on all property passing from or through such lateral canal, except so far as any of said laterals. or parts thereof may be necessary as feeders of water to the canals named in the seventh section of this article." Adopt this section, and you make it the interest of the people of those localities to foster their canals, to watch over them and choke off tho vampires who for years appear to have been sucking out their life-blood, and robbing the public of their just dues If then they cannot sustain them selves, we had better, in my humble judgment, even go beyond what is proposed in this section, and authorize the Legislature to dispose of them in any manner they may deem expedient, to givo them, if proper in their judgment, to the counties in which they are located, and let them have the benefit of the $13,528,000 they have cost, and make the most out of them they can. This proposition I have no doubt will be met with the millions upon them to repair their dilapidated locks and structures? Is it just to attempt to fasten upon my constituents, upon the people of this State, for all time, what amounts, when strip ped of special pleadings, to an annual tax for the benefit of the persons who live upon the line of these laterals? Is it just to compel us to pay a portion of the cost of transportation to market of every bushel of grain, or stick of lumber produced in their vicinity-to pay, in fact, a bounty on their production? Who pays for the transportation to market of the productions of the counties on the bauks of the Hudson or of the farmers of Long Island? Does, or has, the State ever paid a cent for this purpose? No, sir, the State does not nor never has paid; the producers pay it out of their own pockets; they have never had the presump tion, that I am aware of, even to ask the State to pay. There may have been some ground for affording temporary relief, of doling out charity to those portions of the State in their infancy, butery, of which I think I have seen symptoms, that twenty-one years and upward have elapsed since unless you carry along these laterals, unless you the system has been in operation, time has beeu continue this bounty and temporary relief forever, given them to pass their minority, they have be your Constitution will be defeated, for every man come strong and of age, and, in my judgment, it is on the lines of these laterals will vote against it. about time that they sustain themselves without Now, sir, this is the same spirit, the same evil a continuance of this temporary relief I believe genii which all along has succeeded, by assuming they have the ability and can do it without a threatening attitude, in bleeding the other por-greatly distressing themselves, but, like all other tious of the State, and making them tributaries to pensioners, they will hold on to their pittance as its power. I think the time has arrived to exorlong as possible. What prudent individual (the cise this spirit, to destroy his power, to defy him, State may be likened to an individual) owning » and to trust that the good sense of the mass of farm, a portion of which required irrigation to the people of this State will induce them make it productive, after expending a large sum to rise in their majesty and mote out equal justico in the digging of ditches to introduce water, to all, regardless of consequences. While occupyfinding that the expenses of keeping the ditches ng this floor, I will take the liberty of saying a in repair and of cultivation, without taking into few words upon another matter contained in the consideration the cost of the ditches, amounted to majority report of the Committee on Canals, to more than he could realize from the sale of the which, as one of the minority, I dissented, and that crops, and after trying the experiment for more is whether the Superintendent of Public Works, than twenty years with the same result, would an officer who is to hold for eight years, and continue the unprofitable practice? Few met who is to be vested with full power over the would continue it five years, much less twenty canals, and to be held responsible, should be it would prove ruinous to any man, unless he had appointed or elected. The majority recommend other means to sustain himself. This leak in the his appointment by the Governor and Senate, a públic treasury should be stopped, and a large an minority, that he should be elected by the people. nual sum, in addition to the millions required for Now sir, I have not as yet lost all faith in the repairs, will be secured to improve the navigation virtue and intelligence of the people, or in the on the paying canals and improve our finances. theory that the people are capable of self' governHaving so long enjoyed these bounties, so long ernment, and have sufficient discernment to elect received temporary relief, I suppose the people their own officers. From what has been advanced of those localities imagine they have a prescripy houorable gentlemen on this floor. I contive right to them, and loud wailings and lamen-clude that the faith of many of them has been tations will be heard if they are suddenly deprivshaken, that they are convinced that the people ed of them. Now, sir, to wean them gradually.of this country have become so corrupt, iguorant to give them a fair opportunity to prepare them and demoralized, that they can no longer be selves to rely upon their own resources, a minor ity of the Committee on Canals propose that the present system be allowed to continue in force until the first day of May, 1874, as provided in the following section reported by them, and en tered on our files as No. 56, which section is as follows: trusted. If they are honest in their opinions and correct in their conclusions, then, sir, we had better at once abandon our present system.subscribe Lo the old Federal doctrine, reorganize our government on the strong central principle, elect 4 Governor and Senate for life, and give them the appointment, not only of the Superintendent of Pub-"SEC. 11. The total annual expenditure upon lic Works, but also of all of our principal officers. any lateral canal for collection. superintendence. Give the nomination of this officer to the Goverrepairs and management, shall not, from and afternor, and in addition to the great patronage already the first day of May, 1874 exceed the tolls upon, bestowed upon him, you add indirectly the control and other sources of income of such canal, includ- and immense patronage of the canals. In 1846 ing in such income the tolls upon the Erie canal the Constitutional Convention was satisfied, from the experience of the past, that it was wise to re- and that he has presented to this Convention the duce the patronage of the Governor; now a new results of his examination so fully and so ably as generation propose to fly back to the ills their he has. The Committee on Canals had before predecessors suffered from. We have had some them much of the same testimony. They con. experience of the judgment of the Governor in sidered it; and it was in reference to the system the appointment of canal officers A few years ago a canal commissioner was appointed by the Governor to fill a vacancy. As near as I can judge from the report of the investigating Committee of the Senate, this appointee turned out to be one of the most dishonest of the gang of pilferers, and not very creditable to the Governor's judgment. Of such specimens we want no more. If we trust the people to elect their Governor why not trust them to elect this officer? If you have faith in their good judgment in the one case have faith in the other. It may be asked, why not continue the present system of three or more heads to the canal department, so as to divide the great responsibility? My answer is, this has been tried and failed to give satisfaction; under it plunder has been the order of the day, and, judging from the investigations of the Senate Committee, it has been customary for the several persons in charge each to retire at the end of his term with a competency, or at least with a full purse. In consequence of the short ness of the present term of these officers, three years, in the course of eight years (the term proposed for the new superintendent) quite a number of the present class of officers would, under a . corrupt system, take the liberty of helping them selves with sufficient for life. If corruption is to continue to be the rule, then I would prefer the one-man power, for it costs less to support and enrich one than it does to enrich many. There is one thing which is clear, and that is that no system will give satisfaction unless honestly man-aged, and that almost any system honestly managed will work well. Everything depends on the honesty and capacity of those in charge, and I think the people are as likely to select an honest and capable man, as the Governor. For one, I yet have faith in the people of this country; I depend upon their good judgment. They may at times be mistaken and led into error, but eventually they will return to the right path and will hurl from their places those who have robbed them. We all desire the prosperity of our country. For one, I hope that the day will never arrive that the people of this country will become so demoralized as to show themselves unworthy of self-government and, like Mexico and the Central and South American States, inhabited by a mixed race, become a prey to continual revolutions, with no security for life or property. Mr. SEYMOUR-The Committee on Canals, after much labor in the investigation of our canal system, after much thought and reflection, have presented for the consideration of this Convention two general propositions. One of them relates to the care and management of the canals, and the other relates to their improvement and to the appropriation of their finances. I have been gratified to find that the gentleman from Kings [Mr. Barnard] has with such care and labor ex amiued the testimony taken under the authority of the Legislature in reference to the working of our present system of management of the cauals, of fraud and of corruption, which is developed INDEX. ABOLISHMENT of Court of APPEALS, Resolution in reference to, 233. ABOLISHMENT OF OFFICE OF SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION, Resolution in reference to, 193. ABOLISHMENT OF OFFICES, Resolution in reference to, 217, 351. ABOLISHMENT OF SCHOOL COMMISSIONER, ABSENTEES, Resolution in reference to, 412. Resolution requesting Secretary to notify to attend, 3415, 3416. Resolution requesting to resign their seats, 2815. ACCUSED PERSONS. Resolution in reference to testimony of, 135, 149. ACTIVE MILITIA, Resolution of inquiry to committee on militia and military officers in reference to, 145. ADDRESS OF PRESIDENT, On taking the chair, 19. At close of proceedings of Convention, 3950. ADDRESS TO PEOPLE, SHOWING CHANGES IN CONSTI TUTION, ADJOURNMENTS OF LEGISLATURE, Amendment of Mr. Hitchcock in reference to, 3594. Amendment of Mr. Ketcham in reference to, 881. Amendment of Mr. Van Campen in refer ence to, 3594. Resolution of instruction to committee on revision to amend article on organization of Legislature in reference to, 3594. Resolution in reference to, 266, 412, 680, 1919, 1951, 2058, 2098, 2263, 2528, 2529, 2567, 2657, 2659, 2659, 3003, 3788. ADULTERATION AND SALE OF INTOXICATING LIQUORS, Committee appointed on, 142. Committee' on, resolution to obtain information from, 641, 643. Debate on report of committee on, 3265 to 3297. Debate on report of committee on revision Report from committee on, 2274. AGAN, FRANK, Appointed messenger, 29. ALBANY, Resolution tendering thanks of Convention to mayor and authorities of, 2660. Resolution of thanks to mayor and oommon council of, 3874, 3913. Resolution to appoint select committee to ALDERMen, boards of, Resolution in reference to, 647, 673, 3283, ALIENS, EQUAL RIGHTS OF, TO HOLD REAL ESTATE, 3891 Remarks of Mr. Alvord on, 3258. ALLEN, AUGUSTUS F., A delegate from the thirty-second sena- Minority report from committee on finance, Oath of office taken by, 18. Petition against abrogating board of re- Petition against extending right of suf- frage to Indians, presented by, 3239. Remarks of, on joint report of committee on finances and canals, 1760, 1888, 1900. ALLEN, CORNELIUS L., A delegate from the twelfth senatorial Oath of office taken by, 18. Petition against abolishing office of re- Petition in reference to prohibiting dona- Petitions in reference to support of com- mon schools, presented by, 2356. Remarks by, on report of committee on Remarks of, on report of committee on Remarks of, on report of committee on Remarks of, on resolution to instruct com- Report from committee on Governor, by, 666. ers and duties of county courts, by, 100. revision to amend article on judiciary revision to amend article on town and Supplementary report from committee on Governor, Lieutenant-Governor, in ref- A delegate from the twenty-second sena. Appointed member of committee on coun- ALVORD, THOMAS G., A delegate from the twenty-second sena- 2391, 2488, 2687, 2755, 2765, 2801, 2816, Remarks of, on appear from decision of Remarks of, on call of Convention, 413. Remarks of, on financ of State, 3501, Remarks of, on joint report of com- Appointed member of committee on cities, 1783, 1790, 1791, 1800, 1804, 1820, 1821, 1843, 1861, 1865, 1882, 1883, Appointed member of committee on re- 1889, 1895, 1904, 1906, 1936, 1938, Motion for call of Convention, made by, 412. Petition in reference to prohibiting dona- Petition in reference to prohibiting the Remarks of, in reference to adjournment, Remarks of, in reference to amending jour- Remarks of, in reference to death of Hon. Remarks of, in reference to death of Hon. David L. Seymour, 1974. Remarks of, in reference to employment of absence, 1863. Remarks of, in reference to incongruity in Remarks of, in reference to postponement of consideration of report of finance Remarks of, in reference to publication of Remarks of, in reference to State aid to Remarks of, on motion for call of Conven- tion, 716, 718, 722, 738, 741, 742, 744, 746. Remarks of, on motion to refer reports of Remarks of, on postponement of considera- tion of report of committee on powers amendments to and submission of Con- stitution, 3885, 3897. Remarks of, on report of committee on canals, 2020, 2021, 2027, 2028, 2029, Remarks of, on report of committee on Remarks of, on report of committee on cities, 2981, 2982, 2983, 2988, 3082, 3085, 3166, 3169, 3207. Remarks of, on report of committee on contingent expenses, in reference to fur- |