The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-11-22
The CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.

C0ntracte-Tno EXCISE Question.
ALBANY. ~ Y, Nov. II, 1867
The Convention met q 10 O'Clock A. n
A resolution in favor Of sending copy OF the pro-
eesdngs Of the Convention to the Virginia Constitutional
Convention adopted.
raE ALLEGED FRAUDULENT CANAL coxrAcra
The President presented . communication from the
Attorney General in resolution OF The Con-
venson calling upon that ocsr to legal pro-
10 December last which. Was claimed let 70
highest instead OF lowest legal bidders and 10 axe
Implicated II any as shall yndica,e The honor o. ths
state The Attorney General replies thar upon exam
nation Of the subject he became convinced thai no
70 vacats the contracts referred TO without the
authority and sanction OF the contracting Board.
validity OF the contracts and adhere TO them in the
or the canals any action which be might
practical effect He had addressed . commun-
cation 70 the Contracting Board on the sub
ject. stating that be WAS ready 10 commence
authorizing HIM 70 do W. The Contracting Board
had the subject under and refused
ueSt ana eenyinS the Allegation that hey had been lei
70 ,hs highest bidder The Attorney Gensral recon.
mended that Tie whole matter be rsisred 70 ths Lsgs
lature
POWERS AND Dunns Or TIE LD0rsLAfUng
The Convention then went into Committee II the
The pending question was on the amendment ssrsd
by Mr. Veedsr last evening" that local special lawn
shall be passed regulating The sale Of spritueus qaor
Mr. SMITH was opposed 10 the free sale Of liquor The
temperance Of the State had views upon this sub
ject and II this proposed amendment adopted they
would their influence against the ratification q
the constitution There was . difference DO.
tween the condition o. affairs 10 New York and
the rural districts. New York The commercial
metropolis, where 2 large and miscellaneous popu-
lation centred. Il was nscsssary that sucn .
community should have different laws for other parsa
Of the STATE II the Legislature was tied up with refer
TO this matter u would DO discrimination against
New YORK wharf great Interests we're 70 % protected
different from the law that applied the rural dis
triots except As 70 the manner OF its enforcement II
this question was incorporated IN the constitution 10
would have tho effect 70 Alternate the friends or the
enemies Of temperance reforms. He would leave the
question for the Lsgisatars % regulate n .. ,,,,
principle Of government when We made laws that bore
unequaiy upon any section without the best
was thai the city had been msgovsrnsd without them.
Mr. Mcdonald could see reasons why there should BE-
additional laws governing license IN New York from
Mr. vEEDEa did NOT consider that the merits Of pro.
hibitory law before the Convention. We had noe
thing do with that matter Tue question whether
We should have law for the city Of New York,
and another for tho country. Tho senstveness
sary they had declared heretofore that negro
suffrage be inserted In the body OF the constitution
or il would be lost, and nov We are threatened with
destruction II we mako provisions In favor OF
general laws for the sale Of spirituous liquors.
This discrimination made in the metropolitan
EXCISE Jaw eR9lust NoW 1otA huu DIOOkty0
was odious and oppressive. Il demanded that two
hundred and Afty dollars should be paid for license
The Law required the largest hoss' 10 New York % pay
hotel in that district on tho seash re- and which was
only kept open during the summer: he wanted
lie provisions 70 wisdom Of the LEGISLATURE Persons
could DO arrested IN the Metropolitan dstrics for Of.
.ss0 90 IL The country he did NOT see why shis
distinction should be made: why the homes Of citizens
hould be invaded BY policems and conssbIes In one
hol6 inf
In another. What he commended for . law that
should apply % I'll parts Of the STATE alike Who Inn
posed tho odious law upon New York; Tho record
showed that II had bscn done by OF those lv-
districts, and against the protest Of those
representing the Guy Licenses we're revoked IN the
Mr.. SNTH.-Does the gentleman mean 10 say that IL
espsss have been revokoa without hearing before the
Mr. CsLAnAx.-I know OF such ca u ~ ovn
Mr.. vsEpER had known OF such cases ssepsas nae
been revoked and new one granted on w eFayoent
OF the fee Of two hundred and hfty doa ~ 81 ao9
see why gentlemen should pe 30 seusi ee e0snl ihs
matter. He understood tina. u was one ms t&akN
Of the republican platform adopted nj Sy si tbe
Law should DO modified. Why, then ggn "a
Mr. CURTIS ross 70 move that this subjs "a postponed
until the report Of the Commmtss AditEAssd
Liquors shosId b nsda For one be aoa.a mee. sns
question fairly and againss this pro iion -
people should decide THAI the sale ntoxlcaipF
liquors should BE- restrained in any sect r ne Faf
on account OF the agussatien or pefeltfens y
for onsr reasons 49, w:s :, tor ,. then ss:
should d,etilS and the people should decide He
pressed through the Legislaturs That WIS ~ NQofk
Tory OF power, and there hs would leave H. Of
s.xs next twenty, " Or hundred ySan He dsfsadsd ne
NetropoIitan Police and doubted whether tnsrs was
he person and property siass iis ssiasliahnsnt
Mr. E.As1us Baooxs protested against the principle y
which the Metropolitan Police sysss. was mpossd UPON
The viii Of the people 70 b. effected As % the Excise
question, he was = favss q general l.wshs sse fog
Kings A. 70 the moral esessions snssssd he wesld ta
occasion 70 show, when the opportunity onsrs&
that p: On 20; who SOUGHT e
upon them unjust and unequal laws. Tho tea9enV q
this discussion had bssa % show the esormocs We
Of Contradiction hat man for man, there We = nue.
virtue and morality 10 the city there In - csd
He be sG S..s e s ~
N. DuoAsxs vas sausned that the question q soei
order lad bssa ovsreacbed By special iegislao. Win
violated SaS Sssn doas 81 those in The hahn q usss
strong spntuous liquors. He would RESTRAIN he ns
"a such sS Ssti re- WIN. - "saa .soo
credit v The MstFopolilan polSees q must admit
q. .: 3 n. s ass; ,. K.
hsA been degraded ints the position Of spsA snsakIng
arousd The corners and spying Int the private csese.s
power and Asd Lost The rsspscs o. me people No
was % much dsssstsd - spy, and ths law gave every
Metropolitan policeman sn,s os.ss 80 MI Pewss
statistics 70 shew that % 22s ocmpain aaA arrssss
:1..as. Ioeses. be .s:a made not 70, .ssisc. e
ths uoss dssrsdiss character. Il was in this maa-
nsr thai The s6csacy Of The force haA bees
DESTROYED Ho WAS not The friend Of liquor.
he hsd u 10 hi power be would forever prohibit the
sale Of ntoxcaCng liquors But no one could change
The nature Of man- alcohol was abolishsd some
ether stInulast would be substituted. This question
haA nehing 70 Do viii liquor, but question whethss
what vas saues for the geese Was sauce for Che
gandAr'-whsthsr Nc Sane restraints should mot 10
npsssd spen shs people Of The rural Astrcis that we're
impossd upon the city He wanted special abolished
Mr. WRrp should vote for the amendment offered by
the Geuusman iron Kinss lnr. vesdsrl Hc proposed
70 vote for measured cacsAssA TO produce good order
he was not opposed v Law regulating the sale Of
spIriluous liquors. but he wanted Excise Law app-
cable 70 the whole STATE The present Excise Law was
passed Political measure; u Was designed ~ POI
llsicai machine and origDatsd In party caucus and
passed by party vste This outrage upon local rights
voIcs--Bui il has given votes 10 your side.