The New York Herald Newspaper, May 31, 1873, Page 5

THE STATE . LEGISLATURE. The Work of the Longest Legislative Session Ever Held in the State. ITS VALUE AND ITS PROBABLE RESULTS, The Reform Labors Performed and the Work Left Undone. The Standing of the Legislature in the Future History of the State. The Lobby Influences—What They Amount- ed to, Where They Were Bent and to What Degree. APRETTY GOOD LEGISLATURE ON THE WHOLE The Important Bills That Were Passed by Both Houses and Signed by the Governor. THE WORK OF 142 DAYS. ALBA) May 30, 1873. After a session of 142 days, the longest session ever held by any Legislature ander the present constitution of the State, the Legislature of 1873 has closed its labors. Whether these labors have been, or rather will be, altogether profitable to the people ig a question which the people can best de- tide for themselves after the results of those labors shall have become manifest. ‘There is no question but that in many respects it has failed to fulfil all the pledges that its friends made for it before it had organized at all, and that, asa “reform” Legislature, ina few things it has not come up to the expectations the people had of i at tne start. Still it has done a great deal of good work. It is, I know, very popular nowadays to abuse any legislative body whether there be just cause for the abuse or not, particularly when that body goes by the name of “the Albany Legisla- ture,” and it is more than probable that the Legis- Jature of 1878 will not be made an exception to the general rule—indeed, if it be not inveighea against in stronger terms than ever, simply because the occasion for it may be less than ever. Judging the work by its total results, so far as one ean judge at present, it has done exceedingly well. ¥ ite friende throughout the State last Fall Geclarea it to be “pledged” to “Pe preach to Say that it made no particular claims to being a reform Legislature per se, and probably this very fact saved it from the pitfalls its predecessor, which was so loud in its protestations of reform, fell into at almost every step it took. It certainly cannot ‘be denied but that, as far as New York city is concerned, it has been a thorough, uncompromising reform Legislature; and the fact that every reform bill that was unable to get under even the sbadow of success in the Legislature of 1872 has been passed by its immediate successor bears abundant testimony to the good that wasn it. Every effort at reform of the menof New York, who claim to be actuated only by the best of mo- tives—of citizens who, regardless of duty and look- tne only to the welfare of the city, have long striven to tear up, root and branch, every vestige of the corruption that had found its way intoevery department of the city and county governments— has been seconded and carried into effect by proper legislation of this Legislature of 1873. Now, as to the question of money influence. I do not hesitate to state that less money was used during the session just expired than was expended on any Legislature for years past. It may be that the spirit of gain was not weak; that there were fully as many strikers in the Assembly and in the Senate as there ever were in any Legislature; but, if there were, the unerring indications so well known to anybody who has ever closely watched the lobby during a session from beginning to end were wanting, Besides, there were no “big thances” for the men who had their price to make large hauls. Undoubtedly, mpney was used to influence votes on certain measures, such as the New York Railroad bills, the Rochester Water bills ‘and the Brooklyn Bridge bill; but it nad to be used sparingly and very carefully, more because the little ring of strikers had to be kept down than because any very large number of the members were really corrupt. It is always hard to divide in any Legis- ature the sheep from the goats—that Is, to divide them with the certainty that in the division some of the sheep may not be mixed up with the goats and vice versa; 80 I will not attempt to even conjecture as to how many men were really bwned by the lobby. Indeed the mere acknowl- edgment of the fact that there were a few who were always supposed to be in the market, and so considered by their fellow mombers is a,sad enough reminder of the cor- ruption that prevails among our public men in these times without going into specifications. Still, I venture to say that Albany has seen many a worse Legislature than that of 1873, and that it May often in the future see a better one; but if the State always’gets as good a one as that which has just adjourned, taking all the members on a general average of ability and honesty, it will have Jess reasqn to complain of corruption than it has ‘bad in the past. But now as to the work the Legislature has done, As to New York city. LAWS AFFECTING NEW YORK CITY. First and foremost is the Oharter, over which the better portion of the aundred days wig spent; the Police Justices bill, which put out of office the ten gentiemen who were elected by a loving con- atitnency to mete ont spite and spleen to their enemies and ‘‘justjce’’ to their political friends; the bills consolidafing the city and county; creat- ng @ new Commission of Emigration and a Com- ission of Charity and Correction, and regulating the pay of the firemen; annexing Morrisania, West Farms and King’s Bridge to New York; pro- viding for a site for a new city prison; providin, Es Aig erection of a general armory {or the National Apother quite important bill is one en- titled “An Act in lation to Taxation in the city of New York,’ which provides that the officers named in the laws of 1871 or their successors may, from time to time, before the ist of July next, by a concurrent vote,recon- sider, revise and redetermine any estimate made ander the provisions of the law o! 1854 and 1871 relative to taxation. The estimate 80 redetermined 1s to be considered appropriated tor the several ob- jects and purposes designated in the laws referred to, The act alse provides that any surplus from any appropriation may be transferred to other purposes. The officers mentioned im the act are to be considered county as well as city officers, and they are empowered to transfer the balances of appropriations heretofore made to the general fund of the city and county, the amount so transferred to be deducted from the amount required to be raised by tax this year, One of the provisions of tne law authorizes the Gemptrotier to issue bonds to provide payment of tax for canal and general fund deficiencies, and the Board of Supervisors are empowered to raise tax an amount sufficient in each year to pay the interest on the bonds, The last section re- quires that the money required by a law of 1872 to be raised and included in the tax levy of 1873 shall en in 1874, revenue bonds to be issued there- The “act in relation to common schools,” by which the city was divided into new school dis- is also to be considered among the reform mea: ures of the Legislature. Another important measure which affects the city and which has been made a law ts that which extends and defines the civil jurisdiction of the Court of Common Pleas and+the Superior Court of New York. The Jaw gives these Courts original jurisdiction at law and in equity, concurrent and ooextensive with the Supreme Court, of all civil actions and of all special pleadings ef a civil nature, except whose pending in the Supreme Court, It is provided, however, that the Supreme Court may reserve to itself an change the plan of trialon hearing of any civil tion or special proceeding of a civil nature pend- in the Superior Covrt. Still, a removal of apy NEW YORK HERALD, SATURDAY, action can de mace nouce py a special term of tle Sy rome Court sitting at the place Fron ant Sra aan, Bagh’ a motion bring® Up to an, vr upon the General Term’ and then tothe Court of Ap- als all questions which were brought before the Boecial Term, ‘and the appeliate tribunal must dis- pose of the same.as if thoy were originally pre- sented to tt. The act which incorporates the, People’s Water ‘Transit Company also interests the city. It incor- porates certain parties into ® company, who are torun aferry from some point between the Bat- tery and Fulton street, to run onthe Hudson to 1820 street and any intermediate landings. The fare is to be ten cents for each Passenger, and two boats are to be within a year placed on the route, ‘The third ie the act which authorizes the Board of Education to establish @ nautical school. An executive committee of the Board are to have the Management of the school, and the Board of Su- Ppervisors, by the act, are directed to raise this year by tax ,000 tor the maintenance of the school, e Chamber of Commerce are authorized to appoint a committee of its members to serve as the counselof the school, whose chief duty it will be to advise and co-operate with the Board of Education in the establisoment and management of the new institution; also to make reports to the Chamber of Commerce, the latter to transmit them with such recommendations as they see fit to the Superintendent of Public Instruction. ‘The tollowing acts, which have also been signed and are now laws, relate to the city:— 1, An act in relation to the supply of water for the city, tobe acquned in Putnam county. ceedings to noni title to real estate by the Com- missioner of Public Works under the act must be mstituted in the Supreme Court in the judicial district in which such real estate is situated. It also provides that whenever the waters of natural lakes shall be taken and used for the su ply of the city persons living in tne vicinity shall, notwithstanding, have the right to take the waters for their own domestic uses. It is made unlawful under the act for the city to draw the waters of Lake Mahopac below low water mark nor raise them above nigh water mark for the purposes of such supply of water or for any other purpose, 2, An act amendatory of an act incor the Society for the Reformation of Juve quents, e provisions of this law give the mi agers the right, .n case any inmate of the institu- tion attempts to set fire to any building of the So- ciety, resists the authorities or exerts a dangerous influence over others, to submit a written state- ment of the facts to @ Justice of the Supreme Court in the First Judicial district or of the Superior to a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, and thereupon apply for an order authorizing the temporary confine- ment of the guilty party in the Penitentiary or County Jail of New York, or in the Penitentiary or County Jail from which the delinquent was com- mitted. ‘The Judge committing the delinquent to & penitentiary or jail is io fix the period of the con- finement, There is one most extraordinary clause in the act, which actually provides that no person cenvicted of vagrancy or of any criminal offence and committed to or confined in the House of Refuge shall be discharged by habeas cerpas or cer- tiorari on the ground that no certificate of such conviction has been filed, or on the ground ef any variance, misdescription, misnomer or any defects or imperfections in matter of form contaimed in the record, process, entries, judg- ment, order of commitment, returns or other pro- ceedings, under or in pursuance of which such commitment was made; provided that such cer- Uficate be filed, or such variance, misdescription, &c., be corrected by order of the Court before which such writ of habeas corpus or certiorari is returnable, RAPID TRANSIT. In the matter of railroad legislation the session has been very prolitic, although the results do not indicate many new roads, surface or rapid transit. Of the latter, although dozens have been proposed, only one has become a law. The ‘Beach Pneu- matic’ is the general designation of the railroad corporation granted additional powers under chap- ter 185, It is permed under this law to oper the yinderground railwa' (on imivar 8 fide apshimentat Sant Bet fice almost any day under Warren street and Broad- way), from ‘he Battery under Broadway to Madi- son square, where it sprouts, one branch con- tinuing under Broadway to Central Park and Eighth avenue, and the other under Madison ave- nue to and under Harlem River to the Westchester side. The motive power is presumably pneumatic, but the bill authorizes three engineer commis- sioners, appointed by the Governor, not only to supervise the work and the route, but to deter- mine whether the pneumatic or other motive power shall be adopted, ° SURFACE RAILWAYS, Among surface railway projects Twenty-third “street seems to have been a special object of atten- tion, In addition to the railway already erected upon its surface, two others have been granted priviteges thereon by the laws newly enacted. The Crosstown, as it is catled, has been before the Legislature several years, but never before the penne occasion has it secured the concurrence of oth houses and the signature of the Governor. It provides for tracks irom Twenty-third street and East River, through Twenty-third street to avenue A, to Seventeenth street, Broadway, Union squate, Fourteenth street, Seventh avenue, West Eleventh and West streets to 'Christo- og street and North River. ‘the other hill provides for an extension of the present Twenty-third Street Railway tracks through and along Second avenue, Twenty-eighth street, First avenue, Twenty-ninth street ana Thirty-fourth street. The Christopher Street Rallroaa, according to chapter 301 of the new laws, is to have its tracks run from Christopher street ferry through and along Christopher street to Greenwich avenue, to Sixth avenue, Eighth street or Clinton place, across Broadway to Astor place, through Astor place and Kighth street to avenue A to Tenth street, and thence to the ferry at the foot of Tenth street on past River. The Bleecker street and Fulton Ferry Railroad is also authorized to extend their tracks along Tenth avenug to Little Twelith street, to Washing- ton and Curistopher streets, and aloug Tenth ave- nue to West street, and through that street to Christopher ferry. "Also, @ branch route is pro- vided for from Bleecker and Crosby along Bleecker to Mulberry, thence through the property to La- Jayette place (upon acquiring the right of way by purchase), thence to Astor place, Eighth street, Clinton place, University place to Fourteenth street and their present track at the corner of Fourteenth street and Ninth avenue. GENERAL LAWS. Among the general bills passed and already signed by the Governor are the tollowing:. An act to provide for the protection of citizens in their civil and public rights, This is the famous Husted bill. It prohibits, under severe penaltics, any citizén from being denied any accommodation in hotels, restaurants, theatres, &c., on account of their color, An act concerning the proof of wills, executors and administrators, guardians and wards and Sur- rogates’ Courts. It amends a section of chapter $45 of the Laws of 1869 so that it is provided that no real estate, the title to which shall have passed out of any heir or devisee of the deceased, by conveyance or otherwise, to a purchaser 1m good iaith and for value, shall be sold vy virtue of the provisions of thrs act, orof tule 4, chapter 6, part 2, of the Haine, Statutes, unless letters testamentary or of administration upon the estate of said deceased shall have been Losey for within four years after his death, nor unless application for such sale shall be le to the Surrogate within three years after the grant- ing of such letters testamentary or of administra- tion, provided the Surrogate of any county in the State had jurisdiction to grant such letters of ad- ministration, An act which confers certain additional powers upon the State Comptroller. Under it this officer may set aside any cancellation of sale made by him under provisions of chapter 427 of the Laws of 1855, In the act amendatory of the Law of 1870, relating to the Union Home and School, it provides that & tax of $150 per year shall be levied in each county for maintenance of children in the Union Home and School for the education and maintenance of the children of volunteers, and in like roportion for any portion of a ear for each and every destitute child received from the respective counties, The act “for the relief of the stockholders of cer- porations whose certificates of stock have been lost or destroyed.” It provides that stocknolders may apply to the Supreme Court to.compel corporators te issue duplicate certificates in case the ones first issued are lost or destroyed. The bs 6 ray to the Court for the “relief” must be made by peti- tion. The Court must then issue an order on the corporators to shew cause why the petition should not be granted. An act to provide for farnishing two statues of eminent deceased c tizens of the State, to be piaced in the Capitol at Washington. The two eminent deceased selected in the act are (%) George Clin- ne and Robert R. Livingston; the statues to be in ronze, THE LIBERTY OF LAW BREAKERS. The “Professional {Thieves act''—chapter 357—is an exceedingly important bill in its application to the city of New York especially, although it is operative throughout the State, being in some respects a radical innovation upon ail our previous theories of criminal law, It has been a question of perplexing toughness among good citizens of New York what to do with ocrimi- nals out of prison, known as professional or habitual law breakers, who have not laid themselves liable to the law since their last incarceration, and are, therefore, enjoying @ Season of rest and reconnoissance, 80 to speak, until plans of gerous, even murderous, ven- tures may be completed. These uncomfortable classes have veen visible any day and hour in the throngs of Broadway, protected by that panoply of defence called “presumption of innogence,” with which the law of centuries has invested the wickedest of unconvicted humanity, But the “Professional Thieves act” provides @ summar; disposal of these unpleasant neighbors. [ft renders any known habitual thief, burg- lar, pickpocket, ues or forger liable, on the information of any one, to be arrested and imprisoned not less than a hundred days at hard labor on being found in any public gathering of people, few or many, at steamboat landings, railway depots, churches, places of amuse- ment, banks, auctions, &c., or on it being shown by suficient testimony that such habitual thief has been heretofore convicted and has no legitimate business at these public places, CARELESS USE OF FIREARMS, An act to punish the careless use of firearms is also of extra importance as a check upon reck triflers with dangerous Weapons. This act declares the intentional aiming of firearms at another with- out malice to be a misdemeanor punishable by from $6 to $50file, The discharge of firearms so almed— and on these latter points the law is likely to effect @ great reformation—is declared to be @ misde- ——__——___L MAY 31, 1873.—TRIPLE SHEET, Meanor subject to punishment by imprisonment of not more than one year, and 1D case of injury to any person by such careless discharge of frearms, to imprisonment of not more than two years, It furthermore enables any person so injured to re- cover damages at court of law. MANDAMUSING IN THE SU’REME COUBTS. The act relative to writs of mandamus does away With one of the most oppressive evils of the system in vogue among the corrupt judges, wherein one could overthrow the action of another, or, at least, hinder and obstruct it in such & that one unscrupulous man on the enabled to control to some degree decisions of ali his associates. The wars of Mandamuses and injunctions so frequently revatled during the impeached régime are to be legislated beyoud seibility of return, The act authorizes writs of mandamus and of probibition to issue to the Spectal ‘Term of the Supreme Court, or any Justice holaing such term, or sitting in Chambers, provided application be made ior such writ to the General Term in the judicial de- partment where the subject matter of such ap plication originated, If no General Term is in session in that department, then application may b2 made to an adjoining department. The. pro- ES ce ceed on such application are not to be stayed or suspended by the writ or order of ay Court other than the General Term before which it is pending. THE NEW MARRIAGE LAW. A very important bill relative to marriage, and one, consequently, of the utmost importance to any young and thoughtless couple who may be con- templating elopement and clandestine marriage, is chapter 25. ‘his dreadful act defines ‘fbs’’ as to age, brygonterreyoy residence and other facts deemed requisite by ministers to the solemniza- tion of the marriage wilful and corrupt perjury, and pi able as such, The minister, in furtherance of this enactment, 1s authorized to administer oaths to the parties contemplating marriage and que: tion them upon these subjects, or he may adminis- ter oaths to any other pensons and question them upon the subject, and they shall subscribe to the examination. And [alse swearing under the act is considered perjury and ptinishabie as such, THE LAW OF PROCEDURE. A number of highly Tuponans acts were passed relative to the practice of courts and the code of ure, Among these are the following :— 1, AD act extending the term of the Commis- sioners of cn pore until July 1, 1875, unless the causes ordered shall be sooner determined. 2, Authorizing the transier of causes pending before the Court of Appeals on January 1, 1869, not heretofore disposed oi, to the printed calendar of the Commissioners of Appeals, 3. Defining the disqualifications of an executor. First, as being incapable of making a contract (except married wemen) ; second, being under the age of twenty-one; third, an alien, not an inhabi- tant of the State; fourth, who shall have been con- victed of a infamous crime, and fifth, who shall be incompetent by reasoa of drunkenness, dishonesty, improvidence or want of understanding, 4. For the relief of sick prisoners contined upon civil process. It amends the previous law by pro- viding that a physician and warden or jailer may certily that a prisoner confined upon civil process 18 In such bodily ill health as to endanger his lite, and the County Judge, or inthe city of New York the Judge of the Court of Conimon Pleas, may order his removal to any hospital, where he shall be un- der the custody of the Warden, 5. Inrelation to a just division of the debtor's estate conveyed to assignees jor the benetit of creditors, It amends the previous statute by pro- viding for the prosecution of the bond of assignees who may have become insolvent, TAX LAWS. Chapter 12 is an act to authorize the levying of a tax o! three and a half mulls tor canal and general deficiencies, by the Boards of Supervisors of the several counties, Caapter 273 18 an act appropria- ting $142,103 74 for the current year, for deficiency in the appropriation for ordinary repairs of canals. A MINOR EXCISE ACT, chapter 249, provides that there sall be a Board of Commissioners of Excise in each city, incorporated village and town. ee ‘THE FISHERY COMMISSION of thé State is continued by chapter 74, with the original powers, the Commissioners to receive no salary. IMPORTANT BILLA LOST, the important bills that failed to pass both houses:— ‘An act relating to writs of error in capital cases; defence of insanity in criminal cases; to exempt bonds and mortgages from taxation ; to abolish the Usury laws; an act relating to the Fiith regiment, Nauonal Guard; an act to regulate the sale of gas and to appoint inspectors eel bill); Te- laung to the safe keeping of lunatics; to provide for valuation of lite insurance policies; amending an act relative the Insurance Depart- ment; to suppress lotteries; relative to forfeiture of life insurance policies; relative to New York District Courts; relative to powers of Pelice Jus- tices; amending act relative to jurorsin the city and county of New York; relative to actions against sheriffs; the act continuing the fishery commission of the State of New York; extending the time for the collection of assessments for the laying out of Riverside Park; an act amending Laws Of 1846, entitled an act to Equalize Taxa- tion; in relation to mechanics’ liens iu tie City of New York; the act refunding to draited men sub- stitute monéy; to regulate the landing of oysters in the city of New York; an act in relation to telegraph companies; an act amendatory ofan act to promote medical science, passed April 1, 1854; an act relating to the Marine Court in the city of New York, deciaring and defining its jurisdiction and practice and con- solidating the several acts affecting the said Court; an act in relation to eriminal cases; an act to regulate the fare on the Eighth Avenue Raliroad; an act to enable husband and wile, or either of them, to be a witness for or against the other or on behalf of any party in certain cases; an act to equalize the State tax among the several counties of this State; an act to facilitate the construction of the Metropolitan Transit Kaiiroad ; to amend act relative to double sessions of the Court of General Sessiens; in relatien to witnesses in crinnnal cases; to prevent gambling; to amend chapter 137 Laws 1870 in relation to New York; relative to local improvements and street open- ings; to amend an act to establish Quarantine; to incorperate Underground Railroad Company; to regulate the price of gas in New York and Brook- lyn; to appoint commissioners of city railroads; to establish the municipal ceurt; to in- corporate the Railroad Advertising Company; amending act relative to Supreme Court and to the election of Judge of Court of Common Pleas; for the protection of factory children; to prevent the use of salt on thoroughiares; to incorporate Riverside police; extend tracks of& Third Avenue Railway; fo promote justice in certain proceed- ings; to abolish the Commissioners of Quarantine; to incorporate the Metropolitan Transit Company ; to alter map of Seventh avenue; relative to im- provements between Harlem River and 110th street; to incorporate the Elevated Arched Rail- way; in relation to claims against the city and county; to construct a tunnel under the Hudson; the Ninth regiment bill; the local improvement bill. The Closing Scenes. ALBANY, May 30, 1873, The adjournment of the Legislature at four o’clock this morning was preceded by a mock ses- sion that baMes description, Lt lasted half an hour nearly, and the disorderly elements (I came very near saying characters) broke out in all their strength and turned the Assembly Chamber into @ perfect pandemonium. It was not safe for any one to remain seated in the body of the room alter the ‘‘House’’ had been calied to order (?) ; 80 the charmed circle presented A BEGGARLY ARRAY OF EMPTY CHAIRS, while the members who relished the fun and those who did not were alike huddied out of harm’s way in the galieries, It fell to the popular lot of Mr. Jacobs to be selected unanimously as the Speaker. On taking the chair the full sense of the honor he has been seeking for so many years—that of being really “Mr. Speaker"—seemed to overwhelm him, and for a short time alter taking the gavei in hand his emotion proved too much for his physique. In fact, he had to cover his face with his hands jor a full minute to hide his tears, while THE CHEERS OF THR “SPECTATORS” rent the air on all sides, Still Jacobs was quite equal to the occasion in the long run, and after de- termining the order of the day for the house he requested that Professor Clark should take the chair, The request was seconded with a yell that was heard way down at tne Delavan; but the Professor begged to be excused, and blushed like a girl of sixteen when a committee waited upon him to conduct him to the chair. However, he was seized bodily and carried to the platform and then put upon his feet. He receiveda rignt Toyal ovation, which he acknowledged with all his natural grace, a la Chinois—tnat is, he placed his right hand on the back of his head and pushed tt forward and downward until bis forehead touched the desk in front of him. This salutation affected the House to such @ degree that it had to acknowledge the corn in & handsome manner, and it chose to do so by ed all the available files of bilis at the shining pate o1 THE EDUCATOR OF YOUTH, It is unnecessary to say that the Professor found refuge from his assailants by taking to his heels and running to his seat in the “‘Sieepy Holiow”’ cor- ner, Meanwhile Mr. Husted acted as Clerk, and had to read all sorta of resolutions, funny and otherwise, referring to all sorts of subjects, and the storm of paper missiles few thick and fast. Vedder succeeded Clarke in the chi there rose a cry that the third House should have a say in the proceedings. Cresstown Cary hap- pened te be in the crowd en the floor, and he was seized upon and placed in the chair; but his tenure of office did not last long, for he, too, was merci- leasly pelted with Siles, his hat was crushed to atoms and FLIGHT OUT OF A WINDOW alone saved him from utter annihilation. But yel- ling and howling and file-firing were not the only consolations of the solons. They had a good supply of tin trumpets and children’s rattics to make the confusion worse*confounded, and they made the most of them. But enough of this mock session. What he as while it lasted may easily be passed over as the sport of @ half-hour, set de especi- ally for sport; but it must be said that the Bien session of the House which preceded and followed it was marked by scenes that were ef the most disgraceful character. The Speaker vain attempted to preserve erder; in vain ordered | p the Sergeant-at-Arms to arrest any member dis- | covered “blowing a horn’’ or in any way raising @ | disturbance. The disorder continued, and the spec- | tacle was presented of an entire Assembly in rej lar on, and while in the actual act of passing bills for the government of the people, conducting themselves like A PARCEL OF LUNATICS escaped from an insane asylum, The like of It was never witnessed before at Albany, and it is to be hoped never will be again. A mock session 1s'all very funny and preper in its time and piace, but to take @worse than mock sesston of a regular | Sessign is something that cannot be too severely condemned. ‘The formal farewells were of the usnal character, Mr, Jacobs, on the part of the minority, offered @ series of resolutions complimentary to the Speaker, which were warmly seconded by Mr. Beebe an others of the democrats. Of ceurse the republi- cans, through Husted and Pierson, also advocated their passage, and they were finally passed unani- mously. oe houses adjourned at four o’clock this morn- FINAL PROCEEDINGS. ALBANY, May 30, 1873, The following tsa continuation of the proceedings of the Legislature yesterday morning up to the hour of adjournment, resumed from where the HERALD account broke of at half-past two o'clock A. M. Senate, The Conference Committce of both houses agreed to recede from the Black River Canal item, The items in dispute between both houses on local improvements in New York city were agreed to by the Conference Committee and reported to the Senate. The Senate refused to agree to the report. The vote on the amendments were reconsidered end again lost. The Senate and Assembly committees on the Elmira Reformatory item in the Supply bill re- ported they could not agree. i The Assembly returned the New York City De- ficiency bill, with a report that they insisted on their amendments, and requested another Con- ference Committee, which was appointed. The committees of both Houses agreed on the Supply bul. The bill to!mprove Eighty-sixth street, New York, was passed, The Senate then (four A. M.) adjourned sine die, Assembly. Tn the Honse the following bills were passed :— Amending the act for the incorporation of life insurance companies; providing regulations for Taising taxes in New York county; to incor- porate the Maritime Association of New York; defining the powers and duties of the Captein of the Port and Harbor Masters of the Port of New York; authorizing life insurance or trust companies or savings banks to invest in West- chester county bonds for waterworks at Peeks- kill; to incorporate the New York College of Auresthesia; to authprize the Old Dominion Steamsmp Company to increase its number of directors, The conference committee on * THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS reported that the Senate would not agree to strik- ing out the Black RivePCanal as one of the canals which may be sold, Mr. Batcheller moved that the House recede. He said he made this motion with regret, but it would be impossible to secure @ concurrence from the Senate. He could, he said, show that this canal should not be made subject to sale, but the time for argu- ment had passed. We must recede frum this proposition, or perhaps lose the entire seventh ar- ticle on the subject of the canals. Mr. Sylvester urged the House not to recede. After further dis- cussion My, Batcheller’s motion to recede was Carried by 74 to 20. BILLS PASSED. To authorize the Geneva and Ithaca Railroad Company to extend their road; fixing the time when the offices of Sheriff and County Clerk of Kings county shall be kept open; to extend the serm. of office of the Brooklyn Park Commission- ers; to provide for the consolidation of Brooklyh and the county towns of Kings county into one municipal govérnment. RESOLUTION OF THANKS TO THE SPEAKER. Mr. Jacobs offered a resoiution of thanks to Hon. A. B, Cornell, Speaker of the House, for the able and impartial manner in which he has presided over the deliberations of this body. Mr. Jacobs, in a few remarks, sustained the sentiment contained in the resolution. Mr. Hill rose and commenced by saying he could not assent to the resolution, when hisses were heard all over the House. Mr. Hill then said as he saw the Mouse did not want to hear him he would,cease. Mr. Beebe rose, saying he had intended not to say anything on this occa- sion, contenting himself with casting his affirmative vote on the resolution most heartily. He then spoke at some length, and declared that Alonzo B, Cornell had discharged his duties as Speaker im- partially, honestly and faithiully. Messrs, Car- penter, Blumenthal, Pierson and Husted also spoke endorsing the resolution, when it was adopted without a dissenting voice. RESOLUTION OF THANKS TO THE CLERK. Mr. Roche offered a resolution thanking Hon. John O'Donnell for the faithful manner in whicn he had discharged the duties of Clerk 0; the House. The resolution was sustained by Messrs. Roche, Burns, Jacobs and Batcheller, when the resolution adopted. KING THE OTHER OFFICERS, Mr. Beebe offered a similar resolution with re- gard to all the other officers of the House, and sus- tained it in a few remarks, when it was adopted unanimously. APPLAUDED.THE SPEAKER. The Speaker, who had leit the chair previous to these proceedings, here resumed his position amid long continued applause. RECEDING ON THE SUPPLY BILL. The conference committee on so much of the Supply billas relates to the Elmira Reformatory reported that they were unable to agree. Mr. Prince moved that the House insist on the pro- vision remaining in the bill, and that another con- ference committee be appointed. He believed that the Senate would recede. Mr. Fort hoped the mo- tion would not prevail; he did not believe the Senate would recede. Mr. Dexter said that be- leving the House wished to adjourn to-night he would move that the House recede. Mr. Prince, in deference to the gentleman from Chemung, though he believed this House would stay here a month of suttr | vieted of Tather than see an injustice done him, withdrew his motion to Insist and Mr. Dexter’s motion to re- cede was carried. BILLS PASSED, Designating who shall be the Board ofSu visors of the county of New York; amending the State Registry law; providing for the drainage of low lots; in the city of Brooklyn, to amend the charter of the Union Trust Com- ey of New York; to amend the charter of the nited States Mortgage Company; to amend the act defining the powers and duties of Harbor Masters of the port of New York; amending the act incorporating town insurance companies; to provide for the better admiuistration of the finan- cia! concerns of Brooklyn—on motion of Mr. Roche the enacting clause was stricken out, This was the last bill on the clerk’s desk. . FINAL ADJOURNMENT, The resolution for final adjournment was re- ceived from the Senate, and, on motion of Mr. Jacobs, it was amended so as to fix the time at four o'clock A.M. The usual committees to inform the Governor and Senate the House was ready to adjourn were appointed and the House took a re- cess of twentylminutes. On reassembling at four A. M, the Speaker addressed the House briefly ana the Assembly them adjourned sine die, Duration of the Sessions for Ten Years Past. The following table shows the time of adjourn- ment of the Legisiature each year since 1863:— -April 25 1868 ScApril 23 1869 ‘April 28 1870, April 20 1871 pei 20° 1872: THE AMENDED CONSTITUTION. Proposed Vital Changes in the Fundamental Law of the State—The Questions To Be Submitted to the People in November, 1874. ALBANY, May 20, 1873. The work of the Constitutional Commission, ap- pointed by Governor Hoffman under an act of the Legislature of 1872, to revise and suggest amend- ments to the constitution of the State, was com- posed of some of the most solid publicists of all parts of the State, and may be supposed to have done its work well. A surer proof of such acon, summation Is found, however, in the fact that the Legislature, of which this Commission was sub- stantially & committee, after a thorough discussion of the work, found go little tq change. Below we give A DIGEST OF THE CHANGES PROPOSED, According to the constitution it is necessary when amendments thereto are to be made that they shall be proposed in the Senate and Assembly; shall be agreed to by @ majority of the members elected to each of the two houses, entered on their journals with the yeas and nays thereonj referred to the Legislature to be chosen at the next general elec- ton of Senators, and shall be published for three months previots to the time of making such choice; and ifin the Legislature so next chosen as afore- said such proposed amendments shall be agreed to by a majority of all the members elected to each House, then it shall be the duty of the Legislature to submit such proposed amendments to the people, | me and ifa majority of qualified electors approve they shall become part of the constitation. .It will be observed from this that the next Legisiature will also have to adopt the amendments now just adopted; but it is claimed by good constitutional lawyers of both honses that the next Legislature cannot alter or amend the amendments, simply having the power to accept or reject them as @ whole. The tenor of the constitutional article cer- tally seems to imply as much, and we may take it {ie for granted that the amendments as they now Stand are the ones which will be submitted to the vote of the people in 1874, if any at all are submit- ted, In that view of the case it is of importande to di | know just what the amendments propose, A MONUMENT OF ANCIENT WISDOM, Ttas a highly felicitous instance of the substan- ial wisdom of the originators of our constitution that, through all the changes of polity, the wars and revolutions that have visited the State, and even surviving the desecrating spirit of universal progress toward what doctrinanes term a higher treedom, the first article of the constitation, rela- tive to the rights of persons, trial by jury and free- dom of conscience and of speech, has newer been substantially altereg or amended by a word or a letter since the days when George Clinton first wore the gubernatoria} ermine of the soverel State. It remains now as the almost inspired wie. dom of the early statesmen framed it, and the hand of the constitution amenders of 187—the era of aggressive doctrines, of advanced femininism, of universal equality, of Internationalism and of Com- munism—has found nothing to strike out or add in Nas Speaners to the work of the constitution makers o ls ‘The trst amenament proposed in the present in- stance is to article 2, relative to THE QUALIFICATIONS OF ELECTORS. It prescribes, in addition to the present length of residence, thirty days in the election district, and strikes out the property qualitication of $250 for colored men, a qualification which has been null in effect since the war of the rebellion ceased, BRIBERY. Section 2 of the present constitution reads as follows :— Src. 2.—Laws may be passed excluding from the right ¢ all persons who have been or may be con- bribery, larceny, or of any ini 8 crin and for depriving every’ person who shall make or b come directly or indirectly Interested in any bet or wa- gerd ing upon the result of any election fiom the Tight to vote at such election, As proposed to be amended it reads as follows :— *, 2.—No person shall receive, expect, or offer to or pay, offer or promise to pay, contribute, offer bute to another, to be paid or used, compensation ng @ vote at an e make any promise to influ. en hholding “of any such yote, or shall make or become "directly or indirectly interested in’ any bet or wager dependitig upow the r of any election, shall vote at such clection; and, lerige for such person #0 challenged, betore the. inspectors or officers authorized for that purpose rec a his vote, shall swear or afiirm, before such inspectors or Ais officers, that he has not received or offered, does not expect'to receive, hus not paid, offered ‘or. prom: ised to pay, contributed, offercd or promised to contribute ‘to another, to be pald or. used, any money or other valual thing, as a compensation reward for the giving o1 f ithholiing a vote at such ele and has not made any promise to influence the gi ing or withholding of any such vote, nor made or become tly or indirectly interested 19. ‘any bet or wager, de. upon the result of such elec! Kislature, at the session thereof next atter the of this section, shall, and trom time to time F may, enact laws excluding from the right of suffrage all persons convicted of bribery or of any infa- mous crime. t The proposed section aimin, is spread out more than the original, and is in con- sequence much thinner, To disfranchise a person for “expecting” a bribe smacks of impracticability. z THE STATUS O¥ THE SENATE. The sections 2 and 3 of article 3, relative to the formation and election of the Senate, re- mains unchanged. Several motions were made to change it, the Constitutional Commis- sion presenting a section dividing the State into eight distri each to elect four Senators to hold tor four years, and Mr, James Wood, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, presenting a section naming the eight Judicial districts as Senate’ districts, each to send four Senators, and the State at large to elect three more, making a Senate of thirty-five. All of these were rejected, and the section as it stands in the present con- stitution was retained, THR ASSEMBLY. Section 5, as amended, prescribes an Assembly of 128 members for one year each, as it stands now, ana further arranges for an apportianiuent on that basis whenever needed by the Legislature. Section 6 tixes the salary of Senators and Assemblymen each at $1,500, which is an increase af $1,200 on the present pay. Senators in ex- traordinary session and members, when serving as managers of impeachment, are to receive $10 a day additional, Other sections disqualify all members from appointment by the Governor or any city government to any other office during their term, and render ineligible to the Legislature any one who at the time or within one hundred days pre- viously has been a member of Cengressp a military or civil officer of the United States or an officer under any city government, Z The remaining amendments to article 3 pre- scribe laws for THE CONDUCT OF THE LEGISLATU! The foliowiug is section 19 as proposed to be amended :— See, 1%2—The Legislature shall not pass a private or local bill in any of the following cases —~ Changing the names of persons. Laying out, opening, altering, working or diseontinuing roads, highways, streets or ‘alleys, or for draining swamps, inarshes or other low Jands. Locating or changing county seats, Providing for changes of venue in civil or criminal to prevent bribery orating villages. roviding for the election of members of Boards of Su- pervisors. Selecting, dra wing, summoning or empanelling grand eguliating the rate of interest on money. »pentng and conducting of elections or designating of voting. mitting fines, penalties or fort 8. Sreating, increasing or decreasing fees, percentage or allowan blic officers during the term tor which said officers are elected or appointed. Granting to any corporation, association or individual the right to lay down railroad tracks. Granting to a rivate corpo n, association or in- dividual, any exclusive privilege, sminunity or franchise whatever. Providing for building bridges, and chartering compa- nies for such purpose, except on' the Hudson River below Waterford, and on the East River, or over the waters forming a he boundaries of the State. ‘The Lexislature shall pass general laws providing for the cases enumerated in this section, and for all other cases which in its judgment may be provided for by general laws. But no law shall grant the right to construct and op- orate a street railroad within any city, town or incorpor- ated village, without the consent of the local nuthortties having the control and mandgement of the street or high- Way proposed to be occupied, and also the consent of owners of at least one-half in value of the property, ac- cording to the assessment roll of the previous year, bounded on that portion of each street or highway over which it is proposed to construct such road; or, in case the consent of such property owners cannot be dbtained, then without the consent of a board of three commission- ers, to be appointed by the Supreme Court at a general term thereof, in the district in which it 1s proposed to construct the railroad. THE BXECUTIVE POWER. Article 4 relates to the Executive power, and, as proposed to be amended, prescribes the terms of the Governor and Lieut it Governor at three ears, and places their ries respectively at 10,000 and $5,000, the Governor to be supplied with a furnished house, ‘THE STATE OFFICERS. Article 6, as proposed to be amended, pro- vides that the Comptroller and Secretary of State shall be elected at the same time and for the same term a8 the Governor, but that the Attorney Gen- eral, State Engineer and Surveyor and Superin- tendent of State Prisons shall be appointed by the Governor and Senate, and a Treasurer shall be chosen by Senate and Assembly in joint session. The clause allowing the Governor to remove the State ofcl: ‘hus appointed is stricken out. The office of Canal Commissioner is abolished, @ Super- intendent of Public Works is to be elected instead, and the Lieutenant Governor is made one of the Land Commissioners, THE JUDICIARY. Article 7, relative to the Judiciary, is amended in only one particular. Section 18 is to be changed by the insertion of the following sentence in the body of iti— Judicial officers of courts, not of record, in the several cities of the State, having population of not lesa than three hundred thousand, shall be appointed by the ernor, with the consent bt the Senate, for a term of four ears, and shail be subject to removal after due noti dan opportunity of being heard. by such courts as ay be prescribed by law, for causes to be assigned in the order of removal. ‘THR CANALS, The amendments to the canal article provide, in substance, that expenses shall not exceed gross receipts, or petit juries. K Tl est MISCELLANEOUS, Further amendme! declare that the sinking fund shall be kept sacredly for the specific purpose of Cao yp! the principal of the aebt of the State; that a general law shall be enacted con- forming all charters of savings banks and such institutions to a uniformity of powers; forbiading the giving or loaning of the credit of the State to any private undertaking; nor shall any county, city, town or village’ loan its own credit similarly. Officials who receive a_ fixed sMlary shall receive no additional compensation. All officers and members of the Legislature shall swear, on taking office, that they have not in any wa been guilty of bribery or subornation of bribery to secure their election. A BRIBERY ARTICLE. Bribery at elections and under all circumstances seems to be an evil which the good Commissioners felt themselves eapectally called upon to eradicate. In two instances previously noticed they have waged a war against that corrosive poison of free republicanism, and here is another case wherein a whole article is devoted to it, Article 16, a8 pro- posed to be amended, reads as follows :— ARTICLE XVI. Srertox 1.—Any person holding offloe under the laws of {his State, who, except in payment of his legal salary, foes oF perquisiten, shall recelve or consent to receive, directly or indirectly, any thing of yalue or of personal advaniage, or the promise th omitting to perform any official or tinplied understanding sion to act is to be in a influenced thereby, ee intl shall be deemed guilty of a felony. This section shall not tion to affect the validity of any existing statutes inere! the ome bribery. ho shall offer 80, 2.— AN irson who shal toanofticer, it It shall eived, shal ullty of w felony and Liable to p rein provid any prosecution of the officer for re bribe, iving h privileged trom testifvinigin relation thereto, and hi ii not be Habje to civil or Wruninal proseestion ‘here, for, {f ne shall testity to the giving o1 bribe. “Any person who shai oer or promixa wbebee tt | ie va the olficer to whom it is tendered mall rf to whoin i} e be deemed guilty of un atiempt aeeiarn ie yo : saben which is hereby KO 3.—Any pergon charged with rece or ‘with offering ‘or. promising "a brine, anaft Honea? mitted to testify in lis own behalf in any civil or erim. inal yay therefor, jee. 4—Any district attorney wh. hall fi to prosecute a person charged with. the violution ee, nh county, any provision of this article which may cor to his knowledge, shalt be. removed. from occ by the Gover! after due notice and. an “opportunity it heard in his defence. The expenses which “shall be" incurred by any ““counte in investigating and — prosecuting “any charge of bribery of attempting to bribe any. person holding r the laws of this ate, within such county, i nin #aid county, heir payment by shall be a charge againt the State, the State shall be provided for by Article 17 is the concluding article, and reads ag follows :— Section 1.—All amendments to the constitution shall be in force from and including the Ist day of January suc: ceeding the election at which the same were adopted, except when otherwise provided by such amendments. THE LOST ARTICLE ON CITIES, A separate section proposed by the Commisnon relative to cities, which comprehended the plan of @ general charter for all cities and thus take them away from the interference of the Legislature, was rejected entirely by the Legislature, and will not be considered by the ople. It was one of the amendments most needed, and, in view of the un- feemly war of the New York charter in the body just dissolved, one of the most appropriate of tee batch. A Legislature that knows its own good, saw fit to take it out of the hands of the people, however, and the war of charters will go on, the Indecorous lobbying of city officials at the legislative bar will continue, until some future commission er convention, aided by some future Legislature more conscientious than Legislatures of the present era ever become, shall returg to the hundreds of thousands who live in the great cities of the State the right to govern «themselves. the amendments stand, they present many excel- lent improvements upon the present constitution, but the failure to accept the “city article” ia a matter to be deeply regretted, CRICKET. —-+—__—_ The First Match of the Season—“St, George's” vs. the Staten Island Club= Victory of the Former —Cricketing Notes. The first cricket match of the season was played yesterday at Staten Island, between the St, George's Club, of this city, and the Staten Island Cricket Club, and resuited, owing to the heavy rain, inadrawn contest. The spot chosen by the knights of the willow for the match was the pic- turesque one of Camp Washington, the most northerly point of the island, and in close proxim. ity tothe Light House Department and Quarantine Station, A large marquee, placed on the ground by the Staten Islanders, was filled with visitors from New York, including a large number of ladies, The almost tropical heat was relieved by pleasant breezes irom the bay, and all angured well for the contest, with the exception of some heavy rain clouds which showed themselves in a south easterly direction, The St. George’s team leit this city by the ten o’clock boat from White- hall ferry; but, upon arriving at the ground, found that the Staten Islanders were not all present, and it was not tila few minutes before noon that the umpires called play, the Staten Islanders hav- ing in the meantime gained the toss for choice of innings and elected to goin. The ground was not in good playing order, being somewhat lumpy and untrue, the more so owing to the conformation of the land, which has a decided slope down to the water's edge, giving “screw” bowlers a great ad- vantage. Both clubs played their professional bowler, and both caused terrible havoc in the “timber yards” of the opposing eleven. The first champions at the wicket on behalf of the cricket- ing hes of the ‘Gem of the Bay’ were’ Messrs. Outerbridge, the captain of his eleven, and one of the courageous sur- vivors of the ill-fated seamer Missouri, and Brewster, the club's professional _—_ bewler. Their stay was brie! and inglorious, Outerbridge having his timbers shaken by Jones and Brews: by Smith, the score of each being one, and, in it, later on none of the Club got into double figures. Irving, Filmer, Davis and Lawrence, who foliowed were hah poe J men and added nothing to the score. Luske, by some careful forward play and a couple of sopd ‘irives toward long fleld otf, scored five, when he was captured by Jones, who caught and bowled him, The Staten Islanders now be- came somewhat demoralized, and bets were freely offered among the spectators at two to one that St. George’s would win, and this idea was substan- uated by the clean fielding of the New Yorkers, who apparently telt that paar were playing a win- ning game. The swift bowling of Smith (prafes- sional) from the lower end was excellent, and the wickets Were no sooner set up than he sent the bails flying. The whole innings of the Staten Island- ers were brought to a close with the scor? at nine- teen. INNINGS OF THE Sf, GEORGE'S CLUB, After the elapse of the usual time the St, George’s were sent in, leading off with Bowman and Talbot, but they were not fated to keep com- pany together long, for a couple of trimmers from the professional bowler, Brewster, sent them back into private life, with the score at six. Counsellor Moeran followed, and after exhibiting some elever play, including the Surrey cut, he retired to pri- vate life on account of “1. b. w.” while attempting a cut to square leg. The highest score was made by Jones, Who scored ten runs. Four of the eleven scored precisely nothing. The Club went out for a total of forty-one runs, being twenty-two rung more than the Isjanders had made, Alter dinner the Staten Isianders went in again and scored twenty-six runs for the loss of six wickets, when at about three o'clock the rain com- menced pouring down, and it was mutually agreed that farther play was out of the question anf that St. George’s were the winners on the single in- ning count. The following 18 the score :— STATEN ISLAND CLUB. ‘Second Innit i Marsh, not ou ; By, 1; leg byes, 2... Total b. Brewster Bre wate! b. w. Bowman, ‘Talbot, b. Noes Satterthwi Jones, b. Brewater Sleigh, b. Outerbridge Smith, c. Luske, b. Brewster Torrance, b. Brewster Cushmap, not out.. Eyre, played on hi: Green, b. Brewster Leg by, 1; wides, 3. Vinton. Total... oe Umpires—Messrs. Meakin and Cricketing Notes, A day match is to be played between the St, George's Club and the Manhattan, on Wednesday, June 4, at the Hoboken Cricket Ground. The fol- lowing are the teams which will play :—On the part of the St, George's Club, Jones, Sleigh, Green, Eyre, Moeran, Lovebond, Cushman,’ Robertson, Austin, Talbot and Earnshaw. The following 18 the Man- hattan team:—Hosford, Ronaldson, Jackson, Keeler, Kersiey, Tyler, Oakley, McDougal, Tucker, Rutter and Cammell. THE NATIONAL GAME, The Atilantic-Resolute Match Stopped by the Rain. About five hundred persons assembled on the Union Grounds yesterday afternoon to witness the match between the Atlantic and Resolute clubs. Game was called at three o’clock instead of four, as was announced, and ere the close of the third inning the Atlantics refused to longer continue the struggle, asthe rain was falling quite hard and had been doing so ever since the first ball was Pitched, The score at this time was eight to nothing in favor of the Resolutes, two of their runs being earned, and, judging from the excelient manner in which the Jerseymen were playing, they would doubtless have administered a severe chastisement to the Brooklynites had not the rain come to their relief. A Championship Game Between the Baltimore and Washington Clubs. . WASHINGTON, May 30, 1873. The championship game between the Baltimore and Washington clubs, played here to-day, resulted in favor of tle former by @ score of 19 to 6. The Mutuals Beat the Bostons. Boston, May 80, 1873, A game of base ball was played here to-day be- tween the Mutual and and Boston clubs, the for- mer winning by a score of 6 to 4 DISAPPEARANCE OF A YOUNG GIRL Mary Frances Marsh, thirteen years of age, daughter of A. H. Marsh, 74 Gregory street, Jersey City, dressed herself at her home about five o'clock on Thursday afternoon, since which time there has been no trace of her. She was dressed tn a dark brown velveteen sacque, light felt hat, light dregs and dark overskirt. She was of light complexion, had light hair and blue eyes. Her habits were so regular, and her obedience and sabmiasion to her parents so exemplary, that her sudden disappear. ance is most unaccountable. Her relatives, aided by detectives, are searcuing for her in every direc- tion.