The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-04-22
The state Legislsture-Its Final Adj
tournament.


Tho state Legislature-Its Final Adj
tournament.
The State Legislature has finally concluded
its labou and adjourned sine die. The session
was brought to close amidst great excite
ment of the lobby at q late hour ON Friday
night The members are by this time en- rouae
for home to report to their families and con-
stituents. From all accounts it has been one
of the most singular bodies that has assembled
in Albany since the eventful year of 1860.
There was 80 much confusion In the proceed
ings during the last few hours Of its session,
and 50 many important questions acted upon
amidst this excitement that it is almost impos-
sible, at the present time, to tell what evil has
been done or what good has been accom-
plished. If there is no wrong committed it is
not for the want Of q disposition on the part Of
a large body of the lawmakers, but for the
lack Of time and power. A very large amount
Of business has been transacted and laws
enough passed to fill large volume. Many Of
them, as usual, are special acts, which are only
local in their application and only intended as
such. There have been some sixty odd bills
passed which refer exclusively to interests in
this city. But when the bills which have be-
come laws are analysed we judge that it will
be found that by far less than the usual pro-
portion are what are termed public measures,
looking exclusively to the public good. In
this respect the Legislature will be found more
remarkable for what it did not do than for
what it did accomplish.
1t is true that this session has given us a new
sanitary department, or health board which
we trust will prove great benefit to this me-
tropolis From all appearances the lawmakers
seemed inclined to rest on their laurels after
they had passed that measure, and to consider
that they had made reputation by that act
which would cover up all subsequent misdeeds.
This bill, with the liquor law and one or two
other measures are the only public laws among
the entire list for this city, while there were an
innumerable number Of jobs on all sorts of
questions The Central Railroad Fare bill is
tricts which has passed in practical form. The
Niagara Ship Canal was so encountered by out
side matters that it will prove perfectly useless.
All the railroad bills for this city seem to have
failed at the last stage Of the session. This re-
silt was brought about by the managers of
each scheme fighting all others, until finally all
fell in the general melee. The bills granting
aid to the Susquehanna and Whitehall Railroads
and the Oneida Canal were log-rOlled through
in both houses, going through in sort of an
omnibus arrangement, but were vetoed
by the Governor on the last day of the session.
Strange to say, no strenuous effort was made to
pass those bills over the vetos, nor did we
hear of any denunciations of the Governor, or
charges by the radicals that he was an usurper
or a despot, although it is clearly evident that
Governor Fenton vetoed those measures for the
purpose of making capital for his own re-elec-
ton. The Code has also been amended and
changed in many particulars, but just how and
where it is impossible to tell, and we presume
that none but the lawyers can decide the effect
that the notifications will have. They proba-
bly, all relate, as usual, 10 some special case
where some lawyer has been unable to win
his suit in court, and has applied to the Legis-
lature for an amendment to the Code which
will enable him to carry his point. This style
of sharp practice has become too extensive for
the general good.
Itseems however, that an anchor was thrown
out to the windward by the Senate just before
the adjournment, looking towards business at
the next session. The resolution appoint
ing q committee to report routes and
plans for railroads in this city looks like work
in this line at the next session. But the Lcgis-
lature has adjourned, the lights have been put
out and the doors closed. Its members are
now of no more importance than other citi-
zens, and they will gradually sink back into
the normal condition which they occupied be-
fore they became legislators. No person will
regret that the session has been brought to a
close, while thousands will rejoice and breathe
more freely now they know that all further
danger from that source is over until the COM
menccmcnt of another year. The public are
no doubt thankful that no more damage has
been done, and will be inclined to look with
charity upon many Of the misdeeds of the men,
bers We could have had a worse Legislature,
yet there was unqucslionably great room for
improvement, and we hope to have much
better one next year.
rEMPoRARY.-By the following comparative