The New York herald., 1878-02-23

tor the same for moneys expended by HIM
mssn sso S d %y os ss shall
tue o Public Works drafts said
provided that said allowed
ns a &C for @
provided for by tns shall be deemed 60 bs
Comptroller Ocott. answering some quires by
members OF the committee said that he considered
the Caual Board practically abolished by the constitu
tional amendments, ana that the Superintendent OF
Public Works is in no way responsible TO IL or
subject to It's direction. The principal duly
remaining with It IL the hearing OF appeals from the
decisions Of the appraisers and tho appointment OF
collectors Of tolls. Although not iavorng the propo-
stion abolish the office OF the Auditor OF the Canal
Department and tho duties 10 The Comptrol.
ler's Office he said he would shrink from any
sponsibility the State might put upon him. He op-
p0seu The abolition ol the Board OF Canal Appraisers
whose duties, II WAS suggested, might be devolved
SOP the acc Of CLAIMS which constantly
increasing, IL by legisa,ion whicn would check the
presen lalion OF the minor claims.
DEPUrY PROPOSED.
proposition was made a. this meeting OF the com
miteo 10 authorize the appointment OF additional
Deputy superintendent OF Puolic Works. upon whom
shall bo imposed the duties now performed by the
Canal Appraisers
Mr.. AIvord's bill proposing very material reduc-
lon the engineering force o The canals opposed
by State Engineer and Surveyor Seymour VINO also
appeared before the committee. Mr.. seymour deems
this very inopportuue time TO make such q
reauclion as the BIN anticipates A new system OF
canal management has aced the work the hands
OF who have yet 10 learn the and the
gers when are continually 10 be guarded aguinst
Next year, he says, he snail favor radical change
the engineering department anu new plan when he
has not yet definitely fixed upon He Thinks how
ever that the engineering work Oh inc canas may
gagged, when the remainder OF the iorce may be DIS
pensed with, except sucn temporary assistants 1t
may be necessary 70 employ from time to time.
Fiuaily the committee appointed Mr. Heard, OF
Erie; Mr.. Wers. of seneca, aud Dr. l. /. Hayes. of
New York, u sab committee TO whom was referred
superintendent Cark's bl, together with tho whole
question oil the laws relating to the REPAIRS
and Improvement OF the canals, The powers und
| proposed changes IN the auditing department und
! plans Tor the appraisal OF canal damages.
INTKREsTlxG TO EPlsc0PALiANS
Most OF the brie session oi tho Assembly yesterday
was taken up by discussion Of Dill introduced by
reported adversely from the Committee Cnaritab e
and Religious Societies. TINS bli which Is almost a
repetition Of one scas Ia TO the Legislature last year
Deini Delaware county, has caused even greater
coucern among Episcopalians throughout the State
than It's predecessor did. II might DO aptly entitled
'An act 10 bring 10 book recaictraut rector" siuce
its reason ol being consists IN tho tact. us
rssenty recent ess ssa'e0 soreoss NOR 0omack' .na 'ns1s
vestry meetings OF the Episcopal Churcn
In the parish OF Delhi the rector refused to call
other meeting 70 ADJUST II, and bong demonstrated
with, told MI CormucK that he (C0rnlack) could not
help himself, ~ indeed ho couldn't. The law OF the
|
ings the rector IN order to do away with
oDnOxous privilege OF the rector u his own parish
copa parishes. and, aIso enact general law Tor the
whole State under the guise oi special law Tor the
parish OF DehL Although The matter has been duly
referred IN the general proceedings VI the Assembly
muy be Interesting TO reprint the BILL which reads
AS ioows:-
SECTION l. Subdivision l5 of section of chapter sos o
the laws oil 1858 entitled AN act to amend the acts
vde for the o rexIeas societies ar Ms the
Epsccps Church., is hereby amended to read
i5 1t shall be lawful for the rector or one of the church
wRdeas any Of tho vestrymen call
WARDEN. sd vesymsn "
which shall be served ~ least three days before such
ut the rssiasnes d sash rector warden or ves,ry.
that Tor The 6rst meeting alter election t~entyioar
hours notice thereof .nA be sucisnt and every
Ing Of such vestry, called aforesaid Qt quorum he
pese shall be aexal meeting Tor the transaction Of
business msjorsy 9, such vs'sry shall oonssisuts
sKc 2suoaivision ID Of section Of said act ishereby
10 rhs s.eor It present. AND II not. then the church
then the churen warden WHO sh called the by
Of s yoss s. and md II The rsst"r % and beth
i ne soa. s 81 sIis s as
Evidently this bill proposed 10 alter In funda.
mental point the organic c0ns uti0n Of the Protest
ant Episcopal Church N this SsAtethe fundamental
point beng the coordinate power OF cIergymon and
laymon every recognized church body. Il was first
put into form In the act OF $780, which passed Uy
Church.' II has been retained In every amendment
OF that act and remains IN tho present OF 1868,
which was passed by the Legislature at the
instance OF the Convention OF the Episcopal Church
In tho state OF New York; Aud II Is now part OF tue
law OF organization VI not less than six hundred
Episcopal churches In the State. Naturally enough,
| thon, Mr. Cormack's attempted innovation would
be opposed 10 II has been, by memorials or resou-
tons from diocesan conventions aud standing CON-
mittoes oil all the doceses, bodies consisting equally
aud lnymon Bishop Potter Of New YORK; Bisnop Lit
tlcjohn, o Long Island Bishop Coxe OF Western New
York; Bishop Huntington, OF Central New York, and
Bishop Doane, Of Albany-ail the bishops oil the
Church In the state In fact-oincd In these proesa
tions Consequently, wnen Mr.. Cormack's bill was
moved yesterday morning, IN the such nre
from outside the chamber and adverse report
| within IT, Il was plain that he had but small sy m.
| ing away win an argument which, altbougn u was
scarcely listened 10, was by no means bad one ON
his side OF the question: and certainly contained
| interesting Information.
xR. coRMAcK's ARGUMENT.
He eatd that II Is evident from the laws Of ether
States bearing this subject that churchmen gencr
ally IN this country do not consider necessary Thai
the rector should preside rs vestry
or that ho should call the meetings, that he has
| herent rights in such matters. The common law oi
Wisconsin 10 that quarterly meetings shall DO hed
the lst oil May, August, November and February
Nebraska mas the same common law. Alabama allows
meetings to DO called by Inc rector or AZ the request
the ve,tiymen; New Hampshire, by the rector ont
OF the wardens; Arkansas, by the rector OF
ware. a, The reques, % Of S Two Of The .no vessry ,
men. In Maryland one OF the strongest Cnurct
states IN the Union, regular meetings are held Tho
same days % as IN Wisconsin, and special meeting
may be called by the rector, or II there be none, or
he be absent or refuse or neglect, then any Two o
the vcstrymcn may call meeting. Thus, IN various
States meetings Tor tho TRANSACTION oil Cnurch busi
ness are called by either the rector wardens or
trymen, according 10 the diIiorcnt STATE laws Fur
ter, IS always considered necessary that
ltne rector or wardens w present but IN no case