The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-01-24

A Bill to Confer on tho Attorney General
Power to Seize on and Examine
Books Of Corporations
Discussion In the Legislative
Committee.
Mr.. Sherman in Defence Of Corporations
in General and Erie In Particular.

meeting OF the Legislative Committee appointed
to examine into aud report on the bill which, II
passed into law WILL 1t Is supposed greatly AFFECT the
interests OF the Erle Railroad, held this evening"
BY the provisions Of the bill the Attorney General
is clothed with full power to seize on and examine,
when he sees It, tine books OF all corporations In the
State. Erie Is alarmed. and. through Its counsel,
Mr.. Sherman, appeared before the committee In
opposition to the bill. Mr.. SHEARMAN satd:--
:.,: :
Its object: arc th Ss Sa .,.., o.u, -.
VIII as
TO
e. ss: :$ :s
is it .SssS sss q: sls y
sSs $ as e
Ct a be ysss sS:s
s i be Ss S en- xsA are
parties and w.nsssssp Attorney General the only
Wis., : ~ sa sSs ssi% 'lss
any such s Arr none ., ne Jude; Of this State to be
but s n Il q, onss ps Sss q s STAT. u
Ssy Ss %srS a:
Ssnsia . S rshs BRING ays Sr any county
s which Il force @ many
years. when the Of witnesses and the ends Of
Ss S' S.a
there are few
91s
taken into suoh local tho
Fl Of
psS 81 Ell
is' that it constitutes FOR the judicial once
70 .s ss s
that cannot Be- ssa that The Attorney General as
any worthy OF respect or of attention than any other
the Attorney into Ills the books OF
scarcely possible 70 sneak of .hi. feature of the bill
s ESss s'''ss s history very Never
STATE n Rsssd
ne
:, AT TSE HESYx or THE AIroaSEI "a. sss 81.
3f
other company The State every bank and
T from se
s; ss;s En- :s' s'''
argue further about ths There nothing in the Office Of the
such Gi
iegreo tOlsrs3e Never e. bes. days. tls once
riS % S
allure is said to have been eected as reform
e. Of the s bills
S sa either in
Mr.. Sbearman here defended the Erie company,
ana proceeded
Tho law proposed is not to last for two years only 10
no q III. attorney Gsns5a 6ai nSsass
ss% s 81 :s % &c ss ss
or n H' Ss s
Il. 'y said n e1 asss
p.s.sn Or s SS 1si III, 'e Se man. shalt 1T
away the books Of corporation In the STATED How
S s c Of S sy have The
INFINITE confusion and trouble must ensue from the adoption
TdAs to that provision OF the bill which authorizes the
to the Of any SSer Of
with, or for any shorter time than eight days
TUE RAMSEY SUITS.
Counsel reviewed the history OF the Ramsey suits
and asked
corporation should not have at least eight before any
fees Should they not be beard IN opposition to such de-
%snd' And n,s1,rs an SnsMs %ss that
!@s' L there amy one u. or you who. he
much
% ms r 70 ss
s Of ss 70 g Ss
30 condemned o must have reasonable opportunity to
s M lie hay ss time 70
han eight dsy The law NOV provides tina, no defendant
an surely 'S gou Would n 1 s
S: issS 4:
bis answer Again, why this vacia.ing egisIatonp Can
Is It necessary to GIVE any more orr ru,
Il not one OF The complaints Of the present day that the
Ssssa nsI ps Ss
ruin pr esen pS S Of
ay be ,ha, the Of Justice require .ha. the
Sss sys s s .s
AZURE give to the Attorney General 6tef denied
Y 1 where individuals are concerned why should they
~" wuKsI 4 oorroaArros Is cosornsrpp
s .n s es
aans thousands of persons Interested il I; any such
.dopea the Ls.iss had Sss.r :. further o rouSls
'n''si' s9%sS .'f 'h.
!s:.,.!; 4.
soa SisSs Ssl sSol:S ali dc ceSs. :aS.sSls
n' ar: Or HSsss; s tn. ssss cor
sach that all violations Of general principles for the sake
Meeting particular emergencies eventually lead to greater
those which they designed IN The
of the abuses which have sprung up IN the city OF New
fork confessedy owing TO special egslaon, which
TO METr PARTICULAR CAsKs
there thought that the ordinary rules OF justice and
Would 1S %ss . TS,ss: 4:
poweris always dangerous and corrupting
Judges hold their Offices for fourteen years. and
re liable to impeachment and to severe punish
lent II they guilty Of corruption. An Attorney
enera holds his only two years. lie seldom
opc reelection He practically irremovable during
term, and IL power placed in his hands, by oppres
I've practices 10 cxtort money, he can use II with: |
ut fear Of any consciousness except the censure OF
=, perfectly wen aware that the power which this
General would enable him. without difficulty or publicity, to
xtor thousand dollars annually from the corporations
this State Every corporation has CONTRACTS the
ape q which depends entirely upon their privacy and
u their rivals business these would prefer 70