The New York herald., 1878-02-21
THE STATE CAPITAL:
Continuing the Contest for Mr..
Purdy's Seat.
POWER OF THE CANVASSER.
Holidays for Our Weary
Lawmakers.
NEW BILLS INTRODUCED.
NEW BILLS INTRODUCED.


the Assembly during greater part OF today's scs
sion, and again, after recess. this evening. Tho
First Assembly district. whence the contestants
come, s composed OF the towns OF Yonksrs and
westchester and that part OF westchesser
rounty recently annexed TO and now FORM
Ing the Twenty third and fwenty-fourrh
wards Of the city Of New York. Mr.. Purdy
u the sitting member from the district, and demo-
sraL Not only the latter fact bat the exceedingly
close majoritiss BY which both he and bis opponent
Mr. Norris claim 10 have been elected, rendered the
interesting But, perhaps, the cbiei rsal human
interest taken In it by members Of the Assem-
bly, out Of M Purdy's personal popularity,
which, It was thought, would be strong enough to
The votes republicans In his favor on
that ground alone.
THE MIGHTY cANvIssEa.
Mr. Terry, who opened tho discussion with an argu-
mept in favor OF Tho majority report, which would
scat Mr. Morris in Mr. Purdy's place, dwelt at some
length, therefore, the point that this is not ques
uon OF social intercourse personal favoritism. Hc
Denied too that any political considerations had In
huenccd the decision Of the majority OF the commit
lee The question, said be. is Of fact, and
ihe fact Is that when the polls closed
on election day IL appears beyond any reasonable
doubt that there nineteen twenty In
the bnllot boxes Norris than there for Purdy
The Board OF Canvassers arrived at different
clusion. and gave Pardy 3.6o6 votes and Morris
8,5SS Mr.. Terry explained that the whole matter
hinged upon certain ballots oast In the First Election
district In Yonkers Sixth and Eighth Election
districts in the Twenty.third ward. Tho canvassers
In the first place rejected 10 votes the Sixth dis.
trict and 1S votes In the EIghth-makng In all 80
votes-becauss they did not conform 10 technical
requirement OF the law the name Of the election
district IN which It Is be wfitten on every
ballot. Mr. Terry cited precedents 10 show
that this objection had never been held
valid when the intention OF the ballot
clear. and that except on proof OF fraud
II boards canvassers wero permitted to take such
liberty with votes cast at an election as had been taken
In this instance then We should soon hnd that such
boards had more 10 do with carrying elections than
tho votors themselves In the second place the cnn-
vasscrs had deal. outrageously with the election
return from the First district IN Yonkers. The re-
turn. originally sent the Board by the
Inspectors OF showed that SOC votes had been
In Azuros and the return went on 10 say s'o which
humber Ambrose d. Purdy received S0s votes the
number being written QUIZ aod Fordham Morris los
votes' Cn writngl-the number bsing afterward
stated 1913 in dgurss Ut appeared that the law
quires the returns OF the inspectors oi~ election
hgureal Here was discrepancy, and the
Board Of Canvassers sent the return back to the
spectors or CORRECTION. The amended return, writ
another sheet Of paper attached to the original
return, gave Purdy 30s voes, as before and Norris
19s instead The 108 out In original re-
turn. Tho Board Canvassefs chose 10 adoptts
ConcIusion against the fact stated In this amended
M Ferry s %s Of he opoa
ths proceeding OF the Board smacked OF corruption
aud oid not believe any member OF The House would
trcts named did not belong to Mr.. Morris. He
accused Mr. Piper the author OF the minor.
Ell sided '''in hi. opinion as uttered % in i ins
COMMITTEES room, amt did not beiisve It would be
stated In the latter report The persuasion ascd by
the sitting mcmber. SAID Mr.. Terry, consists IN
to inc satisfaction OF the House that some OF The
voters who cast their ballots tor his opponent
not ent,tled TO vote at all
THE
Judge Piper next arose. and responding to Mr.
Terry, Oombarded HIM and the Assembly with cils-
OF Canvassers would have rsmiss In their duties
they not precisely they did act respect
TO The ballots cast in tho three districts In question
He said that the question, as IL came
before tho COMMITTEES. was, what should
ans board OF % in Mef n.9 Ss Ss
law defines duties oil county canvassers DO
purely ministerial and not In the least judicial the
committee, acting q board Of canvssscrs, clearly
had no Judlc,ai power. no said that Mr.. Puroy,
through hts counsel, had SHOWN In the committee
out the whole course OF the investigation,
that at least thirty illegal votes were
by persons who had already indicted for illegal
voting IL the duly OF the canvasssrs and Of the
the Youkcrs distr,c. Judge Piper said that the law
was too explicit to be misunderstood when IL said
that election returns must bo written ''in words at
lcngth.n The original returns from that district
gave Morris los votes writing, and the subsequent
amendment oi II was not authorized by law, neither
was properly made or clear as to giving 1913 votes
~ Morris. so apparent was u ut The outset that
the original return legally assigned ouIy los votes TO
Norris that the nrst honest mpulsve conviction ar
rived only by himseli but, said Judge Piper.
also by the chairman OF The committee and by another
sop w"s thst 5s Ss read
Judge Piper resented the idea that his report
not prepared upon CONVICTION aud that Le did not
,ln hu avn rU Wnrt pf
THE HOLIDAY ADJOURNMENT
There was the usual wrestling match. in the Assem-
big between Mr. Alvord ana other members tho
motion tor prolonged adjournment, and, IL usual,
Mr. Aivord was thrown. Mr. Hepburn, who lives awuy
desired tho House 10 adjourn over from tomorrow
until next Tuesday evening at eight O'Clock,
and Mr.. Aivord arose sorrowuIiy Thee old gentleman,
who can NJ times tho pathetic
and lupubrious expression ever Lehcld ON the
countcnanco OF mortal man, and whose vocc on such
occasions takes tone somewhere between tho how,
OF aervsh aud the complainIDgs OF newborn babel
griovousiy protested against carrying the adjourn
msnt beyond Monday evening at fur, hest His griev
ancs was Just one, as IL nearly always IT, he SAID
the work before the important committees had
Greatly accumulated, tnas .no aoJoSrnmsna from
ings such committees from being held this week.
and that II next Tuesday was lost, stu other COM
mittee meetings would 10 over which are generally
herd on that day. Mr.. Alvord seconued by
poa from Mr.. Fish, which called iortn u dsrisvo inur
Tor the poor Committee OF Apportionmeut, which
report the 1st day Of March. lots Of
irsin from laughing between bis own sentences while
making this tender appeal
90 HoMK
II was Mr. Allen, vi Erie, though, who succeeded In
attracting the sympathy oil the House when he sad
sl,s all very well Tor gentlemen 1.-Two ~ Albany
or within lew nours' ride " II, and keep their fam.
lies with them, 10 vote Tor short Adjournment. As
Tor me- 1--we away or In sremole corner o Erie aud
haven't seen my we TOR month. have peen Ia
Albany all the time, trying 10 behave nysolf as we'll
Ms could, and now want 70 20 home !" (Roars Of
laughtor.l
Mr. Hepburn supported mis- motion for an adjourn
msnt until Tuesday evening" on behalf Of himself aud
other members from remote districts OF the state,
with so vigor that the reasons ne gave at
length gladly accepted by mauv who had such
good excuses to take the vacation they longed for
Aud 90 Mr. Hspburn's motion prevailed
BILLS fxTR0DUcED.
Among the numerous bills introduced In the Assem-.
bly, the foIlowing:-
BY Mr.. SsebachcrA bill similar 70 the bill for the
protection of female employees, TO protect Journey
men, laborers portors worknen, saicsmen and other
classes OF maie employees throughout the State.