New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-12-31
NO CONTESTS FOR OFFICE.
HENCE LEGISLATORS GATHER SLOWLY IN
ALBANY.
A BILL FROM GENERAL SEWARD TO ENABLE
THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS TO FILL
VACANCIES.
lsr TELEGRAPH TO THE TKIBUSE.l


who have arrived here are astonshed at The small
proporton of the membership Of the Legislature pres
| emf I'm Albany to-day. Ordinarily nearly every mem
Der of the Legislature at the Capital on thc SUNDAY
previous 30 its meeting, but to-day there were Only
four of the thrty-twO Senators in the city and only
thirty of the I2S Assemblymcn. The members Of
the Legislature who in Albany enjoyed mild
sensation tonight General John ~ Knapp, Of
Auburn the chairman Of the Executive Committee OF
| the Republican State Committee. arrived In the CITY
bearing bundle of formidable looking legal docu
ments lie sought Fremont Cole the Speaker OF the
! Assembly, and informed him that William H. Seward,
who leads the Republican electoral ticket had dis
! covered that there was State law providing Tor
the filling Of vacancies in the Electoral College. As
| several Of the Republican electors arc aged men, II
| is likely that some OF them may not come 10 Albany
when the Electoral College meets I'm January. AS
| General Knapp said The absence OF two or three
Republican electors would not defeat General liarri-
! son, for have good margin, but we want him 10
have every one of New-Yorks thirty-six electoral
votes The absence OF authority to fill vacancies in
| the Electoral College caused by the
recent law of Congress changing the
time of meeting Of the college. General
Seward sought the advice this subject OF Senator
| william NJ. Evars and Of Clarence a. Seward. Here
| have the legal opinion of Mr.. Evarts and OF MT
Seward I'm which they say that the passage of state
law such | have outlined 80 positively necessary
II vacancies are TO be filed in the Electoral College
I have had the Enabling Act drawn up and II Will be
presented to tho Legislature by the Speaker have
no doubt the VIII be rushed through the Legs
lature Tuesday, and that 1t VIII be lmncdlaHN
| signed by Governor HILL"
The Senators and Assemblymen were asonlshed
to hear that Governor Hill concmplates removing
Robert G. Maxwell fiom the Office of super
intendent OF the Insurance Department and putting
| I'm his place Theophlus c. Caicot, Editor Of The
Albany Tines Mr.. Maxwclrs term of Office cN
pircs on January II. He receives salary of $1,000
yearly and naturally the position + much sought
Mr. Maxwell came into politics prominently In this
State in 1881 when he elected State Treasurrr
He was then ono of the leaders of the Cleveland wing
of the Democratic party. lie had great influence In
the western part OF the State After serving two
terms as State Treasurer he declined denomination
In 1855 he rendered great service TO
Governor Hin when the latter was seeking the
Democratic nomination for Governor. Governor Hill
rewarded Maxwell by making him superintendent OF
tho Insurance Department. but Mr. Maxwell was still
at heart a Cleveland and openly opposed
Governor Hill when the Governor attempted to force
The Democratic State Committee 10 elect Hill
Democrat a member OF the Democratic National
Comraittee. Maxwell also took of his political coat
and worked hard to eject Cleveland Democrats a.
delegates to the Democratic National Convention
If he is removed by Governor Hill, it Will be an
Indication 10 the Cleveland Democrats that the
Governor intends 10 make upon them. The ap-
pontment of Mr.. CalcOt as Mr.. MaXwclls successor
would be another indication Of this plan, because no
Democratic newspaper in the state so bitterly attacked
President Cleveland as The Albany Times" Be
sides Callcot has been chronic Democratic kicker
lie bolted" when Lucus Robinson was nominated
for Governor in 1879, and supported John Kelly and
has frequently bolted Democratic local nonina-
tons in Albany County II Is doubtful If
the insurance companies Of the state would
look with pleasure upon Mr. Calcots appointment
Another report that Governor Hi Contemplated
appointing T.. l.. Hidgway, Of ork, Is Superin-
endent of the Insurance Department. The appoint
ment of Rldgway in Mr. MaXwelIs place would be
Just as offensive to the Cleveland Democrats as that
of Mr.. Caicot. Mr. Ridgway for three years has
been OF the most conspicuous lilll Democrats In
the State. As member OF the Beard Of Aqucduci
Commissioners of New-York he was in highly I'm
Aucntial POSITION and Governor Hill therefore
profoundly grieved when he driven to signing
the bill of Senator Fassett which deprived Rdgway
Of his Office Whether the insurance com
panes will approve of the selection of Rldg
way any more than they would of that
OF Callicot Is questionable. lie would bling
politics into the Insurance Department innovation
which would be highly dllikcd by the insurance com
panles.
1t was said tonight that there prospect Of a
contest over the office Of president pro TEN Of the
Senate TO fill the vacancy caused by the death Of
senator Low. For limo there has been an i'm
I
he elected to the Office owing To the fact that he was
q candidate year ago and retired in MI Lows favor
Tonight however. IT was rlmoIed that some OF the
Republican Senators intended to vote for Senator
Hendricks of syracuse, and that there was opposition
10 Senator Fassctts election senator Hendricks
put an erd TO all these rumors He said to Tribune
CORES pondent as he said TO others " do not want
The position of president pro tenn and am not can
dllac | do not know that senator Fasset Is can
didatc but If he is, / would gladly vote for him
senator Raincs also stated that he would gladly vote
for senator Fassett The Indications that senator
Fassett will be unanimously elected The Republicans
senators will hold a caucus tomorrow night
Senator Murphy stated Tonight that the County
Democracy would send the following distinguished
delegation 10 Governor HIPS inaugural: Maurice j.
Power Judge MARITIME. James ". Boyle, Controller
Meyers, Henry r. BeeVman, James = Coleman. d
Iowbcr Smith, IT,, Hampton Robb, John H. NoorhiS'
Nelson j. Waterbury. Richard .. Cunningham. Charles
Reilly Judge Murray. Judge J. Henry Ford, +. T.
steers Henry Hart, Thomas p walsh Michael Bren-
man, Thomas Cosgan. Conrad smyth and Abraham
Bernard.
Speaker Cole said to-day that he mover had any
idea of opposing the Of the Assembly Chamber
by the friends OF Governor Hin who desire 10 have
him nauglira,ed there. The Republican Assembly
men would afford every courtesy to the Governor
The Assemblymen would meet probably at 10 O'CLOCK
On Tuesday in the Assembly Chamber, b. sworn
into Office and would then take recess until p. ni'
surrendering tho Assembly Chamber to Governor
Hill and his friends. In the recess the Governor
would be inaugurated. Tho Assemblymen would
then meet at p. NJ, and select their seats Prob
ably tho Legislature would then adjourn Tor one
week to enable tho Speaker to make up his committees.
Assemblyman william +. Shechan OF Buislo me
Democratic leader arrived and had a cordial talk
with Speaker cole. There IS no doubt that Mr.
Sheehan VIII be the candidate OF the Democrats
sor Speaker against Mr. Cole Nj shechan was In
high spirits the reelection OF Gov
crnor Hill, and, although from Bui-
falo, wore no Grape over the defeat
of Grover Cleveland for President but Mr. sbeehan has
been Mr. lIilIs mouthpece in the Assembly Tor
several years aud his trusted lieutenant al state con
ventlons so that he has become absorbed wholly H.