The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-03-17
Pleadings in tho Courts and the Decisions
Of the Judges.
The legislature Besieged by the
Broadway Patriots.
THE RAUM IN THK ASSEMBLY II 1856.
SCENES AND INCIDENTS IN THE PAST CONTROVERSY
-, ks., e,

and on tho other side 70 defeat It. The contest for
the pcssessioa Of the Bridge OF Lodi where life vas
freely offered TO accomplish victory scarcely equalled In
intensity and uDyeldng herceness the strife now bcnx
maintained for victory by the contending forces At the
State capital our national troubles secondary and N
the news should arrive that the famous army of Ay
thousand men, Of which President Davis is at the
head had invaded the District Of Columbia caused tho
second Washington to again resort to the Scotch cap and
military cloak aud take the midnight train for other re-
gions the Broadway awarm would scarcely suspend their
hosttes for an instant to learn the news sec II any
body was hurt Sides are taken this vital question
with the sternness and determination Of the Italian fesds
In which the blood itself became tainted with the virus Of
hostility and was capable Of transmitting its hostile prin
cples. Even the hotels seemingly divided on thu
great and absorbing issue, Congress Hail being
the headquarters Of the railroad peoples occasionally
sprnked witha deputaion Of indignant property holders
while the Deavan may be considered the fortress OF the
snraroad element and the ancient the houses
Of York and Lancaster being over again In
principle upon this great civic warfare.
Broadway seems to be considered by many a. hal
lowed ground, and, like the ancient temples its wor-
shippers view with the holy horror of sacregous desc
Grafton every attempt to disturb change the
its long and well settled characteristics and marked fes
lures as the busy and exciting centre of the myriad life
Of the commercial metropolis. At first II would
seem remarkable that such q spirit of resentment
famous show ground Of city life; but it will not be
deemed remarkable consider the various elements
Of city interest and pride which have been excited and
rritated by the proposed change. Broadway enters
as vital element into the existence Of every
New Yorker; all there at period Of the day,
exhibits The idea Of thinking Of the city of New York
without Broadway Is an impossibty for any Knoker-
booker, native or naturaiized He cannot consider
Il for moment, If the interests and the neceesf
ties, business and social life which
ated In connection with that artery Of metropolitan
life could be embodied that its existence might be
sailed, there Is scarcely man, or, one might add,
woman either, who would not turn out In its defence
has also species Of national reputation there where
our professional made whore the military and
civic forces are to be found in thousands great
occasions exhibiting the usrious stranger from other
o. Ss Ss s ss
hundreds of thousands from all parts of the
try I'LL the sidewalks, piazzas, stoops, shop windows,
lamp posts and every available position for sghtseeng
and witness magnificent demonstration such known
only in New York On these occasions all the vehicles
turned out Of Broadway the street swept ana put
holiday attire with flags flying music play soldiers
marching and New York vindicates herself the greatest
city in the Western World The very busting noise, ost
ling OF vehicles conclusions and strife Of Broadway
in her hours Of activity dear to her citizens and would
not be parted with any terms Like the din Of battle
to the soldier they seem 70 stir the pulse and quicken
the energies Of all that brought within their influence
The idea Of railroad In broadway travelling
iron tracks turning neither to the right nor the
machinery instead Of life itself seemsl to be looked
pom by hundreds OF old residents to point to Of
Impression or crushing out OF the teeming life with
which the bosom Of this great constantly heavmg
ind when men talk Of relieving Broadway and think that
ohurchya quiet and Sunday solitude desirable
vatons upon its present character they make great
mistake in estimating the views Of the citizens Of New
It's q, as Ss oss
horoughfare OF the metropolis, unchanged and un-
Manageable All content that the hand Of change shall
be laid everywhere else but hundreds oppose its appear
snce in Broadway is this spirit and feeling that have
caused such turmoil and excitement whenever attempts
have been made by the spectators to lay their hands
The history Of the efforts that have been made to lay
railroad In Broadway forms one OF the most important
and interesting chapters Of The events In the merci
metropolis, and lew Of the matter cannot fan to
prove Of deep interest at this time When the Common
the present the forty thieves, suddenly in
secret CAUCUS 1posed this measure the first Broad
9ns the gran;
Of a fire be- MIDNIGHT, and The history Of the almost
superhums ertcns which were made 70 consummate
sns M scns very important era In the existence
1t IS not o whose mind first conceived the idea Of
laying ~ in this street. but thing s certain,
that Jacob and o. Sullivan among the first
that made G9bwn to the public, and in the fall Of
1852 varioH were afoat in New York in regard
TO kind during the summer Of that year;
but bone ~ tobee in the supposed for moment
that any perkon would be SO bold to attempt It, much
less maxi the demonstrations that were made
IN the damon Council. Three or four roads
had be2 placed In operation prior to that
period streets but horse still novelty,
and cdto0 oe by the old Knckerbockers innova-
tion upon their rights and sort OF nuisance to DO tole
rated beeay9 they could not avoid it, The plan for 30
curpg chs nite prze being matured in secret coun
Gil k0Amany weeks previous the demonstration at tho
CITY IIallthe knowing ones moving about with the ut
most caution. At length their arrangements were COM
peied the fires all SET the ammunition ali prepared for
grand contest for the coveted prize The resolution
". sturtevant, the representative from the Third
ward, who died suddenly a. the Astor House
not long ago-tne incorporators being no
less ndy uals than Jacob Sharpe John Anderson, the
tobacconst; Sullivan, and several other patriots who
have since figured New York-and u special
committee. OF which sturtevant chairman, and as
the opponents say, packed committee. The committee
reported In favor OF the grant on the 10th day OF Novem
beg 1852, and the resolution adopted on the same
evening. The property holders tho next moru1ng
opehed their eycs with when they read tho
intelligence in the papers The resolution sent 70 the
Assistant Aldermen and then ID. f. Haight Stewart sad
Others led off opposition and finding that the com
mittee 10 whom II had been referred in that branch
w., Sss toc,s,sn. other branch the
Common Council they offered million OF dollars for
The grant but the Iom sGn, asS aor sS sae
sstans passed the evening Of the 9th OF December
May Kngsand being against special Legislation. vetoed
it, pac ne his the ground that the bill passed
posed no compensation, whilst liberal offer had been
made. The Common Council about to pass II
the Mayors Veto when Judge Campbell OF the Superior
Court applied to, and he granted Injunction
handing the Aldermen not TO vote upon the sub
Iect The Injunction was served on the 2ssh
day Of December, but the next day the
Beard Of Aldermen met and, amidst the herccst
excitement, denouncng in bitter terms the action
OF the courts tyrnnnicl usurpation by the Judiciary
OF the legislative functions passed the measure notwth
stsndir the Injunction. The Aldermen voting for the
resolution were Immediately arraigned like state pris
oncrs Of the ocen time before bench OF Jadgs
poecd Of oakley Ducr and Sanford, who have gone
their final rect Campbell who has gone into rural life
the osego valley, and Emmett now quietly practising
his profession.
The court rooms were crowded 10 almost sutoca,ion
with the partssns both sdce; the Park fairly swarm
pg with excited crowds drawn there by the intensity
hctrugge between the courts and the municipal logs-
atirc
Ttnse IN tho court roou,s viii never rorvot bou nerc
onslaught against the martyred Aldermen how yigor-
ousiy Charles 0Conor, David Dudley field and Edward
Sanford (hc latter dcad) defended the heroes o<
the City Hall how finally, the supremacy OF the law was
vndicatcd, and the flaming OF Justice fcl upon the
Offending Soons OF the Common Council aud they we're
adjudgcd 10 be guilty sturtcvbnt was scntenced
TO imprisonment N the city prison for fifteen
days, and 10 pay inc Of two hundred and city
dollars anc enc hundred md two dollars aud seven
cents cost The other Aldermen, except who apclo
gized, were tined tWcnS eve dollars and hundred