Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-04-29
Adjournment Of the New York Leg
aata islature. E
VINDICATIoN OF GOVERNOR SEYMOUR.
Financial Operations of the Re.
publican Majority.
From the Albany Atlas 4 Argus of April 2s.l


The Legislative session closed Saturday
night having held 1l0days. The Republican
majority when they first met, were flushed
power, vindictive and proscriptive. They
leave, divided among themselves, eXasperat-
el by rivalries and conflicting ambitions,
do biting and confused as to questions of
policy, disarmed in much of their hostility
to Democrats, and conscious of their power
1essness to hurt them; for the hardest blows
they have struck at the Democratic party
have fallen upon the credit and institutions
of the State.
They commenced by denunciations OF
Gov. Seymour and laudations of President
Lincoln. But their record shows unani-
nous vote of thanks to the State Executive
for having brought the President to do
Justice to the State, while the resolutions
avoring President Lincoln lie dead upon
the table!
They proposed to deprive Gov. Seymour
of his power over the State militia, and to
reduce to minimum the appropriations to
that branch of the public service. But the
periodical panic at Washington lest Lee
should menace the capital spread its infec-
tiOn here, and near the close of the session
they reversed their action, restored the pre-
rogative of the Governor, and placed In his
hands ample power over the purse and
sword. ft
In the debates on the subject, leading
Republican Senator confessed that the al
legged abuses in the organization of the
militia, were without foundation; while all
conceded the magnitude of the services
which the Governor had rendered to the
Nation in the repulse of Lee from Pennsyl-
yania last year. jstt aa
Although the "Almighty Negro" formed
the theme of most of the Parliamentary
speeches in the beginning OF the session,
and afforded the occasion for crude specu-
lation, and repulsive theories, it was not
the subject that lay nearest the heart of the
members. 1t was the financial question
that absorbed the interest of the session;
and the course OF the Republican members
on this subject was dictated from Washing
ton.
The Federal authorities demanded and
directed a crusade against State institutions
and State credit. The war of Secretary
Chase ito crush out the State Banks" "
found its most Jealous champions among
the Representatives of the people In the
State Legislature. The summary of the re-
suits may be found In these measures:
/. The proposed dissolution of State
Banks, and their reconstruction as National
Banks.
2. The exemption of National Banks from
taxation (under Congressional laws. and
the subsection of State Banks to double tax
alton.
8. The payment of interest on State Stocks
held in Europe in greenbacks.
The operation of these measures Is to
throw out of use our State Stocks for bank
ing purposes and to discredit them abroad.
Its reflex effect will be to discredit equally,
or In still greater degree, the Stocks of
the Federal Government. The credit of
New York-until this fatal war was opened
against twas always as high, ifnot higher,
than that of the United States. BY this act,
1t Is sunk below that of Pennsylvania,
fees to maintain its faith, both to the do
nestle and foreign creditor, In its fullest ac-
ceptation. Against policy SO infamous as
well as so dishonoring, Gov. Seymour has
protested; and his words may, perhaps,
break the force of that public contempt
abroad, which the Legislature has invited.
One-tenth of the money which the Leg
eislature lavislled In new salaries, OH public
works, and in wasteful expenditures, would
have averted this dishonor from the name
of New York. With the true path open
before them, they deliberately, and against
remonstrance, chose the worst. Not only
this, but the denunciatons which were lev
eled in the closing address of the Speaker
against "traitors In our midst" were meant
for the few Republicans who hesltated in
joining in the crusade against State Banks
and State Stocks,
They retire, as we before said, conscious
OF shame and of weakness, without having
advanced q principle, or done an act for the
cause of the country or the people; and the
record thew have left behind Them hears