Year: 1865




We consider 1t trick to gain time. We SHALL


however, be none the less gratiaed II this great


peace conference shall open the door to peace,


although we fear that 1t will end in smoke.


The Removal or the State Capital-Ncw
York tho Only Metropolis.


The Legislature has appointed three commis-
sioners to receive proposals from the various
cities Of the State in regard to the removal Of
the State capital to some other location than
Albany. This removal appears to be an exceed
ingly popular idea. The HERAID's statements
Of the claims of New York city to the position
which Albany now holds have been everywhere
endorsed. It only remains for our Common
Council and the Commissioners Of the Sinking
Fund to take decided action in the matter. and
present such advantages to the committee of
the Legislature as New York can we'll afford to
offer, and with which no other city in the State
or the country can begin to compete. A free
gift Of q suitable plot of ground and dona-
ton of enough money to erect the necessary
buildings ought to do the business.


The Legislators are getting excessively tired
Of Albany, and their constituents have never
cared to go there. That little Dutch village
lives upon the Legislature and the legislators.
The inhabitants deliberately contrive to fleece
our Senators and Assemblymen out Of sufficient
funds during the one hundred days. session to
support themselves during the remaining two
hundred and sixty-6ve. They lie in wait for
the members, like highwaymen for their vic.
Tins or tigers for their prey. For everything
legislator buys at Albany, he is obliged to
pay double price. At the boarding houses
he is charged thrice the usual rates. AT the
hotels everybody swindles him, from the land
lord to the bootblack. The salary he receives
from the State hardly pays for his cigars. he
be man Of moderate means he must either
resign, run in debt or sell his votes. He escapes
from the sharks Of the lobby to suffer from the
bloodsuckers at his inn. He spends all his
money and gets nothing for 1t. The Albanians
overcharge him. and then give him bad victuals
and drink. All the small meannesses of .
country village surround and annoy him. His
pockets empty, his stomach filed with III
cooked food, his head aching from cidery
champagne, how can he legislate for great
State like great statesman


But Albany not only feeces the legislator
it also ignores him. Our correspondent-who
ought to know, since he has himself suffered
assures us that there are but two private houses
in Albany of any social standing to which
members Of the Legislature are admitted.
The Knickerbocker clique-always little
in numbers and In mind-shuts the
door In the face of the represen-
tative of the people, and leaves him
out in the cold. In the evening he has literally
no where to 60. There are no theatres in AL
bany, no places Of amusement except billiard
rooms and bowling alleys, and the legislator
is thus driven to drink and gaming for that re-
lief which every thinker requires after the ia
igues Of hard days work. At home he may
be man of social position and influence; but
at Albany he is condemned to be cut because
he is member of the Legislature, and men,
bers of the Legislature are $50 common" Thus
stunned on the one hand and swindled on the
other, it is no wonder that our State representa-
tives should be anxious to remove themselves
from locality already dull enough in all con-
science, but which will subsidc to the condi-
ton of mere railway station so soon as the
bridge is built over tho Hudson and the Central
Railroad whrls its passengers through the de-
serted village at the rate of forty miles hour.
In contrast with Albany this metropolis offers
the Legislature the splendid enjoyments, refine
ments and elegancies Of the best society in the
country. Messrs. Munger, White and Hum
phreys, tho Legislative committee, found them
selves introduced to most magnificent hospi-
tality during their recent visit here. Make New
York the capital Of this State, rs Boston is the
capital Of Massachusetts,, and here, as in Boston,
the houses of the first citizens win be opened
to the gentlemen Of the Legislature. We have
the opera, the theatres, concerts and amusc-
ments innumerable to all up their hours Of
recreation, and the addition Of one hundred and
sixty temporary residents to our population
would be SO little felt that prices would


not vary single cent during their
sojoun. Al for the lobby, they have that now
in Albany. Let them remove to this city and
the lobby will Of course follow; but X will not


be near so large, so audacious or 90 corrupt


In multitudes there is safety, so far as such
influences upon legislation are concerned.
| Then the press Of New York-which is the
press of the nation-would print the proceed
ings of the Legislature in full, and members
| would no longer be doomed to the oblivion Of


unread pamphlets. On every personal account,
| therefore, New York Ia the preferable city for
| the capital, and the effects of winter passed
here would be observable in higher tone


throughout the whole Of the State. We present


the argumentum ad hominem thus forcibly and
at length because we arc satisfied that our


municipal authorities will mako their proposals


so attractive in all other respects as to practi


cally settle the question at once. Such con


summation is devoutly to be wished


The Orr AND THE Gas CoxPANrEs.--t II
stated that the directors OF the Manhattan Gai