the grosse acs of violence and
passion his part toward themselves and others.
number of the ex-employees were examined by Mr.
Van Dyck and their testimony unanimous that the
Superintendent was tyrannicA passionate and cruel
With the teachers the case is similar, although many
Of the present teachers some Of whom have been there
twenty years, very much opposed TO MIR. Cooper,
and give him the character that the Managers
and ex officers DO.
On the ground of maintaining discipline, Mr.. Cooper,
as soon he ascertsned that any these teachers,
mostly females did not conform strictly to his views
and Wishes, commenced prosecuting them, as they
allege. Among other things, be forbade them TO go
into the paror compelling them 10 remain in their bed
cha ubeIs when out OF school. On complaining OF the
codness of her room he told one teacher who wished
TO 20 into the paIlor that "she must walk around the
house and keep warm" This teacher was blind
lady who had been there twentythree years, and mad
never known the teachers 10 be denied the of the
paror before. He also forbade another 10 speak to
Ter scholars except when ia the schoorOom, on any
subject whatever.
On other occasions Mr.. Cooper has assaled these Ia
6ies in perfect storm of passion 80 as 10 brighten
them exceedingly. The Rev. Mr.. Mcclellan blind
preacher in Brooklyn was formerly teacher IN the
Institution aud testihes TO several remarkable hur
of passion" from hr Cooper, even on the slight,
est provooaon. Another teacher states that pupil
coming into Mr.. COopers Office unfortunate as
rot 10 prevent gush of wind slammng the door after
him, whereupon Mr. Cooper became greatly enragei
and abused the blind boy IN most unaccountabe man.
ner. There is a mass OF testimony by teachers and
eXteaoher as 10 other similar exhibitions the part
Of the SUPERINTENDENT. DIR. Wood, late President OF
the Institution, testified TO The occurrence OF one OF
Mr. Coopers tempests of passon at an Anniversary IN
the Academy of Music and another IN the Office of the
Iosti,Ution, when the President had called there on
business.
Tie teachers who have recently come into the insi-
tuition bear entirely different testimony as TO Mr..
COoper's demeanor. They represent him as kind aud
courteous All the teachers nearly, however, agree
that he seldom vifts the class rooms, some say nos
more than thrice year. Indeed DIR. CoopeIs witnesses
attempted to justify this the ground that the teach
els could do better without frequent visits from the
head of the Institution.
II is also alleged in the testimony that Mr.. Cooper
had familiar intercourse with the pupils-that they
not in the habit of going to him for counsel SYM
pathy, or adyice-that his conduct toward them
by no means parental, bot cold and arbitrary. This
Mr.. Cooper seems to defend by calling witnesses to
prove that familiarity on the part Of principal or
MISTER with subordinates impairs HE influence with
them.
Frederick Law Olmstead was called TO testify on
this point as TO the mode of governing the men ut
work on Central Park. Mr. Olmstead, as friend to
Mr.. Cooper, also spoke highly of him as gentleman
and az person eminently qualified for the post So
did Charles l.. Brace, John Priestley and others.
large number Of pupils were placed on the stand. A
majority said Mr.. Cooper was kind to them, but quite
number detailed instances of very harsh treatment.
Several had been struck on the face by Mr. Coopers
hand; others had been whipped with sticks, &C.;
come had been Violently shaken: and still mora had