New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-04-30
ALBAN Y.
THE POLICE AND PARK BILL IN THE AS
SEMBLY.

SrMDLI.
COL. sPENCER's MOTION TO INSERT 1T IN THE BILL
PROVIDING FOR THE PAYMENT OF THE EXPENSES
OF THE NETWORK CITY GOvERNMENT-THE
OPPOSITION STRONGLY OPPOSE THE MoToN-A
LONG DEBATE UPON THE MATTER-THE WHOLE
SUBJECT FINALLY DROPPED FOR THE PRESENT.
IRON THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE
ALBANY April 29.-There was quite breeze In
the Assembly during the morning session to-day,
growing out of an attempt by the Republican ma
jority to push ahead their partisan BILL which passed
the Senate yesterday, amending the New-fork
charter in relation to the Park and Police Commits
sions. The Assembly had been engaged all the
morning passing bills, mostly of a local and unim-
portant character, when about / o'clock the Clerk
reached in its order the bill approprlatlng S25O.OOO
to the Park Commission for improvements. AS soon
as the bill was announced Col. Spencer moved to
recommit it to the Committee on Cities with in
structions to strike out the second section and
insert the Senate BILL which passed yesterday, and
also to amend the title and report back forthwith;
the bill to retain its place on the order OK third
readings.
Mr.. Blumenthal rose, and in very excited manner
denounced this attempt to smuggle party bill
through the House by lacking it on another bill
about to be put on its final passage. He explained
the character of the bill and said that the dominant
there was occasion to resort to this method OF
getting it through the House.
Col. Spencer replied by saying that the nature OF
the bill had been fully explained by Mr.. Blumen-
thai and there was need Of discussing it further
He therefore moved the previous question OH his
motion to recommit.
Mr.. Weed rose TO question of order. He pro-
nounced this the greatest outrage that was ever
attempted by political party in the Legislature
worse than anything he had ever witnessed under
the reign of Tweed. His point OF order was that
a bill that had not been considered in any way by
the House could not be substituted for another bill
in this manner.
Mr. Lincoln, who occupied the chair, decided the
point of order not well taken.
Mr. Beebe then rose to q point of order, and de-
manded that the bill that to be substituted be
read so that he could know what he was voting on.
He proceeded to denounce in the most violent terms
the attempt to rush party measure like this
through the House without giving members chance
to read it.
When he had concluded Mr.. Lincoln quietly in
formed him that the point of order had not been
decided against him; on the contrary the CHAIR
decided that it was well taken and he directed the
Clerk to read the bill that was proposed to be sub
stituted.
After the reading was finished and the Chair was
about TO put Col Spencers motion for the previous
question: Mr. Weed rose TO another point OF order
TO w.t. that the bill to be substituted was not ger
name to the subject matter of the original bill. and
therefore could not be made an amendment to it in
the manner proposed.
The Chair decided the point not well taken.
Mr.. Alvord appealed from the decision OF the
Chair. He said he me- err saw shameful an act
Io Cd in fha Teoislature.
Besides, there was no need of it. The majority
could at any time suspend all the rules of the House,
and then bring forward their Senate bill and Tx
reasonable limit to the discussion and thus pass the
bill in a legitimate manner.
Col Spencer said he had sat calmly and quietly
and listened TO this excited discussion, wondering
what it all meant what occasion there was for It,
All there was Of this proceeding was simply this
The Senate had passed the bill in question, aud
oyery Democrat on the floor of the Assembly was
perfectly aware Of all il contained, and also knew
that il was the intention, as it was the right OF the
majority in the Legislature to make it law. And
when gentlemen raise points of order and appeal
from the decision of the Chair he could only say TO
them that if they expected to defeat the passage OF
the bill they would have to talk about % hours
upon it, OF until the hour arrived for adjournment
sine die.
Mr.. Alberger did not entirely approve OF this
method Of getting a bill through the House, but
members were aware that If the measure demanded
by the majority did not pass now 1t would be lost'
There was nothing so very Outrageous III tne
measure. and he could see no occasion for all this
display of wrath on the part of the opposition. IL
was smplya bill to secure non-partsan Board in
the Police and Park Commissons-a thing that had
often been done before by both parties
M. nrolan Gal hv Nc HepDp,
Weed Bnmenthal, Goldman, COughlin, and Others
until the hour of p. m when under the rules the
Chair declared the House adjourned.
After the adjournment the Democrats met in eau
chs to decide upon some plan of action. Some OF the
more hot headed among them in favor of with
drawing from tho Chamber in case the bill was
pushed while Others threatened to defeat the Supply
hill in case the Republicans persisted IN passing
the obnoxious measure. The prevailing opinion Is
that they are making more ado about IL than there Is
any occasion for The bill is regarded by uninter-
ested spectators of not much Importance one way
or the other, and there are many Republican MEM
beers who say they very little whether 1t passes
OF not.
LATER-On the opening OF the evening session OF
the Assembly Gen. Batcheller moved further post
ponement until o'clock of the question pending at
the close Of the morning session. which was carried
When the hour lof nine arrived Col Spencer rose
and said that inasmuch as some gentlemen In the
minority had complained Of o lack OF opportunity
to discuss the bill moved by lin this morning he
had concluded, after consultation with members OF
the majority to suggest if 1t be acceptable to the
minority that the House meet at 9 o'cock tomorrow
morning. and that Immediately thereupOn motion
be made to suspend the rules and to discharge the
Standing Committee from further consideration OF
Senate bill 374 the Police and Park bill, and that
the bill then have its third reading; also, that one
hour be allowed for discussing it's merits, OF which