The New York herald., 1868-01-08

lFLE SHEEI.
catisn, permits sAsw sxssusiop and ase viih sarh
beyond low water mark. 20 isr - may no iosnd oea
ground TO Justify the by the New Jersey Gen.
tral Rairoad Company OF siruci extending mile
into Inc bay under grants obtained from that State II
these ON the bay continued tney will
seriously intsnere ~h tie OF the harbor and the
oonyensncs q general comnsrce; and n .hey are ~
sutes Al additional and conclusive for restrain
ing them. In either view IL s obvious that wharf lines
on both shores OF the harb0r should be established,
beyond which docks should not be extended. With my
sanction the commissioners appointed presented the
subject 70 tho agents ihe part OF New Jsrsey Il rs
hoped ,hat satisfactory arrangement will DO agreed
spou and submitted 10 you at an early day.
anoe sorsso and domestic @ isass =. sse nart Of
New York IS o Immense magnitude, and that Guy Is
already tho rival OF toe leading sasporis Of Tue Old
World. In the hope that interests vast may Dc fur
thsr promoted tnink it desirable 10 continue he COM
mi sion.
Dor, anu y more commodous and complete system Of
wharves aud psrs is OF grave public Importance and
! respectfully commend II 10 your careful considora-
ton.
In my last annual message alluded to the Importance
Of srct adherence 70 tho policy indicated IN the brst
section Of the eighth article Of the constitution, which
provides that coporaons may be formed under general
laws, .Dut shall 10 created D. spsca act except
Tor MUNICIPAL PURPOSES and whore, In tue
judgment OF the Legislature the objects OF the corpora
ton canno. De attained under sensrla laws" Acting 10
TO time, framed laws OF general scope and application
amost wholly removing the necessity for spec s char
ters. II seems TO that this regulation should be
strictly observed and that sxcsptsons should bs admit
sed only in OF extreme hardship and whom tue
public good clearly jus,ihes departure from tho gen.
era RUE The pressure Of private Interests led
ITS disregard, have indy viduas and assoca
ssry and extraordinary spsc,s pryi,.rss and power
In period " vast transactons and great commercial
activity competition In every deIafment OF enterprise
hnds increased stimulus, and you doubtless will be fire.
quently invoked to advance schemes which promise
individual advantages and tho promotion OF objects
The danger lies in the tendency 70 give projects for
private advantage and gain an undue prominence TO the
prejudice the public trusts comnisted your
special and immediate supervision. 1hS Legislature
passed than ono thousand bills, OF which nine
hundred and seventy four received my approval cover
ing twenty .six hundred printed pages Or ths number
one hundred and twelve only we're Of general public
character. while three hundred and thirty.
and Owe hundred and twenty-five had merely
local bearing II It is considered that the
,nss. MEASURES %as INTO period Of less
than four moutha Il will 0s apparent that great pro-
portion OF the bills must have been passed without care
fui examination aud deliberate consideration Of then
ore than one halt Of these bills wore enacted during
the last ten days OF The session, and Notwithstanding
close application on part IN the discharge OF the duty
devoving upon me, four hundred aud ninety four
did receive my approval until alter the ADJOURN
exceptional With my immediate predecessor
2sl bills the nrs year u his term aud z4o me second
acted upon after the close Of the son and
obviously from tne Cause II cannot be doubted
that arm adherence 10 the policy indicated in tue con-
suton would tend to more careful leg isation. and
reduction In the Dumbar OF tho laws IL IS sig
nifcant that the French House Of Deputies, dur
ing rs last session, OF more than five
months duration, enacted only l3o lava.
The Parliament OF Great Britain, during
years 1866 and 1868 enacted but three hundred and
ninety the Thirty eighth and Thirty ninth Con-
gress of the Uni ed states, embracing period of four
years, enacted only three hundred and twenty-eght
laws including those Of private and public Character
Ths compar gives support TO the prevalent opinion
thst only leg saIe too much but that portion
OF the measures which tho Legislature exercises
juri i-diction mperecy considered uncssd tor and
lead 10 embarrassment and confusion
Entrusted by the constitution with the authority TO
impose for public purposes, and charged with the
duty Of restricting the powers OF municipal corporations
contract debss the obligation resting upon you ID
alike delicate, arduous aud responsible large portion
OF the by the people the outgrowth Of the
war the oxgences OF which jnsted the assent
or the Legislature large burdens assumed BY tho
State and by localities but tho war has Ixssed, and
every consideration Of policy patriotism and interest
points the necessity Of prudent husbandry OF the
public and careful avoidance Of all expert
mental legislation for mere private or corporate ends
Tho following summary s gathered from the records
OF tho department OF Public Instruction ana from tho
interesting report OF the Superintendsnt:-
m0neys including three quarters mill TAX. 81 4O8 l63