Year: 1873




TEST FOR THE sPEAKERsHIP-ANXIETY OF RE-
PUBLICAN LEADERS ABOUT THE sENATE-CoN-
TESTED SEATS AND POSSIBILITY OF TIE-LiB-
ERAL REPUBLICANS APPEALED TO FOR AID
LEGISLATIVE SCHEMES AND PROJECTS.


The work of organizing the new Legislature,
which convenes In Albany the 9Th OF January 1874
being prosecuted with good deal Of vigor and some
degree OF bitterness In the ranks OF the dominant party


and bids fair to he productive OF than the usual
embarrassment The official count OF the votes In the
various Districts which certificates OF election have
been awarded gives the Republican party majority OF
two in the Senate and 40 in the Assembly tho Liberal
Republicans and Independents OF whom there are scy-
eral In both Houses, being Invariably counted with the
Democrats These majorities though greatly reduced
from those Of last would TO be sufficient to
effect organization without much difficulty in the iu-
teres Of party and they would be it not for
the cques and that disturb the
harmony its members. IL is secret that the leading
Federal oiceholders in this city, commonly called the
Custom-hOuse clique, backed by the same class OF
officials parts OF the State assume to dictate
the organization OF both branches OF the Legislature


including the appointment OF all the leading committees


To what extent their action upheld nstgated from
Washington can only be inferred from the fact that they
have never been checked reproved in that quarter
for thus intermedng with what Ia none OF their busl-
Last year they went TO Albany In body al the
opening the Legislature and by threats and promises
succeeded In carrying ont their programme for the
organization OF the Assembly to their entire satisfaction
The end of their IabOrs however, did not fuhll the
promise OF the beginning; for t Is a noteworthy
fact that with the exception Of electing Speaker and
Clerk they unable to carry through any OF their
projects during the session. Their troubles began with
the formation Of the Committees, which were 80 con-
structed TO satisfy one except the railroad men,
and exhibited deliberate intent to snub some OF the
most prominent members Of their own party Con-
spicuous among these James W. Hustled OF West
chester the oldest Republican in time of service in the
Assembly and certainly inferior to none in ability, per-
sonal popularity or fidelity to the party They soon
had however, to need his services In Dehaf OF


their own schemes and the fact that they were able to
command them after what had occurred, somewhat
lowered Mr.. Hustled in the estimation OF his friends.


THE CONTEST FOR THE sPEAKERsHIP OF THE ASSEMBLY.


The reward Of his d0cility was understood 10 be q
promise that he should be the chosen candidate for
Speaker OF the Assembly in 1874. However this may
have BEEN il is certain that Mr. Hustled has regarded
himself both before and since the election as the leading
candidate, If the only available one for that posi-
tion For three weeks after the election his was
almost the only mentioned in connection with
the speakership But recently the claims OF L. Brad
ford Prince OF Queens County have been vigorously
urged in certain quarters and 1t is alleged that the
Custom house influence Is being used ostensby IN his
favor To add the bitterness OF the contest 1t Is
noticeable that the champions OF Mr. Prince almost


invariably couple his praises with insinuations against
the character and fitness OF Mr. Hustled. This method
OF wagng q contest Is regarded by Mr.. Husteds
friends as mean dishonorabe aud they predict the
same result from when Gen. Woodford, at the last
state Convention urged the claimso BeDi d. Sliman
for Attorney General such way TO leave the i'm
preston that the other gentleman who had been named
for the position was scoundrel Mr. Hustled
himself naturally very indignant at these everlasting
insinuations and nnuendoes against him. He says that
II any specific charges can be made against him as
legislator ready to meet them but he objects TO the
assumption or insDuation that he must be corrupt
man merely because be happened to be member OF the
Legislature q portion OF the time that VIM. NJ Tweed
was member If that is to be the test, he says 1t will


include many who riding the high horse OF
reform, and who were also members or the Third
House lobby during the reign of Tweed He says that
the only made against him that Of
being interested in contract to furnish gravel to the
Ring" City Governmen) fully investigated by
Committee OF Assembly in 1872, which acquitted him
of anything dishonest or dghOnorable and he is now
furnishing gravel under similar contract to
the Reform City Government. Finally, he appeals


the fact that he elected for six successive years
to the Legislature by country constituency and each
time by increased maorities, proof tna his egsla
tive record has satisfactory those who the
most interested In it, and that those who know him
best have the fullest confidence in his honesty.


As to the speakershp, Mr.. Hustled PROCESSES entire
confidence success. and thinks there enough
members already pledged to vote for him to insure his
nomination in the first ballot. 1t pretty
tam that he will get larger vote the first ballot than
any single candidate and the between him and
Mr. Prince continues be waged in the spirit with
which it conducted it is equally certain that Mr..
Prince will not be nominated, whatever may be Mr..
Husted fate The alternative will be the selection Of
one of the two three less prominent candidates who
have namedeither Geo. s. Batcheller of Saratoga
Eric or n wi
the chances in favor Of thelast named 1t has been
hinted that the Customhouse in its professed support
Mr. Prince really aiming at this alternatives and in
that its choice will not be Mr. Lincoln, but either
Mr. Batcheller Mr.. Alberger IL has also been sug
rested thai the contest may become bitter 70
cause bolt in CAUCUS resulting in the nomination
of Thomas q. Alvord Independent candidate, and
his support py the Democrats It Is said that Mr.. AL
yord being professedly q Republican, though elected
mainly by the Democrats will not enter the caucus of
either party It would only require eleven boilers from
the Republican caucus with the unanimous support OF
the Democrats TO elect mm Speaker Any of the gen
temen above named in connection with the Office would
make fair Speaker, though in knowledge OF parlia-
mentary law and the faculty Of dspatchng business
Mr. Hustled aud Mr.. AlvOrd have great advantage
over the Others The Democratic nominee for Speaker
will be either Smith NJ. Weed OF Clinton or George NJ.
Beebe OF Sullivan.


For the Clerkship o; the Assembly there Is also an
animated contest going in the Republican ranks be-
tween John ODonnel, Clerk OF the last Assembly
Edward NJ. Johnson for several years Journal Clerk,
and Anson g. Wood, for two past Deputy Secre-
tary OF State under Mr. scrioner Mr. ODonnel is OBJ
iectonabe to some members Of the party because he ID
too Jealous an advocate OF temperance legislation aud
Mr. Johnson because he voted the Liberal Republican
ticket 10 1921 while Mr. Woods claims based on hts
having withdrawn his name q candidate for Secre
tary OF State the party convention in favor OF Mr.
Fort OF Oswego and his chances said to be the best
OF the new Assembly about 60 members or nearly one
half have had previous experience in the sans body;
.s of whom 80 are Republicans and IA Democrats were
members last year.