Year: 1875

WORK OF THE TWO HOUSES.


IRISH AND GERMAN SOCIETIES REPRESENTATION IN
THE EMIGRATION CoMMIssIoN-LEAsED RAIL
RoADs-A SMALL PERQUIsITE CUT OFF FROM
MEMBERS


IFRoM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRTBUNEl
ALBANY, Feb. 2.-f the Assembly does not flag
in its present industry, tie second month of the
session will be as conspicuous for work accom-
plished the first month was for work left undone
To-day being general order day." the House went
to work on its files and disposed Of O number OF
bills Two general bills. given elsewhere, passed
through the Committee of the Whole, and were or
dered to third reading. Mr.. Thomas Cooper Camp
bells bill reinstating the Presidents Of the Irish
and German Emigration Societies to their places in
the Emigration Commission. was also ordered to
third reading, as was Gen. Husted's bill requiring
magistrates, sherhs, and police officers to aid the
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
and providing penalties for conviction of second
offense against laws affecting animals. The latter
was amended by Gen. Hustled so that the fine should
not exceed $3.50, and the imprisonment should not
be less than ten days or more than one year.


Many bills of minor interest were introduced. One
Of more importance-amending the act in relation to
leased railroadsproyides that any railroad corpora
ton or its successors leasing road may take sur
render of the capital stock of the stockholders whose
road is leased and issue in exchange the like addi-
tional amount of its own stock Whenever the
greater part of the stock has been 80 surrendered the
directors of the corporation which leases the road
may become o0tcio directors Of the corporation
whose road is leased. Mr.. L. c. Campbell offered
bill to permit aliens to hold and convey real estate
The report of the Committee on Rules, made by
Gen. Sherman was adopted with one amendment
modifying the rules to shorten the time given
member to explain his for asking to be ex-
cused from voting from five to two minutes, and
giving general bills the preference over ordinary
legislation. The request to be excused from voting
has been perverted by the buncombe takers into
vent for debate the reasons for being excused from
voting being about the only subject not referred to at
ALL and the request to be excused being always with
drawn at the end of the members remarks. 1t is an
expedent which sometimes however, serves a use
full purpose, as it gives opportunity to explain
bill which might be defeated through misunder-
standing, and for this reason was retained.


The Speaker presented q communication from the
Attorney General, in answer to resolution of the
House, giving his opinion as to whether the laws
authorizing stationery orders to be furnished to the
members and reporters still in force not The
Attorney General gives it as his opinion that the
act of 1860 which mOdi(ies the act of lSj9 contem
plates the purchase Of all stationery for the of
members and others entitled thereto, to an amount
not exceeding $50 each, and thus does away with
the necessity of orders for the upon staOners
He also says in substance that, if construction of
the act should give the Clerk power to issue those
orders, no member could receive money or other
thing aside from stationery upon such an order
without certifying to q falsehoOd, as well as
violating his oath of office under the amended Con-
stitution which, however, does not preclude him
from receiving necessary stationery. This Will
probably cut off one small source of income inas-
much as the average member used to get money on
his order, and then manage to secHre stationery be-
side.


The Senate held q very brief session. Senator
King offered bill to carry into effect the opinion of
the Attorney General in relation to the drainage of
marsh lands repeating the law of 1868, under which
the lands in dispute on Long Island and Staten
Island were drained. The annual report of the
Cooper Union was presented. In Committee of the
Whole the bills amending the Revised Statutes in
reference to security for the payments of costs, aud
in relation to the erection repair and preservation of
bridges, were ordered to third reading. Senator
Lowery presented several petitions for the preserva
ton of the lateral canals.