The New York Herald Newspaper, January 3, 1872, Page 4

\ 4 GOVERNORS BESSAGE. THE STATE FINANCES. Entire State Debt Less than $30,000,000. Debts Contracted in Gold Should Be Paid in Gold. New York City and Its “Great Wrongs.” What the Governor Would Do About Them. HIS IDEA OF A NEW CILARTER. cessions. Practical Hints to Quarantine Grumblers. . Constitutional Amendments, State and National. Ominous Silence on Fed- eral Topics. A CLEVER RECORD FOR THE YEAR. EXECUTIVE CUAMBER, ALBANY, Jan, 2, 1872. To THE LEGISLATURI It is my duty to make Known to you the general condition of the State’ and to recommend to you such matters as I judge expedicnt. STATE DELT. The unpata principal of the war bounty debt was, op the 30in September last, $16,887,206. ‘This ‘portion of our debt will, by the anaual tax pro- vided by the terms of the act authorizing the loan, De paid in full in about five years, It was con- Atracted aud ts to be paid tu our present legal tender currency, | The residue of the State debt, which amounts to $12,595,495, was contracted before the » in gold, and the honor of the State and good faith @emand that it shall be patd, both principal and Interest, in gola coin. It 1s to be pad (except “$48,860, loan of credit to the Long [sland Rall- road) out of revenues pledged for the purpose, and mot by taxation, unicss the sinking funds “snall Prove insuitictent to enable the State, on the credit of such funds, to procure the means to satisfy the claims of the creditors of the State as they become payable.” 4 Of this last-mentioned species of debt $2,257,900 of principal will be duc on the Ist of July pext, and $847,500 of principal will be due on the Ist of Janu- ary, 1873, The Comptroller 1s of the opinion, in gvhich Tconcur, that there will be no difficulty in obtaining the means of meeting these payments, bn the credit of the sinking funds, as autuorized by {he constitution, + The entire State dent was, on the 50th of Septem- Der last, $29,482,702, the amount of principal paid tn the last year being $2,926,441, TAXES. The S.ale tax levied the past year is Ove milis and seventy-nine cae hundred and twentieths of a mill, Of this tax two mills were required for the annual payment on the war bounty debt, one mill and a quarter for the support of the public scnools, unree- elghths of a mili to mect payments for work on the mew Capitol, seventy-nine onc bundred and twen- tieths of a mill for canals and one mill and threes eighths of a mill for general purposes. ‘he total yicld,of the State tax 18 $11,613,943, NEW CAPiITO: Tho new Capito! commissioners report (o me that Of the $650,000 appropriated by the Legiskuure at ts last session they have expended $343,631 up to the 22d day of November iast; making, with what has A previously reported, about two mullions tus expended on the construction of the building, dudependent of about six hundred aud tity thousaud dollars paid jor jand. SALT SPRINGS, The quantity of salt from the Onondaga salt Springs inspected during tie last fiscal year was 8,579,193 bushels. This shows a decrease of p! tion, compared with the previous year, of bushels. The net revenue to the state ha $26,656, which 18 $7,254 less (han (hat Of ihe pre- vious year. { { BANKS. On the lat of October jasi 69 banks were doing business under the banking law Of this State. ing the fiscal yeur circulating notes to the amount $ 7 have been destroyed by the department, Twelve Lanks have been credited with lost clrcula- tion to the amount to 5, the Ume for re- decming the same, ali legal nouce, hav- Ang expired. fhe amount of circulation oustanding, Including that of jacorporated pauks, banking associauous and individual bankers, was, on the Ist of October dast, ‘is amount, the sum of $1.38 Osltsof stocks, mor’ ' and cas! ug circulauion issued by lucorporated Uanks in existenee prior vo the pass of the general banking law, Is, of course, not set by avy deposit ip te Lauk department, SAVINGS BANKS, There were, On the Ist of July last, 149 savings Danks doing business in the Suite, With asseis Co the amount, in the ager $206, 25: ‘These Assets May Low be catimar upon the of 1ucrease of tue year before, at number of persons haying deposi tions Was, on (he Ist of January, Isi) 1 ask your especial attention ¢t being very cautious In the enw for savings banks. Some failures to ie “a 7 109, 3 | occurred | have among (his class Of institutions during the year, Being intended to fnduce saviig habits among those of small means, by enabling them to | Obtain interest On the sums Which they can, from time to tine, lay aside from their daily earuings, It ta the duty of the yomaiarare to provide in their charters every possible safeguard fop the protectigy of the depositors. The object kept lo vide Biddle be security more thaa high interest, Al my instauce (Senator Palmer, then chairman of the Ponate Comiuitiee ou Banks, cordially co- Operating With me), a law was passed at tie Legis lative scasion of 1869 (chapter 213 of the Laws of that year), requiring that all persons desiring to organize @ savings bank should oxecute a cerid- cate setting forth the name of thetr projected in Stttution, its intended place of business, the name, residence, occupation, and Post OMice address of each member of ure association, and containing a | declaration from each one of tuem that he is willing Wo accept the duties of a trustee In such in- Btitalion; and requiring that such certificate, with copy of the proposed charter, be fled with the eta gl of the Banking Department at Ixty days before the annual session of the Aegisiature. The law provides also that notice of dntention to organize such an institution, giving the partioulars contained in the certificate, shall ve Published in @ newspaper of the neighbornuodt here it is proposed to be estavlisuied for six weeks. it then makes it the duty of the superin- cendent of the to the jure, at iis next meeting, a report concerning the expedieucy of incorporating eaci cone of euch proposed iustitutions. kvery legisla ive committee to whom a Dili tor eeorgere gavings bank shall be referred, which has beeu ip- frodused otherwise than in the manner and with the preliminaries above described, 1s, by the terns of this law, required to report against the passage reot. coul this law may be disregarded by subsequent Legislature; but] recommend a strict lance on your part With its provisions, as cal- 8 needless increase of pocee nace. tons to guard against carelessly framed cha ters. sTrecommend Wo your consideration the pro- priety of restricting, by a generai law, applicab.e to all savings banks, the amount which’ may be held oo di for apy one depositor, to @ moderuie eum. who deal in large amounts are usually able Of providing investinents for themseives, Iie not r nt persons sbould be mingled nds of this Jatter class of Ste min with ‘ those of less whose circumstances require & peculiar class of iustitutions, and for whom, specially, sav- banks were created, "fhe *endency of late years to careless legisiation in savings banks and otver moneyed in- corporations is suown by the fact that during the three years of my adintnistration I have found wy- pels obliged to refuse my signature to sixty -elghe pills for the incorporation of or increasing the wers of savings banks = ovber moneyed institu. us Under various Dam ta connection With thus panic, J cail your avention a Free Streets and Free Pro-!| Dur- | eh Ast | Banking Department to tragsmit | NEW YORK HERALD, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4%, 18T2Z.—TKLPLE SHEET. to article 8, section I, of the gonstitution, providing (iat “corporations Buail not be Grealad by speotal act, except for muniipal purposes, and to cases where, in the yu lgment of tne Legislature, the ob- jects Of the corporation cannot be obtained under eneral law: Of tate years there hag been & great jency to overlook the intent of tits Luni ation on logislative power, It 18 true the jadgment of vegisiature is to decide whether, iu any special cage, they are justified in disregardiug the general pronibition. This diseretion, however, should be exercised not arbitrarily, but in harmony with the purpose and iotent of the whole section; which was, obviousiy, (0 take away from the Legisiature the rignt of creating Coporations by special act, except Where it was very clear that the object could not ve obtained under geaeral laws. INSURANOR D&PARYMENT. The number of Insurance companies subject to the supervision of the Insurance Departinent was, on the first day of December, 1871, 238, a8 follows:— New York joint stock fire insurance compantcs., 84 New York mutual insurance compantes 10 New York marine tusurance companies New York life insurance companics,.. Fire insurance companies of other States. Marite insurance companies of olher States Life Insurance companies o/ other States. Casualty tusurance companies of other States. Foreigh Insurance COMPAMLCS..seecersseeeee | m. the department \¢ 4 a eld by it 10r the protection of policy holders Ol life and casualty insurance companies of this State aud of foreign insurance companies doing business within it was $8,051,185, as fullows:— For protection of policy holders generally In life tusurance companies Of this State. $4,104,035 For proteciion of registered policy holders CXCIUSIVELY «+6 . sees 842,650 For protection of casual ders uy “policy ‘hoi CACIUMIVCLY sess sossrsees csnreesreeenee see 4,000 For protection of Gre policy holders tn for- eign insurance COMpaMes........6+0-.+. 1,300,500 | For protection of life policy holders tn for- | eign insurance compauies. . +s» 899,000 ‘Total deposit eee + $8,051,185, | ‘the Superint nt lua ice Department | estimates that, toward reimbursing the loss by the | fre at Chicago, compantes organized under the laws of this State (not including those of other States and countries going business tn tnls siate) willcontrivate over twenty urillions of dotlars, pila RTATE EOUEOND. auth a Peport wi ow. In earnings and expenses oF the stute prisons aurine the pastycar, ‘The condition of our prisons is not satisfactory. Improvement can be secured, in my judgment, only by an amendment to the constita- tion, which shall concentrate responsibility for their management, 1 visited, as usual, all the prisons duriug the past year, for the purpose of hearing applications from the convicts for pardon or commutation of punish. ment. More than eight huadred applications for pardon or commutation have becu made to me during the year, Eighty-tour pardons, twenty. nine commutations and tive reprieves have been granted, Ishall, ina few days, subintt to you,-as has been my practice evory year, a siatement of the particulars of theso cases, inclnding the rea- sons which, In each instance, have induenced my action, CITARITIRS AND ASYLUM. ‘The annual report of the Commissioners of Chari- ties will give detatied information of the condition o/ the several State charities, I trust vou will con- Unue to provide for the early completion of the State lunatic asylums now belng constructed, $0 a8 to afford additional room for the tnsane poor—to the end that, withia a short period, all of this class may be removed from the county poor houses. I again recommend, a4 1 dtd last year, an inquiry into the condition of pauper cnild in the several counties, with a view to providing for their removal, if found expedieut, to proper asyluins, KOUCATION, The following statistics have been furnished me by the Department of Public Instr discal year pote September 30, 1871: ch tion for the Number of schools sane Total receipts, including balance on September 39, 187 Total expeuditures, dren atiending public han 10, 658, 576 9,583, 35 e ful VOGAL UCTIN. .... cece ceveeererseeeereeserees 17,828 For particulars and for suggestions relating to the administration of our common school system you are respecuully referred to the annual report of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, wider whose care the educational adairs of the State have been so ably adimioistered. I ask ior the schools the most hberal legislative encouragement. STATE MILITTAs The State militia, known, now, as the “National Guard of the State of New York,’’ numbers about twenty-four thousane officers, non-commissioned oviicers and privates, Tue details will be made known tn the report of the Adjatant General, This valuable force, essential to the security of public order, Ought to be generously sustained by the Legis- laure, ny contract has been made, in accordance With authority vested In the Goyernor by the lay gf lasc session, for supplying the forcé wi fy “preach: loading rifles, The Adjutant General has made very satisfactory progress in obiAlhing the adjustment and allowance 3 of the State against the general govern- ment for expenditures in the late war, At the time he came tuto oillce, the balance of the claims which had then been presented to the accounting officers of the Treasury of the United Siates and were on file with tiem, unsettied, was $932,132, of which it had been estimated not more than filty per cent could be recovered, owing to the informalities of vouchers, and irregularities occuring inthe hurry of the times when the expenditures were made; and it was suggested that the Comptrolier should empioy @ special agent for the adjusunent of these claims, to be compensated by a perceniage upon the amount which should be re- covered, The Adjutant General with my approval placed the matter in the special charge of Coionel Stonehouse, the Assistant Adjutant General, who was famillar with tue origin of the claims, and de- tailed Captain Butier, of the Inspector General's de- partment, to assist h. ‘There has been recovered wready the sum of $622,279, with the well assured prospect of an early adjasiment of the whole bal- ance leit unsettied on the Ist January, 1869 (except certain items of interest on temporary bonds issued | by the State which will require Congressional action), and tne Ge lane also of establishing the validity of furtaer claims upon the goverament, Acditioval claims to the amount of $364,107 have ready been presented to the Treasury Department, aud others to about the same amount will very soon be reaay for presentation. ‘The Legislature at ts last session, passed @ concurrent resolu- ton authorizing me to appoint a special agent to prepare and colject these claims, and to award to hun such @ percentage of the amount collected as I Might deem just and proper. [have done nothing under this resolution, betig satisfied that the claims can be adjnsied and collected quite as rapidly through the cierical iorce of the Adjatant Geueral’s oMmce, aul, Of course, at much less cost to the State. Te QUARANTINE, &C, During the past year ssels arriving port of New York have been quarantined on ac ol sickuess Wich liad occurred on board of thei, Upon these vessels at thelr port of departure, on ihe passage, and after their arrival at quarantine, there were (29 cases of contagious and infectious diseases and 109 deatns. During the quarantiue season, to wit, from the first day of April to the first day of November, 466 | vessels, Which arrived irom ports infected with yel- institue ) low fever, were detatued in the Lower Bay tor ob- servation. During the same period 542 vessels from Suspected poris were examined at Lower Quarau. tae and placed under observation tor @ period of from two Lo five days. Voll AE ie, These constitu’e the total number of vessels dé. tamed during the year beyond the ume actually necessary for exaunnation. Out of this number -five discharged their cargoes under quaran- tine, ng but litte over one per cent of the whole | nuwber of arrivals from foreign ports during the Year 2 res ALON seventy of the | tonave had cas f yellow fever on board, and | from these, eiguteen patients were sent to West | Bank Hospital. Besides these, 295 cases and ility- ; One deatiis from tals disease had occurred on board of these vessels, ct\her at thelr port of departure or | during the passage. | For tne five years ending December 81, 1870, the | total number of vessels which arrived with small- | pox On board was 142; while, during the past year, | there naye been 47 v having on board aggregate of 8,425 persons who | hud been exposed to ‘this ‘disease dur- mig the passag je numoer of cases of sualipox reported to have occurred on these ves- | Sols fas 842, Of Which 293 were taken to nospital from Quarantine. Of these, owing to the crowded Biate of the municipal institutions on Blackwell's Island, 1 Was found necessary to send a number of | pa suffering from smallpox to West Bauk Hos. seven vessels only have had cases of ship fever | Ob bourd during (he past year, On these the num- | ber of persons exposed to the disease was 13, of | Whom eight were sent to the fever hospital | Ward's island. Vhree vessels from infected districts have had cases of cholera on the passage to this port, and from these fifty-two patients suffering from we Gisease were treated at the West Bank Hospital. The total bumber of cases of cholera occurring aniong the passengers aud crews ot these vesseis Was 156, and the luiber of persous exposed to the disease 1,422, Of these lorty-three dica at sea aud tweive In quarantine. Al the West Bank Hospital the total number of patients suffering trom Chulera, smalipox And yel- iow fever, received during the past year was 13/, of whom 10% recovered and twenty-three died, The absence Of buildings upon the upper struc ture at West Bank, for th: reception of persons woo have been exposed to contagious amd infectious diseases during the voyage to this port, was tempo- rarliy provided for by te transier of the sveamstips on tw the Quarantine Department. hese vessels were anchored at Quarantine in the moath of September, and, In the case of the steamship Franklin, which arrived on Novemver 11, with cholera on board, were Of the greatest utility in affording facilities for tke jinmediate transfer of the passengers from the infected vessel The favorable resuits which followed this transfer are said by the Health Officer to prove the importance of completing at once the structures contemplated at West Bank, The foregoing statistics demonstrate the necessity for a thorough admiuistration of quarantine laws. GLb apd State, of Kem. Kor’ Jue UAMBUY WhiGd We 1,027,089 Delaware and Albany from the genera government | | have enjoyed during the paat year from the introdne- ion of contagious and tniectious diseases trom abroad may justiy be ascribed to the precauuons | adopted. AlLabuses, if any be found, should be rem- edied; bat the inconvenience to a lew by the deten- | tion Imposed upon Only One vessel oul of a hundred 1g not Lo pe welzed against the protection atlo.ded to the people in the cities of New York and Brook. lyn aud of the 2 agalust infectious diseases, ‘There have been for mavy years‘and under all ad- Ministrations complaints in the press against the Health OMicer and also against the Harbor Masters of the Port of New York, No proof has been , adduced before me of maladministration on the | part ol the present officers, In one instance, prior o December 15, 1871, charges were preierred against a harbor master, which were withdrawn. | On the 15a of December, 1871, charges were | preferred in another case, which are now under examination. in the case of the Health Uilicer one complaint has been laid before me. Although the | law gave me no power in the matter the Health Oiicer promptly responded to my request for ex- planations, The complaint was found to be con- | nected not with his office proper, nor wiih | his fees, but with certain rates estaplished for contributions to the support of the hos- pitals at Quarantine, and the tnjustice com- platned of was promptiy cured. Under the law, a8 it wa3 established in 1863 and a8 It now stands, the Governor has no power to remove the Health Odicer (and appoint another), even after a formal investigation, during tue recess of the Semate—the period of the year when, if ever, abuses are’ likely to occur, Irecommend that the Governor be em- powered to appoint the Health OMcer and Harbor jasters, including the Captain of the Port, without the consent of the Senate, aud to remove them, or any of them, at pleasure. A prompt remedy would then be provided ag inst abuses Without the delay incident to a formal investigation, In the single instance of the presentation to me of charges against te Health Onicer I took tne occa- sion, ta referring the matter to the Commissioners of Quarantine, to request them to inquire into al- leged abuses in quarantine administration, giving merchants and otuers opportunity of being heard, I have received their report, dated Deceinber 11, 1871, which, with a communication from the Health Oficer relating thereto, will be duly transmitted to the Legislature for its tuformation, It 18 proper to say that i citizens who know of and can prove official misconduct on the part of public ofivcers fall to preseat the charges and proofs to tne Governor, the reponaibility for continued abuses rests upon them. The Governor, in such matters, acts in & quasi-judicial capacity, and ne ry enleriaim charg catnot,’ any more tnanacouri, en made simply through the publio preas, Nor should it be lorgotten that Lf extra compensa- tion is paid to Harbor Masters It may be too often due to the eagerness of owners and consiguees of vessels to get the advantage one over anouier in the occupancy of wharves, The Governor is always ready to do his duty and to remove a guilty party wiea he has the power, Mercnants and others fall to do theirs when auy of them pay a bribe to @ public ofMicer or neglect to expose and brmg (o justice whoever demands or accepts one. 1 recommend a thorough éxamination of the official acts of the Health Uilicer and Harbor Masters, aud such ameadments to exisiing laws as may be necessary to pul au end to such evils as may be shown to exist, IMMIGRATION, The number of arrivals of unmigrants tn the port of New York this year ts 229,00), au Lacrease as compared with last year of 17,000, KEVISION OF STATUTES, Areport from the commissioners for revising the statutes may be expected at an early day tu the session showing what progress has thus lar been made in their work, CANALS, The surplus revenues of the canals for the past year have been nearly doable those of the previons ae although for four months of the year 1870 the ormer higher rates of voll prevailed; the contribu- tion to the sinking fund for the fiscal year ending Suth September last being $981,5%, against $569,974 contributed the year beiore. The expenditures have been very iuaterially reduced. ‘I'he oficial reports ol the Comptroller and Auditor will show the details of expenditure and revenue. It is the unanimc ps testimony of those engaged tn business upon them that the canals are in better order than € 4 Ro . 558,355 | at any previous period, My opinions as to the true Amouut paid for teachers’ wares. -.----4 078877 | policy of the state, with revereopite. iescnunie, a : rhs 101 ) repairs ani 1,587.2 have been so fuily expressed tn three successive BALMER Salata’ “onlonl’ Moneea ae 87,276 | annual messages that tt ts not necessary here to ae hovl houses an repeat then. The policy of tow toils, which, when FR eR ee 613,201 | grst recommended, wet with strong opposition, 1s ‘ul ; i. pergous = attendin now, by general consent, actinitted to be wise. ‘Tne anes al ed season of navigation of 1871 was fifteen days shorter Number of teachers employed for " than that of 1870, yet taere was an increase of tolls to the extent of $487,722. I have received a letter from the President of the United Staves cauing my attention tO the twenty- seventh article of tne recent treaty becween Great Britain and the United States, which article ts in these words, to Wil:— ARTIOLE 27.—Tho government of Her Britannic Majesty engage to urge upon the government of the Dominion Canada to wecure to the citizens of the United States the u of the Welland, St, Lawrence und other ca minion, on terms of equality with the inhal minion; and the goveroment of the United States en; that the subjects of Her Britannic Majesty shall enjoy the use of the St. Clair Flats Canal on terms of equality with the inhabitants of the United States, and further engages to urgo tipon the State governments to'secure to the sudjects of Her Britaunic Majesty the use of the several State cauals con- nected with the navigation of the iakes or rivers traversed bY or contiguous to the bouutary Ilue between the possessions Of the high contracting parties on terms of eqi faaabilants of the United States, ceme anaey iM the The President requests stich legisiation on thé part of this State as may be necessary to carry out, on our canals, this provision of the treaty. My Lm pression 13 that noiming exists in our state laws now 10 forbid the subjects of another country using our canals on terms of full equality with the citizens of the United States. [recommend an inquiry on your part on this point, aud the prompt passage of forthwith the arrival of every pationt at their re- Speciive estublisnimeats to the county judge of the counly Whence the patient was sent; that the county Judge be require! to fMiyestigate the case Oe ae ‘and confirm or anuul the proceedings, aud that he be empowered, at any time, on lis own motion or on the application of any one interested in wo alleged tunatic, to reopen the hearmg of a case, and to conduct such rehearing, with or with. out the aid of a jury, as to him may seem best, and thereupon, im ‘his discretion, to discharge the adleged lunatic, Whetrer any amendments to existing laws relating Co tie State asylums for the insane be found necessary by you or not, [ recom~ mend the priyate lunatic asylums be brought under some system of licensing by the public rutnorities, The Legisiature should provide for their supervision gud frequent visitation. Inasmuch as tne ite pers mits the detention of insane persons In such private instituttons, tt 13 right that the same watenful care should be exercised over persons confined in them as over those in our public hospitats, For the fourth ume I recommend an amendment of the laws ralating to murder. Instances ef homi- cide occur where intent to take life is proved, but where the facts are such that the Jury aro unwilling co find a verdict of guilty of murder in the first de- gree, because the peculiar facts do not warrant the extreme penalty of death. They cannot, under our present statutes, define the case as one of murder in the second degree, They are driven, therefore, to either acquit or render a verdict of guilty of man- slaugnter in the third or fourth degree, although conscious that the light penalty awarded by the law to these two degrees of crime is very inadequate, J recommend that either the maximum punishment for manslaughter in the third degree be made much greater, or that when the degree of premeditation does not, or other facts do not, in the judgment of the jury, justify punisument by death, they be au- thorized to render a verdict of murder tn the second degree, to be puntshed by imprisonment for lite, or for a term of years, in the discreuon of the Court, It t8 no vad objection to the above amendinent that under it juries would have too great discretion in the matter of enforcing the death peaatty, They exercise that discretion now, in many tpstances, and do so with the law a3 It stands, al the cost of rendering a verdict not satis- factory to themselves, and of allowing a very se- rious crime to go unpunished excepe by the light beualty attached by the law to one of lower grade. J respectfully suggest that aH bills making large appropriations of money be passed by you at a@ pe- riod of vhe session early enough to enable me to re- turn them to you with objections, if [have any to make, 80 that I shalt not be obliged to consent to ems’ not, in my ndgment, proper as the only jeans Of Avotding lefeav of other justand nec essary approvriations. The Supply bill, ag tt commonly cailed, has always been sent in for ap- roval alter the Legislature had adjourned, caving me no alternative but 10 approve of it a8 a whole, or to let all the appro- priations made therein o over, many of them being required at once for the support of the Various departments of the government. ‘The prac- tice has grown up Of inserting tn tis bill tems of apropriations of money which have no proper cons nection with the general purposes of the bill ag in- dicated in its title; many of which tems, I am Satis- fied, would not, if proposed in separate bills, receive the sanction of the Legislature. ‘This practice has becoine @ great abuse. 1 reform mend the immediate repeal of tho general town bonding act, Without discussing the policy of this law, | suggest thataid nas already been given to railroads upon the credit of municipalities to quite ag great an extent as ts wise, and, in some instances, to the oppressioa of tax-paying commu- nities, Its early repeal is, in my, judgment, tmpor- tant to the general welfare of our people, RIGHT HOUR LAW. In 1870 what ts commonly catied the Eight Tour law wasenacted by tho Legislature and approved by me. 1¢ provided, among other things, that eight hours should constitute a legal day's work upon all the public works Of the State, and that any public Oilicer Who should violate or evade ils provisious might be removed by the Governor or by the heads ol departments to which ich officer was attached. By this act the Legislature intended to hold out the promise, on behalf of tue State, to the laborers who might be employed op any public work that they should receive a full day’s Wages, at curreut rates, | as the substitute for personal other than what is iivested in the stocks of moneyé property. x corporations, on the as. suiapdiou that no pereoa ean occupy any building who tx not Possessed of such jropery, at least to the extent of the valu- ‘ation adopted; wn saéumplion fully guataiued by evidence ‘and investigation,” ‘The Commissioners allege, in regard to their pro- Posed new system, that, uacer the first and secona Provisions, nearly ali the property now suavject to taxation will be embraced, and that, under the third provision, property additional, or rather abulty to contribute to the expenses of the State commensurate to Uke provection which the State ac- cords to the ‘person assessed, will be embrace’ to the extent of from $60),000,000 to $70,000,000, thus reducing he rate of taxafion all over the State, and especially relieving the labor and ¢apital invested in agricultural and manufacturing industries, and in shipping, Watch it ought to be the object of the State espectally to favor, When the report of the Commissioners was pre- sence. in February, 1871, it seemed to me and to the Legislature advisable that, on account of the novelty of the views presented, the consideration of the whole subject should be ponternes for another year, 1n order to allow of the fullest discussion aud Consideration on the part of the public, and pend- ing ail action the Legislature instructed and au- thorized the Commissioners to prepare a code in ac cordance with their reoommendations, This code, with @ further report, will be ready at an early period of the present session, and I should fail in my duty if 1 did not ask for it tn advance the most Careful consideration irom both the Legislature and the people. STREET PROCESSIONS, The subject of the regulation aud control of pro- cessions in public streets has been made one of spe- cial interest by the unhappy occurrences in the city of New Yor« in July last, ‘The occupation of the public streets by bodies of men for the purpose of civic a4 Well a8 military processions has been permitted under @ custum 80 long established that it has come to be looked upon as a common rihh The iocal police must nave, of course, great discre- tionary power in the matter of regulating such pro- Cessions. It has been the practice of New York city to afford them protection by the presence and escort of part of the police force, without reference to tne occurrences whic the demonstrations were designed to celebrate, ur to the race, color or senti- meuts, political or religious, Of those engaged in them, Our respective political parties have been in the habit, on the eve of an election, of getting up such demonstrations, not ony im New York, but throughout the country, with banuers and mottoes indicative of ther own views and no. unfrequently renee witn severity upon those of-their-opponenis; all whlch are looked upon usu- ally by the bystanders of eltner party in good humor anu perfect toleracton. Noted oneal our own history have been commemorated by great pudite demonstrations Lu the streets, aud, in like manner, men of foreign birth or descent nave celebrated oc- currences remarkable in the civH, military and re- ligious record of the country trom which tney sprang, or of tae faith and Church in which they and tneir fathers were educated, ‘Tis right of pro- cession has been considered to be established by custom as firmly as the right of free discussion and 3 ig the right of the people “peaceably to assem. ble” by the gousttation of the Uutted States, and may be tegardéd, in soule sense, a3 a practical exer- cise of Lnose rights, A procession had been proposed for the Lath of July last, to which objection was made by persons holding views adverse to those Lo be celebrated, au they resolved Lo prevent it by vivlence, u necessary. Opponents of the first proposed procession organ- ized another for the same day, With substantially the same line of march. The potice of the city, deeming it almost certain that a serious breach of the peace would ensue, and in order to prevent it, for aie both of the proposed demonstrations, The order forbidding the processions was not submitted to me by the Police Commissioners tor consideration or approval, nox did they ask my advice upon the sub- ject, The order was hiade by them in the exercie of their exclusive discretion and lawful power, and it was not any lawiul right, 0a My OWu motion, Lo AInteriere with that discretion, On the afvernoon of the day on which the order was issued and pub- lished, which Was the day belore that pro- posed for the processions, 1 received, walle at the capital, information that tus local for eight hours’ work, The spirit of the promise bas pot been kept; yet no case has arisen where a removal of @ public officer could legally be made. The laborer understood the law to provide for @ reduction of the hours, but not of the wages of labor, The State ought not, undor the forms Of law, to deceive any portion of its peo- ple. 1s practice should be tn accord with tts pro- tessions, It demands ®& general obedience to tts statutes, and should itgell set the exampie of strict conformity with its own laws. While the law stands upon tie statute book, the professions em- bodied in it should be made good by such amend- ments to it as will reader the fulfilment of tts pur. pose certaiu, TAX REVISION. Under the provisions of a joint resolution of the Legislature passed April 25, 1870, I Cy pointed David A. Wells, George W. Cuyler and Edwin Dodge a commission “to revise tho laws for the assessment and collection of taxes;"’ which commission, in the discharge of its duties, presented a report in Feb- ruary, 1871. The report was so important and ex- haustive in tts character and so novel in its sngges- tions, that although I had supplied copies thezeof to the Legislatures of the other States, and to manicl- pal bodies in this country and in the British Provinces, yet, Dorwiinaranaay ube very large edition issued by the State, the report las been twice reprinted, at private cost, to meet the dé- Taand for it am ve yee general public, to wit, once in this country once in Europe; the latter re- print being ts: , With a preface by the Secretary ol the British Board of Trade, by au association of gentlemen for disirtbution among the people of Great Britain, In respect to personal property, the report of the Commissioners shows that the whole amouat thereof assessed and taxed is not so much as thirty per cent any laws which may be necessary for the talfiment of ss undertaking made by the federal govern- ment. GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS. The disastrous fire at Chica ;o deairoyed the vata- able public law iivrary of that city. It was always open to the free use of members of the Bar from other States, and contaiued complete sets of the reports of this State and ol its statuses as weil ag those uf other States and of Great Britain, Upon beimg informed of this loss by a committee of the Bar of Chicago engaged in the work of restoring the library, and upon their applica- tion jor such assistance aa this State could give, 1 took tue responsibility, in view of che intimate bustness relations existing between the States of Iunois and New York, of causing to be sent to them the statutes, the reporis and che digests of this State, complete, a3 a donation from New York, kKuowing that the need was pressing for the work 0! oration being promptly effected. in doing this 1 was careful not to incur any lability in behalf of the state, J, nevertheless, respectfully ask Liat you make an appropriation to cover the cost of this gift, Some of the books having been furnished by tne State Library, [rom extra copies in their possession, the total amount expended will not exceed sixieen hundred dollars, Fail rights of Imheritance are accorded to the children of American male ciizens, without reler- ence to the nationality of the mother, although tne children be born abroad; while the children of an American Woman married to an alien, are, if they be born abroad, denied hike rights, I recommen that the disability of the jatter class of persons to inherit be removed by statute, I suggest for your careiul consideration, espe- cially im view of the several treaties made between the Uniied States and fore.ygn governments tn re- spect to naturalization aud expatriation, whether It Would not be wise to remove all disabilities of aliens relating to the acquisition, session anc trans- mission Of reai estate, In several of the States of the Union these disabilities no iouger exist, and in England uiey were removed by statute passed May 12, 1870, the day before the date when the | treaty between England and the United States re- Jating to naturalization was signed. If you should pass a law removing all these disabliities the suag- gestion last made with reterence to children born | abroad of American women will have become un- important, ‘ rcater recommen our consideration the sgbject of | alleged abuses ler the Fefeted ayaa a oe Couris, With a view lo providing a remedy by jaw jor such abuses as inay be found to exist. The statutes providing for the election of Sena- tors, In case of vacancies occurring otherwise than by expiration of term, are defective. The defect Was Drought to public notice by the death of Sena- tor Biood, just before the iast sessiun of the Senate, Lcalied the attention of the Legisiature in my last annual message to the necessity of amending the laws inthis respect, but they failed to supply the | deiect. Lrecommen’ prompt action by you ou tus subject. Lrecommend, a3 1 did last fist, the putting an end by law to the hardstiips and injustice frequently inflicted upon persons who are detaroed as wit- nesses to the commission of crime. The suffering | resuiting irom this, especialiy in cities, is very great and extends to many Unfortunate persons who are too poor to give security for thelr appear- ance totestily. The law should provide tnat no per- son shall be detained im prison as a@ witness in | criminal cases beyond @ specified time, and that, if the trial be postponed beyond that time on the motion of the prisoner, {t shall be only on con- dition of his consenting that the testimony of the witness may be taken vene esse, a8 ID Clv.1 cases. It may be urged that the people may not be realy tu bring on @ trial, and may thus, in some cases, lose the beneft of me witnesses altogether. Iv is better so than to ave innocent persons suffer im- prisonment in order that even the guilty may be convicted. Irecommend, for the third time, that power be conferred upon the Oyer and Terminer, or upon the Supreme Court at Geuerat Term, to grant pew trials upon the merits or upon newly discovered evidence, in cases of conviction before the Oyer ana Terminer, ‘The courts of sessions, Which are infertor tribun: have Us power in cases Of conviction before them, A person wrongfully convicted in Oyer and Jerminer, po inatter how clear bts innocence may ve shown by newly discovered evidence, has uo Temeay save @ pardon from the Executive. | recommend that the laws relating to (he insane be revised. As they are now any two justices of the peace, Upon tie certificate of two physicians, may deprive ® man of his liverty on the ground of Npacy, and order hia to be confined tn a lunatic asylu A bill Was passed at the Jast session of tie Legislature Upon this subject, bat some of its pro- sions seemed to ine to be objectionable, and It Was generally objectionanle in that its operation was lmited to the city of New York, For these reasons J withheld my approval from it, There can be no doubt that there is room for great abuses under the Jaw as it stands Trecommend that all physicians Who may grant certificates of lunacy and all magis- trates who issue an order of commitment to an asylum be required, under heavy penalties, to ree port their action at once to the ceunty judge of the county within which tue order was made, and that all superintendents of pubiic and private lunatic aay iyins be required, Uader like venalueds W report 4 of the real eatate assessinent, or not in excess of the railroad and banking capital alone of the State; wile the probable proportion of such property assessed to ity true value is not more than fifteen percent. The Commissioners, furthermore, present a large amount of evidence tending to show that not only 1s such a result unavoidable under existing Jaws, but that she tenuency of heaped (through re- cent court decisions, the offsetting of indebtedness aga 10st assets, and the exemption of United Scates and other securities from taxation) 1s to become worse; and that at no distant day the present sys- tem Of taxation tn this State wiii ve brought down, Practically, to @a exclusive (ax on real estate aud Dank capital Another matter of great importance, to which the Commissioners call attention, 1s the circum stance that dur ng the last few years the legisiation of contiguous Staves, In respect to jocal taxation, has been of & much more jveral character than that of New York: and thut, in consequence, the inter- ests of New York have suffered, und are likely to continue to suver unless remedial or reciprocal legis- lation 1s provide Thus, for example, the States of Maine and Vermont, and also the british pro- vinces which border upon New York, have either wholly, or for anextended period, exempted manu- facturing industry from all taxation. Tue new Ter- rilory of the District of Columbia exempts all evi- dences o! debt, thatis, bonds, mortgages, negotuabie instruments, &c.; the State of Maryland, all oonds and morigages for the city and couaty of Baltunore; New Jersey, bonds and morigages for a large part of her terrttory contiguous to New York; white Pennsyivanta, proceediag much farcher tu this same direction, has exempted the machinery and capital of manufactures Irom local taxauiou, and, practi- caliy also Ina great degree, ier vanking capual, evicdien of debt, and ali vesseis engaged in foreign and domestic commerce. New York is soon likely to be forced, by consider- ations of se terest and self-defence, into giving this Whole subject Of State taxation careiul atten: ton. ‘The system recommended by the Commissioners, and of which an ouuine code has been already submitted to the Legislature, is substantially as iol lows:— ‘ Firsi—To tax real estate in like mi as under existing laws; provisions for enlorciug valuation according fo + common aud weil-deiined — but moderaté standard, being at the same ume pre- rived, Jt ts understood that the Commissioners favor the creation of an oifice, whose inc shall be especially charged with the enforce the laws relative to taxation, and be invested with ali necessary powers for accomplishing such object, and insuring, $0 far as possible, equity and uaol- formity, Second—To tax moneyed corporations of ths State tn conformity with exiting laws, Third All experience, and esp2otally the expe- rience of New York, shows that the attempt to tax, directly, property Other than such as is embraced uader the two belore enumerated classes affords litte revenue; It falis ia execution aod is certain to Yleld less of revenue in the future than in the past, and above all it discriminates against the industry of New York in comparison with otner States. The Commissioners propose as a substicute and equiva- lent for all such aefective taxation (0 tax the occu- pler, be he owner or tenant, of any and every build- Ing used as a dwelling, or for any other purpose, on @ Vaiuation of three tines the rental or rental value of the premises occupied, but not including under such assessment any land except suci as tie buud- ing stands ou or is essential for access thereto, All property not embraced under one of these provistous, as above stated, is to be exempt from taxatiou. The principles on which the Commissioners have founded this part ol their system are stated by tem as 1ollows:— That the market value of real estate is ¥8 propor: tional to and dependent on the amount of persona: property, or rather productive capital, placed upoa it, or 1a ive imme: quate vicinity. Only, therefore, as personal _ props brought fn’ connection with become appreciable and augment. ‘Ar plying, practicaliy, to New York she proposed system raonal property, through buildings or rentals, Live, the Commissioners say that exam{uatio: no aggregate of taxation, according to the a the occupiers of Duildings, will be tue lowest ely aeitied azriculturat districts of the fs mainly in land, and the value of ga |s generally much less than the value of this land with welch they are conuected. As we leave the sparsely aettled agricuitural districts, aod rise through the more densely populated portions of the State, from the towns to the villages, from the latter to the cities and from the cities to the great metropolis of the Couti find that th value of iand, of buildings, and the will sngrease a8 nee roperty. mereanes, Festent tharket atid tax vail at th im, where tl! the greatest. it is aiso to be observed that, start- ja excess of the value of the and, that this <dliference, as we t- ue product ate doe tive ite val ai of taxabie val bottom of the scale, with the value of land greatly butidings connectea wita the Progress upward through the ‘wotil, monty in the citfes, the value or the 1 greatly exceeds the value of the land on which it is he proposed aystem the agricultu. ay the smnallest proportion of tae i cities as now also the ‘but _on the contrary 01 ‘and asseamment, more densely populated districts, gradually aimin! as in the case very builati under tl an u there would be no injust uniform, equitable eale of it ‘The apm ak Wyma umes Foay gf seayel vale te takae | authorities thougat my presence in che city was desirable, i repatred thitier immediately and advised that the police order be revoked, 1 was salisiied that tt would be generally regarded as having been maue by chose in autnority in sud- mission to the demand and dictation of tuose who were not, aud as subversive of the equal rights of men ol ail races, crecds and seutiments to protec. tion, aud would tend to permanent striie and bitterness and to the aisturdance of the peace of the State, perhaps, lor many years to come. in deference wo my advice the order was revoked by tue same authority which had issucd it, My ony: teu was plain—to wit, to sustain, by the whole wer ol the State, the local authoriues in repress- lng threatened disturbances, and, by 60 doing, to assert the equal rights of all citizens, The logs life that ensued froim the use of iniiitary forcé 1 matter of great regret. It is clear, however, that, wuatever may be the cost, Lhe rights and privileges of all classes of men must be alike protected or none are safe, and that the prohibition of a procession ree reson ang one class O1 Sentiment to-day, upon the de- and of [1s opponents ov otherwise, Would be Laken asa precedenl tor intertevence, on another ovca- fom, with one representing the opposite views, to he constantly recurring disturbance of the publi peace and tothe abridgment, of the privilexes 01 all. 1 submit to your judgment whether any new pro- Hato 9 of LAW are Tequired regulating this matier of Street procesatoua and public demonstratious, which, good temper being preserved, have ‘hereto fore been barmiess recreations tor those engaged in ‘them and for great numbers of lookers-on. What. ever laws you may pass on Une subject should secure equat privileges 10 ali men of whatever reugion, of Whalever politics, of whatever race, color or creed, UNITED STATKS SENATORS. I recommend that you pass a joint resvlution re- questung the Senators and Representatives from this ptate in tne Congress of the United States to use their efforts to have the following amendment to the Constitution of the United States proposed vy tue Congress, to wit:— = After the adoption of this amendment Senators from eacn State shall be chosen by the people of the several States, aad not by the Legislatures thereof. Whenever the term of a Senaior is about to expire his successor shall be chosen by the people of his State at the general olection for members of the House of Representatives in such State occurring next Previous lo the expiration of such term; and whenever a ney shal! happen, o:berwise than by expiration of term, vacancy shail be tilled at the tirst general election for members of the House uf Representatives which shall take place in the State tn whose representation in the Senate the vacancy suall have happened, not jeas than three months after tie vacancy shall nave occurred, and in the meantime the Goveraor of the ay mak: temporary appoint- ment of Senator until the expiration of one month after the elecvion, at which the vacancy spall be permanently diled. ‘The Legisiaturo of a State nas its own proper duties to perform—to wit., that of providing good laws tor the internal government of the State, with which tue cioice of @ Senator of the United States has no natural connection, aud the members of a Stace Legislature should be chosea solely with Teference to these, their proper duties, and ot with reference io the probable votes for this or that candidate for Senator, Itis obvious, too, that the distribution of Assembly Qnd Senatorial districts in te State may, at umes, be such tial a majority of the members of the Legisiature, although freshly cnosen, do not repre- sent the popular majority in the State, In such instances 4 Senator may be chosep who ts not in accord with tie majority Of the people, and who, 1n such case, does not represent the State at large, as he properly should do, [can see no good reason for devolving erection of @ Senator upon the Legis- lature, while the arguments against doing sv aro 0 and, it seems to me, Uuanswerabie, The pple are quite as capable of electing a Senator by 1 OWN direct vote as they are of electing a Gov- and there is no need of delegating tue iun- power of choosing @ Senator of the United States to aay electoral vody, NBW YORK CITY. The recent exposure ol great wrongs tp the ad- ministration of the jocal government of the city of New York has aroused public attention, to an ex- Facrdiuary but Whoieso ue extent, to ihe necessity of a reform fa the conduct ot pabile affairs, In that city especially the people have spoken In a way which must not be misinterpreted. They demand an improvement in the condition of their local government through legislation, which shail have in View neither party ucr personal ends, but the permanent general good. Tne limiis of this message forbid @ discussion of the Causes which, for a long ume, have been contributing to the results recently jaul bare. For many years the city had not had a ebarter under which it was possible for its people, even if they had been willing to attend to their own interesis, to have secured an efficient and faitnfal jocal government. At one time guverued under jocal laws which failed to fix reaponsioity anywhere, at other times under yaned discon- nected aad trresponsivie commissions, created to enable minorities in tue city to exert political con- trol; confusion, mismanagement and extravaganee were apparent to every one, but the responsible aus thors thereof were concealed ander the compi- cated machinery which was unwisely substituted for a simple governiuent of the people. In my first annual message to the Legisiature, wi alling at- tention to evils then existing, I sak very dollar paid (or taxation should draw with it direct respon sibility, and every oiicer should feel dimself at all times on trial for his puolic acts. No party could then long maintain local asceadeney which did not nominate its best men for Office, and did not by economy and good government make their contrat of affairs consistent with the interests of the peo- ple; and Ladded:—"No good goverument can be secured to reat city unless it shall ave one responsible head, in whom shail be vested all ex- ecutive power, and to whom, as tie elected repre- sentative of the Bo oy) ail departments charged with executive duties shall be directly and sum- marily responsible and accountabic, Uf, with this as the fundamental idea, a plan shall be devised Which Will give to the political minority within the city a just representation in its counctis, we shall, doubtiess, secure better resuits 1 municipal govern - ment than have ever before been attained.” The same views, excepting those upon minority representation, had been, on several occasions, in nearly the same language urged by me while Mayor of New York, and were reiterated in my second annual message, as Governor, in 1870. During the session of 1870 the present New York charter was enacted. It received very extensive favor from the press, and passed by a nearly unant- mous vote of both houses of the Legisiature; an- other form of charter, suo:nitted to them previously at the same session, having beeu, by a decided vote, rejected. A’ a Whole, the charter adopted Was a great tinprovement on the thea existing con- dition of tuings. By its provisions and those of a Jaw passed almost simultan with it the former board of Supervisors, the menibers of wien had been designated in such a manner as to leave the people practically no chowe im the selection ot mh and against Whose management of public affairs the complaints had been for @ long time many and loud, Was abolisned, and Aldermen clected by the people at large under the new charter were yubstivicd Lb ViOke WD Lye UrresQomALnle, awiriot commissions tn which the city government proper had veeo substantially merzed, and provided ior new depariments embraciag every branch of. publ duty, to ne organized by tue Mayor of the city, restored to the people of tue city Lheir constitauonal right of local self-governiment, of witch they had been for many = deprived. It defined the responsibility of ose in authority, 60 thal, La Case of wrong doing, the peoplé could tell at once upow ‘whom to cast the blame. It was a first step in reform, casting aside, as tt did, a very vicious system of gereramons, the evile of which had long been manifest to many and are now manifest to all. It was not an unusual mia- take, that tn providing. a remedy for then extst evils, others, likely to come out of the remedy were overiooked, This was the fatal error in ¢1 legislation wiich, many years ago, transierred the government of the city from the people to trrespon- sipie commissions. It will peed great caution avoid like mistakes in framing a new Charter. Tue clilef defect of the present charter 1s in re cognizing the mistaken doctrine of the Congres- sional Tenure of Office law, whereb; jubordinate. in administrative duties is made imdependent of the appointing power, instead of being subject to summary rewoval by the chief executive oficer for cause satisfactory to him, The length of erm of Oltice assigned to come of the departments would not have been found in practice ovjecuonaple Uf the power had peeu given to the Mayor to remove sum- smnurily for misconduct. AS @ substitute for tine wholesome power of removal it was provided—im harmony with the erroueous doctrine 80 provalems of late years that administration 13 t be secured by scattering instead of concentrating re- sponsibility; that the Mayor should have no power over the subordinate officers in case of misconduot, except to accuse them before the Vourt of Common Pleas, a3 tne means, and the only means, of remoy- ing them from office, while the Mayor himself was NOL made subject to removal by the Governor, A somewhat lengthened tenure of office in some departments of the city goverament, such pas created to carry out, or to administer some 8} work, may be, for inany reasons, desirable, and ue hot Objectionable tf the power be given to the Mayor to remove, for cause, to be publicly assigned by him. The parks of the city and the Croton Aque- duct have beea thus administered from the begin- ning. All officers connected with the general ad- ministration of vue city aifairs—the Comptrolier, the Counsel to the Corporation, the Chamverlain an@ Others —should be appointed by the Mayor, with or without the consent of the Aldermen, be removable by him, and go out of oltice with him at the end of 18 term, a3 & matter of course. My judgment 1s not in favor of requiring the con- sent of the Board of Aldermen to appointments, Todo so leads to a division of responsivity aud opedsa the way for bargains wherecy one appoint to ment muy be dependent for its confirmation uy, tue consent of the Mayor to give other places wo favorites of the Aidermen, Though the charter was not all tt should been it was the best that could then be obtained, it promised relief from great and long-continued wrong uuder which the people of the city had been suilering and from & system of government the abuses Gnder which are now coming to light, The Mpisonduct recently exposed Was not & consequenoe. from auy of tls provisions, b % Tae responsibility for the wrongdoing, which has very justly aroused pubiic tadignation, does not Test $0 muca upon the Charter as upon individeals. who held office in the city before the charter wi Passed and took ofiice also under tt. The dificull With the charter, in this connection, is that it pro vided nO means for summary removal irom of} Tne auditing of the alleged ciaims against the former couuty government to the exteat of mx millions of dollars and upward, to which the pabiia attenuon has been chiefly directed, was made, not under the charter, but under a clause in the og commoaly cailed the New York county tax levy; @ Clause perhaps not objectionable in 1self, if tog Powers which it conferred-had been faithfully an | Carefully executed. ‘The anual tax levy of New, York should no more be made up by the Legislature than that of any otuer county. ‘It bas been the praciice dor maay years to have the city tax levie@ passed upon by the Legislature, and this has bees the occasion O1 great abuse; the estimates of the | city authorities being almost always largely ime creased by the Legisiature, One of the good resulta looked for from the enactment of the present char- ter and other laws passed at the same time wad tue avontion of the practice of bringing the city tax levies into the Legislature. 1 aliude to these facts not because I would recom- mend; retaining the present charter, but because & think tuey Ougnt to be Kuown and understoow Many of the provisions of tits charter cannot, dn ay jugment, be improved upon, but 1 13 under popu lar disfavor, and I recommend its repeal and the enactinent of a new one, in which alt that ts good of the old one may be retained, all that ls evil re, jected and all that is defective remedied, eo The people of the city nave, by their recent coné certed aud intelligent action, proved their capacity to manage their own alfairs and to redress their Mtg wrongs. They demand of fie Legisiataré how preturi, to Ae ie Which have upon trial proved, 10 be futluFés, but the establishment of tho wis and vest form of a sirictly local fA) the prominent features of which sball be execue tive power and responsibility in its Mayor, clear and well defiued accountabuity of all oMicti and irequent opportunities for the people to themselves of a local administration noc faithful to their Interests. 1¢ would not be wise lor the State te take any part Of the responsibility for the mani mentof the local affairs of New York city. It is tne duty of the State to give to the city a good ganic law, under which the people can mani their Own aJairs and protect their own interes! and then let them understand disiinctly that success depends on their own williagness to attend to thelr public duties, If they will not give attention te their own affairs no form of charter nor provision of law cau secure to them good government, Mu- nicipal wrongs are not to be cured by the mere ssage of a new law, however perfect in its struc- Ure, and tt is certain that any charter framed to romote personal or part! interests will have, ag it deserves to have, a brief existence. New York city needs a permanent charter, as well 88 @ good one; Ove Which cannot be nullided or sub- sianually repealed by the surreptittoas tnseruion of @ Clause Ia a tax levy, or some other bill, or even by @ specific law, with any and every change im the Persons composing the Legislature. Tue charter of acity of & million inhabitants should be as we considered, ag permanent and almost as sacred as the Constitution of a State, It should not only pro- vide for the orgauization and conduct of the various departments of the local government, ard clothe it with power to raise by annual tax the moneye necessary for its maintenance, but tt should limits and resirict its power to create debts, except by the consent of its people, expressed in a formal and authoritative manner, In this respect it would be well if we could imitate in part at least our own Stato Constitation, which, alter providing sink! funds for the payment of existing debts, forbids the creation of any new indebtedness, except with the express consent of the people, for sume single work or object to be specified iu the law, which must pro- vide also for a direct tax to pay tho interest every year, and the principal in @ specified period, This permanent charactor cannot, however, be secared ‘oa charler wituout 8B amendment to our State constitution. In framing a new charter now the following points should be kept prominentiv in view:— First—rixing the responaintlity for good adminige tration of atl cliy affairs upon the Mayor; and to this end giving bun fall power of appointment and re a ail heads of departments, except the po- oe, Seoond—Giving the people an early opportuni for a new election of local oilicers. bt me Third—Making tho Mayor subject to removal ba Governor for malfeasance in oflice or neglect daty, Fourth—Providing for a police department, with three commissioners, to be appointed as Lollows:— One by the Mayor, one ‘by the Chief Judge of tne Court of Common Pleas and one by the Chief Judge of the Superior Court, to be removable, any of them, as in the case of sheriits, by the Governor for cause, A board Lius constituted and so subject to removal would be, a3 it ought to be, @ strictly local board, subject to the same Siate supervision as sherifa, Who are conservators of tne peace in their respec- tive counties, and as (rec as any board could poss bly be irom the danger of improper personal or par- tigan influence, Fifth—Requiring full monthly publication of all receipts and expenditures, and o/ all bonds issued, and frequent publication also of all contracts made by any department, with @ statement of the general operations of each department and of their pay rolis. Sirth—Concentrating the responsibility of those composing What may be termed legisiative branci of the city government by constituting this of only one voard, a Board of Aldermen not too numerous; this Board, with the Mayor, acting as Supervisors, Forres all taxes. A second board is not necessary. The Common Council is not called upon to pass a but to manage the affairs of & corporation. fo divide it Into two boards has the eifect simply of scattering responsibility, weakening the sense of responsibility and dividing the watch- fulness of the public, Making the board to consist ot too many members will tend to the same evil re- sults. Il aay plan can be devised for giviug in the legislative branch of the city government, by clec- Lou, @ just and proportionate representation to tae muuority, it would be @ wholesome improvement. In carrying out sach @ purpose great care must ve exercised lest the choice of their representa. tives be practically taken out of the hands of the people, as in the mstance of the late Board of Supervisors, which was the worst device of modern times in conuection with local Soveramens ‘The candidates named by eituer party were Bure | being returned, ‘Tue proper purpose i ae oe representation ts tu secure to t ort iY ouncits, portunity of being heard in the Ty yy —¥ without nullifying the rightiul control btTt mai ity or relieving it from its just responsilyllity. ‘Seven‘h—Providing that chere shall be no debs created except for some single work or object by authority of law, and also under an ordinance to be submitted to or approved by the people of the city; every ordinance and law authorizing a debt to con- tain a provision for the extinguisament of the same within a fixed period; or else, giving to the Mayor an absolute veto upon all ordimauces creating or ia- creasing the city debt. Upon all otner ordinances, his veto should Dot be overruled cxcept by the vote of three-fourths of ail tke members elected to the Board of Aldermen; and in the case of ordinances containing several Items of appropriation of money, he should ao ower to velo some of them wile ving of others. PP healing compensation to all officers and appointees of the cily government by fixed salartes and not by fees, ‘Ninth—Providing some well defined, summary and effectual remedy in the courts for tax payers aguinst abuses of trust by municipal oMicers, with ‘te right aiso given to them, under “proper restric. tions, to examine oe time to tre, the affairs Of ny ol the departments, “t nuh Providing that the acecptance of any office in, under or connected wiih tae State government any ofice cannchomh or the federal government dnall vacate boid by tae same Verege 14 oF under cha