MESSAGES FROM THE GOVERNORS COMPRISING Executive Communications to the Legislature and Other WITH NOTES EDITED BY CHARLES Z. LINCOLN PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY OF THE STATE VOLUME VII 1877-1884 ALBANY J. B. LYON COMPANY, STATE PRINTERS Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year nineteen hundred and nine, BY SAMUEL S. KOENIG, SECRETARY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, In trust for the benefit of the People of the said State, in the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C. PREFACE. The constitutional amendments of 1874 extended the term of the governor from two years to three years. The first election under this amendment was held in 1876, when Governor Robinson was chosen. He was followed by Governor Cornell, who was succeeded by Governor Cleveland, who served through the years 1883 and 1884, but resigned on the 6th of January, 1885, because of his election to the office of President of the United States. The volume includes eight years. During this period the constitutional amendments of 1876 relative to the administration of prisons and canals were put into operation, canal tolls were abolished, a civil service law was enacted, provision was made for disposing of the lateral canals, the Legislature and the other State departments occupied the new capitol, and the old capitol was demolished. |