556 



NEW YOKE. 



all works carried on by, or on account of, the 

 State. He is authorized to examine any books 

 or papers relating to such work, in the custody 

 of any public officer or board, and to take 

 testimony, compelling the attendance of wit- 

 nesses, and administering oaths. Among other 

 acts passed was one revising the military code 

 of the State; one equalizing the salaries of 

 State officers ; one enlarging and defining the 

 powers and duties of county supervisors ; one 

 providing for the better protection of poor 

 children, and keeping them out of poorhouses; 

 one authorizing the organization of societies 

 for the prevention of cruelty to children ; a 

 general business incorporation act; an act 

 providing for a system of rapid transit in the 

 city of New York; an act providing for a 

 State Board of Audit ; and one codifying the 

 laws relating to the incorporation of religious 

 societies. A new act " to suppress intemper- 

 ance and regulate the sale of intoxicating 

 liquors " was defeated. An act providing that 

 a person sentenced to imprisonment for life 

 or twenty-five years may be discharged at the 

 expiration of fifteen years for good conduct, 

 and receive a full pardon at the end of ten 

 years more, unless convicted of some other 

 crime, was vetoed by the Governor. 



The bill reappropriating money for the con- 

 struction of new work and extraordinary re- 

 pairs on the canals involved the reappropria- 

 tion of unexpended balances amounting to 

 $407,844.88. This was reduced, by the Gov- 

 ernor's veto of certain items, to $340,679.19. 

 The bill for extraordinary repairs, entitled 

 " An act to authorize the construction of 

 work upon the canals of this State," consist- 

 ing of forty-one items, was vetoed as a whole. 

 Some of the items, the Governor declared, 

 should properly come under provisions for or- 

 dinary repairs, and these were already suffi- 

 ciently provided for ; and those relating to re- 

 pairs properly classed as extraordinary he re- 

 garded as unnecessary and the appropriations 

 made under them as unconstitutional, inasmuch 

 as payments for this purpose could only be 

 made from surplus revenues of the canals. 

 The veto of certain items in the " Supply bill," 

 the official title of which was, " An act making 

 appropriations for certain expenses of govern- 

 ment and supplying deficiencies in former ap- 

 propriations," effected a reduction of $172,169. 

 Among the investigations ordered during 

 the session was one, to be conducted by a spe- 

 cial committee of five, " into the affairs of the 

 Commissioners of Quarantine and Health Offi- 

 cers, and also the affairs of the Commissioners 

 of Emigration, particularly as to all appropria- 

 tions made and the expenditures thereof, the 

 number of officers employed and the annual 

 salaries paid," and " all and every matter and 

 thing in any wise pertaining to the Quarantine 

 establishment, or Castle Garden, and the man- 

 agement thereof." 



Another was ordered by the following reso- 

 lution : 



Whereas, The steady and rapid increase of crime 

 in the city and county of New York has created great 

 alarm in the minds of all good citizens of that city ; 

 and 



Whereas, The proper authorities appear to be in- 

 adequate to its speedy suppression, while the inter- 

 ests of good government require that offenses against 

 the laws should be dealt with in the most summary 

 and decisive manner: therefore 



Resolved, That the Speaker of the Assembly be, 

 and he is hereby, authorized to appoint a committee 

 of five, which committee shall have power to send 

 for persons and papers and compel the attendance 

 of witnesses, and inquire into the causes, as far as 

 possible, of the great increase of crime in said city 

 and county, and making such examination and in- 

 vestigation of all persons and officers, books and 

 papers, in said city and county, that may in any way 

 be connected with'the'prosecution, suppression, and 

 punishment of crime, that the said committee may 

 deem essential and necessary for the purpose of as- 

 certaining if such increase of crime can be charged 

 to the negligence or connivance of any of the public 

 officers whose duty it is to either arrest, detect, 

 prosecute, or punish crime in said city and county, 

 together with such other matters as said committee 

 shall deem best. Said committee is hereby author- 

 ized to sit during the recess of the Legislature, and 

 report the result of their investigation, together 

 with such recommendations in relation thereto as 

 they may deem necessary and important for the 

 preservation of law and order in said city and coun- 

 ty, to the next Legislature ; and said committee is 

 authorized to employ a stenographer, who shall be 

 clerk of the committee, and a messenger. 



The scope of this investigation was extended 

 by the following resolution : 



Whereas, It is against the settled policy of tliis 

 State to allow imprisonment for debt ; and 



Whereas, It is a matter of public notoriety that 

 many are confined in the jail of the county of New 

 York upon civil process only : therefore 



Resolved, That the select committee appointed to 

 " inquire into the causes, so far as possible, of the 

 great increase of crime" in the city of New York, 

 are hereby empowered and directed to investigate 

 the management of the Ludlow Street Jail in said 

 city, and to report, in connection with the other 

 subjects upon which they are empowered to act, a 

 statement of the nature of the process upon which 

 they are so confined j and in all cases where such 

 detention is upon civil process only, with a full 

 statement of the nature of the charges or allegations 

 upon which such process was issued, and of the 

 mode in which such allegations were supported by 

 proof before the magistrate or officer issuing such 

 process, and further to report what legislation is 

 necessary to insure reasonable exemption from the 

 arbitrary and unjust imprisonment and detention of 

 all citizens of this State, and that said committee 

 have power to employ counsel if necessary. 



Both these committees made the investiga- 

 tions intrusted to them, during the recess of 

 the Legislature, holding their sessions chiefly 

 in New York City. 



One of the most important subjects occupy- 

 ing the attention of the Governor, the Legis- 

 lature, and the people, during the year, was 

 that of reform in the management of the canals. 

 On the 18th of March the Governor submitted 

 to the Legislature a special message on the 

 subject. He showed that for five years, end- 

 ing September 30, 1874, the total receipts for 

 tolls had been $15,058,361.75, while the ex- 

 penses for operating and for ordinary repairs 



