The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-03-11
THE STATE CAPITAL.
Question of Privilege in the Senate Retalia-
ton on a Observation-Disclosures OF Mort
cages from Taxadon-The Erie CLASH
fcation Act-Hell Gate Pilotage.
ALBANY, March 10, 1874.

ALBANY, March 10, 1874.
The sensation in the Senate to-day was the at.
tack of Senator Lowery upon Hugh Hastings, Of
the commercial Advertiser, in retaliation for very
uncomp imentary notice IN that paper OF the Sena-
tor some few days ago. The unpleasantness ap-
pears to have arisen on the head OF the Van Mort
bill, which the senator opposed with an uncom-
mon degree OF warmth, and even ventured to hint
that some of those who were supporting 1t had a
personal interest in doing so to the extent Of
having number OF their friends provided for in
the Department OF Public Works. 1t was after this
speech was made that the attack upon its
author appeared In the Albany column OF the
Commercial 1t was direct and personal to the
degree OF being savage, and the general
expectation that Senator Lowery would
make IL point OF privilege to respond
was fulfilled this morning Immediately after
the reading OF the journal. senator Lowery rep
resents the oneida district. lie is manufacturer
OF considerable means ana a man Of honest pur-
pose and fair capacity. He is nervous and out
spoken. and, If appearance and manner are any
index OF character, he looks unlike one who would
engage IN the meaner and more debasing prac-
tees OF politics to the position OF State
Senator. He spoke with strong feeling against
Mr. Hastings, and said his pen had been employed
for thirty years in inging filth upon every decent
reputation At the conclusion OF his brief and pas
sionate arraignment Of the journalist he sent to
the Clerks desk, that 1t might be read, copy Of
an affidavit made by Mr.. Hastings some thirty
years ago, in which the subscriber alleges that q
certain SANDER he wrote upon gentleman named
Stone was false and unjustifable from beginning
to end; but as this afIidavit has been pub
nshed many times before 1t is hardly worth
reproducing. Senator Lowery then sat down, and
a great load seemed TO be taken or his mind,
and, for that matter. OF the mind OF the whole
Senate, Ior these questions Of privilege are never
pleasant and are Interesting, in most cases. only
to the persons Immediately concerned. For all this
Ill blood the Van Mort bill Is undoubtedly RESPONSE
BILE, but the end is not yet
ExEMPTING MORTGAGES FROM TAXATION.
There is no bill in either house that so many pc.
titions from all parts OF the State have been sent
in to sustain as that calling for an exemption Of
NOR cages from taxation. Day by day these petit
tons come regularly, and, taken as an indication
OF the popular sentiment against the tax, the law
must be an odious one TO a large class OF people.
THIRD BEADING OF BILLS
In the Senate and House the third reading 'of
bills consumed the morning session. The process
was slow, and unless "the Grinding Committee"
the subcommittee OF the whole is called gets to
work soon the business will be kept Jack. Little
over dozen bills were moved IN the Assembly,
and these were mostly OF a local and minor char
acter. Nothing OF Importance. beyond Mr. Low
erys question of privilege, transplred in the Sen
ate.
THE ACT RELATIVE TO PILOTS
Mr. CoE introduced bill in the Senate to-day
providing that the tenth section OF the act relative
act OF March A. 1885, be further amended TO read as
1ollows:-
SECTION This act shall not be construed apply to
routes his side or to the westward Of Cape cSd no!
sailing under coastng license, any OF whose oficers
crew are able to and do pilot their own vessels through
the channel Of He'll Gate who shall be shall Be-
subject to the poiage fees as provided Tor IN section g.
RELATIVE TO HEAD MONEY.
In the Senate the President presented memo
Yiol ha hon har nj GnYn NasVH Nnr
relative to head money, favorlng the appointment
OF two commissioners Tor the purpose OF adjusting
and the issuing OF bonds, payable in twenty years,
with six per cent interest," for the payment OF
such claims.
Comptroller Green, his secretary, Mr.. Morrison,
and Deputy Comptroller Storrs arrived here to-
day. The Comptroller expects to appear before
the Committee of Ways and Means, to whom the
bill was referred compelling the city and county Of
New York TO pay their share OF the state taxes at
the same time the other counties OF the state.
Mr.. Green opposes the bill, it would cause dis
turbance OF the method now IN vogue for over
TWENTY-FIVE years by which the city and county OF
New York pays INTO the treasury its complement
OF State taxes. ii the bill passed 1t would become
necessary, 10 order mat New York should be on
issue bonds Tor 100000 which would involve a
considerable loss IN interest to the city treasury.
The Senate Judiciary Committee heard q
LEARNED ARGUMENT FROM MR. EvARTS,
who appeared on behalf OF the Erie stockholders
to-day, against the Erie Classification bill. intro
duced by senator Ganson. lie made the point that
there Is no instance TO be found OF the sharehOd-
ers demanding this Classification act to protect
their interests; that the measure comes from the
directors OF railroad corporations themselves, and
is Tor their benefit alone. He insisted, further,
that were 1t not lot the example of English rail-
road corporations having tried the Classification
experiment which may suit England but is con-
trary TO the spirit OF American procedure In such
matters, the thing would never have be en- heard
oil at this side OF the water. Mr.. stern, OF the
Cheap Transportation Association, spoke also
against the bill, IN benalf of the merchants OF New
/ York.
At the evening session Of the Assembly bill
was introduced by Mr.. Wagstan, giving the New
York ana Harlem Railroad leave to build
RAPID TRANSIT LINE
from Park row over the route OF the present
Fourth avenue car railroad TO Forty-second street
The company Is authorized to issue SIS, 600
4 OF stock and TO a lateral extension from
! Park row across to broadway, in 'front.' OF the new
! Post Once. This may be put down as another OF
! the distractions to bona tde rapid transit
Third reading OF bills In Committee OF the Whole
continued through the evening session OF the As
sembly, aud the bill to prevent extortion by gas
companies was spoken on by Mr. McAfee and its
passage recommended.
There was an argument to-daT before the Com
mittee on Cities by Lawyer Strahan against the
bill
| CONSOLIDATING THE CITY AND COUNTY OF NEW YORK,
but as the bill was drawn up by Charles 0'Conor,
and is an admirable one IN all respects, the sophis-
try OF Strahan will have little weight with the
committee.