The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-01-08
Old Soldiers Drilled by a
Young Recruit.
THE ASSEMBLY ORGANIZED.
Cornell Elected Speaker and
Opens Business.
The Custom House Senatorial Caucus
Tacking the City Charter.
THE UNITED STATES sENAT0RsHIP.

ALBANY, Jan. I. tS73.
The assembling Of the Legislature to-day was, of
course, the great event in town, and long before
the hour fixed for the beginning OF the fOrmaties
had arrived the Capitol grounds presented lively
scene OF excitement. The galleries and Hobbies Of
both houses were crowded and the greatest inter-
est was manifested in the proceedings by the spec
tators.
THE NEW SENATE CHAMBER
II q jewel of legislative architecture. The former
dingy old den has been transformed into light
and cheerful parlor. The Presidents and Clerks
desks have been removed from the north to the
south side, and fit most admirably into the niche
in the wall that used to dishgure the south side,
with no purpose apparently whatever beyond dis
Agurement, and the shacxly desks that
used to run in straight lines across
the room, looking like fOrlorn patoons, have
been replaced by new and bright red desks, ar
ranged in horse shoe form. The six unsightly
and obstructive columns that formerly supported
the roof and broke up the view have been re.
moved, and where they were now hang graceful
chandeliers The floor is carpeted with a gray
lowered Brussels, grateful to the eye and feet
and the skylight of the dome gives forth Just the
mild light suited to display the colors of the car
pet. The Senator'S are enraptured with the i'm
provement in their quarters. The only unhappy
effect IN the whole arrangement is that the pic
ture OF Washington on the north wall stands in an
attitude that suggests very forcibly the idea Of
intention on his part OF throwing hymn book with
his left hand at the Lieutenant Governor opposite,
while Stewart L. WoodfOrd's portrait on the west
wall, by some mysterious chance-the only portrait
among our long line of Lieutenant Governors
that ad0rns the Chamber walls-seems ready to
innict some manuscript OF his own upon the patient
members. We are not happy in
OUR PUBLIC PICTURES
Washington adds to the horror OF the situation by
having the thinnest legs and the latest feet that
any artist, with an atom of patriotism. could have
dared to ascrbe to him. But, except the pictures,
the Chamber is wonderfully improved, as 1 have
said, and it has all been the work of Dayton, the
Clerk OF the Senate who has designed and carried
out all the improvements since the 10th Of Decem.
Der. He combines the qualities OF the architect
very ably with those OF the Clerk.
THE SENATORS
we're promptly on hand this morning, exchanging
greetings with one another. They all looked WELL
even those who had suffered politicaldislocati
since the last session. "Jimmy'' O'Brien was as
bright and cheerful as If there had never been
. Mayoralty canvass in his stormy career,
and was received as cordially by his
brother Senators from the country as
II newspaper invective was literally OF no effect
on them whatever. Jimmy" with his round,
clean face, black eyes. strong upper lip, shocky,
OiaCk nalr anu Wltnul manner THAT partdkeB OF
cultured courteousness, by no means suffers
among the grayer-headed old chips Of the Senate,
and does the New York delegation no discredit as
he sits among them-almOst boy among the gray
boards. The chair OF Tweed Is empty, although
Senator Benedict by mistake ensconced himself
sation that would ensue should the stalwart Sena-
tor from the Fourth make his appearance. This
pure-minded republican Senate would ny in dismay,
rs Lot ned from Gomorrah
ABIAH PALMER, OF DUCHESS
q slight dark whiskered, active young man. is an
n a hnv mot nm
smooth since the last session. He was a Greeley
republican, and feels little doubtful about the way
nationally he was Greeley, systematically he was
Dix, and That he's as good q republican as any
A few minutes before eleven o'clock the new
Lieutenant Governor, John G. Robinson, short,
s w naH ns sar aef and
his two crutches and one leg, unattended. He
wore soldier hat, black felt, crushed IN the mid.
die, and o dark business suit. He was surrounded
at once by the Senator's, many Of whom had never
met him before, and through greeting throngs
made his difficult way to the desk. He sea ted him.
self for rest in the Lieutenant Governors chair,
an easy desk chair at the foot of the rostrum and
here the HERALD correspondent paid his
RESPECTS TO HIM.
.'You are going into "a new line OF business
believe, Governors' said the HERALD correspon-
eyes" responded General Robinson; '1'm new
.You propose to go through the school Of the SOL
Yes said, the Governor; Eat least must study
Red Book and proceeded to con it,
Lost arms and legs are held in high valuation
here at present In addition to the Lieutenant
Governor, who, / believe, Is the first Official OF
that rank who fought to such an unmlstakable ex-
tent In the late war, there are hall dozen one
armed and one-egged messengers and doorkeepers
In the two chambers; and at the last even
Ing the universal recommendation for every candi-
date was that he had lost something In the war !
arm, leg, fingers or parts, arms and legs usually
having preference over 1ngers. This Lieutenant
Governer was not lame one, fguratiyely speak
I'm
LEGISLATIVE ROUTINE
at once, caught the resolutions and amendments as
they new with the skill OF short STOP put them at
the Senators with the promptness and accuracy of
an accomplished fielder, and had TO rely upon the
mainly Of The names OF Senators. on taking his
seat he made q very pretty speech, not start
slaughtered grammar nor rhetoric, nor stammered
for words. For new recruit, We may say he
learned the drill very readily.
ORGANIZING THE HOUSE.
The proceedings in the Assembly Chamber were |
Of the usual opening day hum-drum character.
The members were sworn In by the Secretary OF
State, who looked as savage as q meat axe during
The operation, and then came the formaiities OF |
y yStng Tor speaker, Clerk and sergeant,at,Arms,,
The evening before was, of course, car
RED out, and Mr.. Cornell, Mr.. ODonnell aud
Mr.. Cornells speech was short and to the psint
although the democrats did not seem TO relish the
n the name OF the law and in violation of the law.n
One OF the New Workers turned to republican who
at near him as he heard the words and whispered
luite audibly:-
~ saw that speech before Cornell came M the
Ln
"You don't say SO ~
81 really did, and between You and me he has
~ out lew words just there about that rob-
ING"
allow so Yr was the inquiry of the republican.
<sWhy in the or ginal IL read as follows :-srhey
ROBBED IN THE NAME or THE LAW
Id in violation OF the law, and now our turn has
me at last.'v
IL is needless to state that the republican saw
here the laugh came In but there are those, it
ay be sakl, who have an idea that not few OF
o faithful among the reformers firmly hope that
cir turn 10 do In the Legislature, as Mr.. Cornell
III the democrat did In and out OF IT, has, indeed,
me at last The poor democrats. while Cornell
ls speaking, fuade the best OF the situation. All
90 were turnet. upon them after he had finished,