manner upon the past action of our respected Health Officer, whose rules and regulations we believe to have been adopted in good faith, and with an eye solely to the protection of the community. Mr. ERASTUS WIMAN, Chairman of the late Special Committee appointed on the 1st of April last to attend the joint meeting at Albany of the Judiciary Committees of the Senate and Assembly, to express the views of the Chamber on the legislation proposed for limiting imprisonment in the jails in this State on arrests in civil actions, submitted the following report: To the Chamber of Commerce: The undersigned Special Committee appointed at the regular meeting of the Chamber in April last to proceed to Albany and appear before the joint Session of the Committees on Judiciary of the Senate and Assembly regarding the various bills amending the laws of the State in relation to imprisonment for debt, report: The Committee had the satisfaction of appearing before this body, and, in connection with other parties, to make an argument which secured a favorable report on a bill specially prepared by S. F. KNEELAND, Esq., Chairman of the Citizens' Committee, according to the terms of the resolution passed by this Chamber. The bill was accepted in lieu of the others introduced by various parties, and, having received the favorable endorsement of the Judiciary Committee of both Houses, was passed by the Senate and Assembly, and the measure is now before the Governor for his approval. He has named to-morrow, (Friday,) at two o'clock, to hear arguments for and against the bill. The Committee suggest that they should again go to Albany and endeavor to secure the assent of the Governor to the measure. The effect of the measure, if it becomes a law, will be to retain the power of civil arrest for fraud, but it will limit the extent of imprisonment to six months, and thus render impossible perpetual imprisonment. The measure is opposed by extremists on both sides of this question; by those who want the total abolition of imprisonment for debt in civil procedure, and by those who want the existing laws to be maintained, whereby serious abuses have grown up, disgraceful to our community, resulting in what is, practically, perpetual imprisonment and gross injustice. Your Committee consider that the measure now before the Governor, while it affords protection to the mercantile community against fraud, it, at the same time, renders impossible a continuance of the existing evils, for which there is no excuse in this civilized community. The effect of the bill will be to release from imprisonment and bail a number of persons who have been held for an indefinite period, and whose expectations of freedom are very slight-almost hopeless, because of inability to meet obligations or to get a discharge under any existing procedure-the extent of the punishment thus inflicted being altogether out of proportion to the gravity of the offence. The Committee, with the approval of the Chamber, will again proceed to Albany, and endeavor to get the Governor to sign the bill. Respectfully submitted. (Signed,) ERASTUS WIMAN, Special Committee. NEW-YORK, June 3, 1886. The report was unanimously accepted, and ordered to be placed on file. The term of service of the Committee having expired in May last, on motion of Mr. CORNELIUS N. BLISS, the Committee was thereupon re-appointed, and authorized to proceed to Albany again for the purpose of urging the Governor to favorably consider the bill in question. The Committee was further authorized to lay before the Governor the resolutions adopted by the Chamber in favor of the bill changing the mode of electing Aldermen in the City of New-York. Mr. ISAAC PHILLIPS, Chairman of the Special Committee on a National Bankrupt Law, verbally reported that the Committee had used every effort to secure the passage of the bill pending in Congress to establish a uniform system of Bankruptcy, but the recent action of the Senate on the subject made it very doubtful of accomplishing anything at this session. RE-APPOINTMENT OF SPECIAL COMMITTEES. The President announced the re-appointment of the following Special Committees, pursuant to the resolution adopted at the annual meeting on the 6th ultimo : Special Committee on Revenue Reform. JACKSON S. SCHULTZ, Chairman. DANIEL C. ROBBINS, GUSTAV SCHWAB. Special Committee on International Bills of Lading. A. FOSTER HIGGINS, Chairman. Special Committee on Revision of the Rates of Commission. A. FOSTER HIGGINS, Chairman. SAMUEL D. BABCOCK, WILLIAM E. Dodge, HENRY HENTZ, WILLIAM D. MORGAN. Special Committee on a National Bankrupt Law. ISAAC PHILLIPS, Chairman. CORNELIUS N. BLISS, WILLIAM H. ROBERTSON, HUMPHREY H. SWIFT, WILLIAM H. LYON. COMMUNICATIONS. The following letter was read from the Hon. JOHN BIGELOW in reference to his election as an honorary member of the Chamber : 21 GRAMERCY PARK, May 15th, 1886. Mr. GEORGE WILSON, Secretary, &c. DEAR SIR: I beg you will assure the Chamber of Commerce that I am profoundly sensible of its kindness in adding my name to its list of honorary members. I congratulate myself that in the discharge of the mission the Chamber was pleased to confide to me I was so fortunate as to have been thought to merit this flattering distinction. Yours, very respectfully, JOHN BIGElow. A copy of the letter was ordered to be entered on the records of the Chamber, and the original placed on file. The President gave the usual notice of the suspension of the regular meetings of the Chamber for the months of July, August and September. The Chamber then adjourned. Special Meeting, Monday, September 6, 1886. A special meeting of the Chamber of Commerce was held this day, at one o'clock, P. M., at the Rooms of the Chamber on Nassaustreet, between Cedar and Liberty streets, pursuant to the following requisition : JAMES M. BROWN, Esq., NEW-YORK, September 2, 1886. President of the Chamber of Commerce: DEAR SIR,-In view of the great distress resulting from the disaster at Charleston, S. C., and the probable need of immediate assistance to those suffering in that City, we request that a Special Meeting of the Chamber be called for Monday next, September 6th, at one o'clock, P. M., for the purpose of deciding what steps would be wise and proper to be taken. The President stated the meeting had been called to devise measures for the relief of the sufferers by its earthquake at Charleston. He said that the reports of the damage done to that City, and the distress existing among its people were in no way exaggerated, and that prompt aid was absolutely necessary. REMARKS OF MR. WILLIAM E. DODge. MR. PRESIDENT,-We are met to express our sincere and profound sympathy with a sister city in the terrible ruin and desolation which has come upon it. The Chamber was never before called together to act under just such circumstances, or to offer help to those suffering from just such a calamity. Whatever differences of feeling may have been between us, everything is now merged in deep pity and brotherly regard. Charleston has suffered from the horrors of war, from fire and pestilence and cyclones, and through all her people have borne themselves so bravely, with such confidence and unflinching courage as to make us proud of them as Americans and brothers. But there is something wierd and awful in this new trial. The fearful earthquake, with its crushing terrors, was enough to stir the bravest heart; but there has been added the continued shocks and the uncertainty whether each moment would not bring a recurrence -so that people have been homeless in sight of homes half ruined, which they were afraid to enter. In such distress mere words of sympathy, however grateful to those who are suffering, are not enough. We want to act promptly and in a practical way, and I venture to offer the following resolutions : Whereas, The Chamber of Commerce of the State of New-York has heard with profound sorrow of the strange and terrible disaster which has befallen the sister City of Charleston, and of the fearful losses and suffering resulting from earthquake, Resolved, That the members of this Chamber assure the citizens of Charleston of their deep sympathy and of their desire to do all in their power to show their brotherly regard, and to alleviate the distress and suffering of those who are in need in that City. Resolved, That a Committee of Twenty-five be appointed by the President to collect subscriptions from the members of the Chamber and from other citizens who are generously and liberally disposed, and to convey such funds to the proper authorities for the prompt and efficient relief of those who are in special need, and also to recommend such other form of relief as may be wise and practicable. The resolutions were supported by Mr. HENRY HENTZ, and unanimously adopted. The President appointed the following named gentlemen as the Committee: WILLIAM E. DODGE, HENRY HENTZ, WILLIAM H. LYON, CHARLES PRATT, WALTER R. T. JONES. On motion of Mr. HENTZ, seven members of the Committee were constituted a quorum for the transaction of business. Mr. HENTZ said a large number of the people of Charleston were in a houseless condition, and that great suffering would inevitably |