New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-12-03
THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION


RUPTION AND BRIBERY IN OFFICE-REPORr
FROM MIR. OPDYKE.
ALBANY, Dec. 1.-The Convention meet at 7
O'Clock this evening Several memorials were presented
and referred
Mr.. SPENCER rep. steuben) presented a report from
the Committee Oh the Preamble and Bin Of Rights
Mr. RAY Dem, Albany from the Committee on hduI
terated ana intoxicating Liquors made the following
report midi. A., - ., nj,
sale fefmercd liquor. but regulate the safe
and ali eIaSpg laws inconsistent IcT,vil sh be void
Mr.. GRAVES Rep HerldmeD, 'front.' the same commit
tee, made lengthy written report recommending 'he
The Iesare may pass laws prohibiting The sale Of and
Mrs i. HAND rep Broome) Joins in this report
ELY REP. Monroe, make The following reservation:
We think p@libiory law now soa9 nu IilS' 1hI t I
come he steiy and not fta web Of majority people ve
DO reason Why iiey should BY law constitutional
proho Law remove the doubt HTon the question We concur
p 0PyYK { fo sp W from the Committee on
Official Corruption, made the following majority report;
SECTION Any person holding oae under or b. virtue Of inc law
receives receive directly udct anythng whatever
emitting to perform any ofds act With express OF
is 70 be in some malnf OF degree Influenced thereby shan be deemed
guilty Of receiving bh9e AID on conviction ,hal he punished Joy
OF in an5 manner relieved from The m sentence except
upon satisfactory proof Of bis innocence
] Il r'i'o g I ss ~ Ses oess1 nor he 70 e
criminal prosecution therefor but any peon Who "les ~ toni'
ssd 10 lie Felony and on conviction shall receive
ruahme provided 80 this article or person convicted Of recev.
Sec D. person charged vita receiving bute OF with Offering o!
oa.s,s lTlS ..t ',JS ts ,1y ags5 Se siae
10 qa! h. a iq e. W. s''1I my aS ~ h'o
he d S M NY % ofafT person 70 Judge Of the
supreme Court asagl roha9 cause hA. crime L been e.sHrd
under he provision; Of ms aTcr or opoa ihe apPsa-a o.
d Attorney Tie Juie a i,'se ls gaalt o Iue li ~ ,n
913nnsiql and ie,,nony "i sa ns., ' y s eJ AID
lo'hiag thi eon shan dnys ether T.ssif.les .1g e'
SIC Upon uh complaint beng made 10 TIE iHsi AioIly
Snp taat warrant fof the arrest Of person ccmpanel # TO
summon al The viHsses -e1 names ma Ss commit he .e
the Grsad jury il sha be n. ae o.
secusaoa @ Grand J4 and an inenes be i'S1t 20
o. Sf az t '1s ' etiou ssd sentence
SC G1y JoGge ofls Saprme Court am District AatI Who
provision, Ills article who ,ha be - any manner Gf,sS o,so S
Only notice ag an opportunity Of efnH e,al n % deemed
guilty Of aud on conviction be punished By a'a 1u' ="
mrT sonment both, As may be presenhed By law mt, , 70
In the Explanation which accompanies tnls Iepoi ~
given the following resume OF the testimony tahcn ~ %
Investigation Of the charges OF corruption against 'e last
M e%ercieing the power take testimony conferred by
the Convention the Committee nave eAalhintu ~.
rs,ns the testimony of two Of whom were in reunited
a. fbey stated through their chairman when asking Tor
the poyer their object was not 10 investigate charges
sgainst individuals suspected OF Official IN,
%5ritv bnt TO Obtain some specific or general
cmpiitee did not conceive it TO be part OF the
duty Of this body 10 investigate charges on cI D c
thy felt that information on this subject WOuiu pc
useful it. in framing safeguards against oCst @
purity hereafter they feel IT TO 4G ther uu'y cd
10 call before them Mr.. II. b. Wilson, VINO anuIcsscu
letter TO the Convention, making whOlesee chaIE.e
against the last Legislature and declaring ms So! tie IT,
establish their truth II called before ile
was brought before the committee ana examiner ons
from which IL appeared that he possessed but tc uccl
specific knowledge on the subject Dut ne eaH ~, ft
OF other parties, who, he thought wonld DC au % ~
bis letter 10 the Convention. lie testified however IN
substance that Senator W. Humphreys hau sVk n,
tes applying FOR Underground Railroad tIahchise III
the CITY Of NewYork, $500 but that ne haa gwen " %
money had been given Humphrey to secure his
support of the railroad bill referred to, or OF
| ing heard of this testimony came beore me
! Committee, and after having IT read testified
that I'm substance It false; that he had opposed
the hill both committee and on the floor OF the senate
! BIZ MT Wilson. He brought with him Senator Low,
Chairman Of the senate Committee on ono .eS
the bin referred both in committee and in the senate
Mr. Wilson also testified that certain members OF the As
sembly IN some previous year. had taken cOsue %
for their votes In which he had designated the
Committee neu giyap them by Mr. Wilson, as
| narties from whom they would be likely TO get
/ The Committee next examined William Richardson,
President OF the Dry Dock Railroad Company ne test
wear 1866 in procurement OF Legislation ABOUT SZOWo
When asked II he disbursed any par Oh o money nc nc
oecneH hIrsef The Committee next subpenaed Mr.
PaImece then in the state OF S0nIeStGua WIS as COZ
CHANCES OF legislative corruption during the last session
He declined TO respond on me gr01h1 tha' nc was not
Tjr That our present laws which make the gver and
the receiver OF brbe equally guilty. Ienoer II rune 10
stem1 TO convict either They cannot be expected ex-
cent on cOmpusOn, 70 cIlnlnate 80
I',bt before tho Committee would acknowledge mat
he nal committed the act OF bribery All either denied
it or refused to answer on the ground g o iSc co 10
Wet for bribery must either exempt one OF te
or compel both 70 testify against themselves Ut VIC must
| do both. . 90, -..,,,. 90 o,4at, rroo, ~ ann
oiac acts Of bribery the Committee next sought general
faefs from which the specific acts might be larry IN
ferred They found that one railroad COMPANY nau eh
pended IN single year "a EFFORTS 70 procure da'0IaDe
iocjsIaiop $4,000: another upward OF sNWtO beside
! 10000 or during the tW9, pr9CeulnE years
i ieu own own stock, valued at about par a
| large portion Of when was oc leNeuu 70 hNe
eeen RSio fere1ce 4 unavoidable that much Of these
ie9a aims similarly expended must have been employed
9stupe because Il is not conceivable that so much
money could have been legltinaey eApohueu IN inc pro
gI;J Tbat p,eritOrious are sometime de-
sostcd because illegiumate compensation Is refused
5 tsese AFFORD strong confirmation OF The general
Faets .,ao OF official venay charges which IL
slonld seem are vague only because the "a" suSs inc
proof They also demonsrate 1ae csn u i ,ond
cnsb This iniquity, and thereby ente user 10 me sra
tude Of the people The testimony a o ITEM oI are be
with submtted them and the Colnmlttee sA 20 DC as
charged from the further Tt e IT,
MT ]. townsend CRep.. Rensselaer, dssented from
40 ueh OF the majority report as e1eped persons oi
M an the ground that II has not been the
noV OF the state TO punish tho reduced and Let the re-
dnceT 90 free that deemed the remainder OF the PRO
utsirs v Tho Cairmap 10 form addition 20 our pre-
eut legislation under the Constitution as ~ re nauc
o written report based On The above srouhuS AWouIheu