USA > New York > History of the state of New York, for the use of common schools, academies, normal and high schools, and other seminaries of instruction > Part 22
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1. ON the first Tuesday in January, 1830, the Legislature re- assembled. Governor THROOP's message was principally
1830. devoted to a general exposition of the financial condition and literary and charitable institutions of the State.
2. The Canal Commissioners, on the 21st of January, trans- mitted a report to the Legislature, setting forth, that, after an additional survey and exploration of the route of the contem- plated CHENANGO CANAL, they had arrived at the conclusion that its cost would exceed a million of dollars, and that the probable annual receipts from its tolls, in connection with the increased tolls on the Eric Canal, would not defray the interest upon its cost and the expenses of repairs and superintendence, or either of them. They therefore declined to proceed further in its construction.
3. This was accompanied by a report from Comptroller WRIGHT, showing the inexpediency of appropriating any additional funds to the construction of public works, without specific provision for their expense. Notwithstanding these unfavorable auguries, another bill for the construction of the canal was introduced, and vigorously supported by Mr. Granger and other leading members of the House, but failed to become a law.
4. The representatives of the Anti-Masonic party held a State Convention at Utica in August, at which FRANCIS GRANGER, of Ontario, was placed in nomination for Governor, and SAMUEL STEVENS, of Albany, for Lieutenant-Governor. Forty-eight counties were represented by one hundred and four delegates. On the 8th of September, Exos T. THIROOP was nominated by the Democrats at Herkimer for Governor, and EDWARD P. LIVING-
Meeting of the Legislature. - Governor's message. - Report of Canal Commissioners on the Chenango Canal. - Defeat of the bill. - Political nominations.
229
THE CONSTITUTION OF 1821.
STON, of Columbia, for Lieutenant-Governor. No other candidates were in the field. Governor THROOP and Lieutenant-Governor LIVINGSTON received a majority of eight thousand votes over the Anti-Masonic candidates, whose aggregate strength at the Novem- ber election was over one hundred and twenty thousand votes.
5. Mr. JOHN C. SPENCER, who had been appointed Public Prosecutor of the Morgan conspiracy by the Governor, had en- tered upon the discharge of his duties with his accustomed zeal and energy, and prosecuted his inquiries with indefatigable in- dustry and great ability. So successful were his exertions in tracing the tangled web of this mysterious affair, that he con- ceived it within his power to effect a complete exposure of the perpetrators of the crime, with the assistance of additional funds from the State derived from the rewards heretofore of- fered for the detection.
6. These funds were, however, refused ; and the Legislature, apprehensive, as was contended, of the political effect of the disclosures already made and transmitted to that body by Mr. Spencer, not only refused to authorize any additional expenditure, but cut down his own salary to one thousand dollars. Deeming this an intentional insult, not only to himself but to the great body of Anti-Masons in the State, he at once transmitted his re- signation, with the allegation that, so far from having received any effective aid from the Executive, his confidential communications had been disclosed by the Governor to the counsel for the con- spirators. These facts served powerfully to strengthen the Anti- Masonic party as a political organization throughout the State.
7. At the opening of the session in January, 1831, 1831. Governor. THROOP's message consisted of a general reca- pitulation of the subjects heretofore presented by him, with an additional recommendation for the abolition of imprisonment for debt. WILLIAM L. MARCY, one of the justices of the Supreme Court, was appointed in February United States Senator in place of Nathan Sanford, whose term had expired, and SAMUEL NELSON, of Cortland, a Judge of the Supreme Court.
Election of Governor Throop and Lieutenant-Governor Livingston. - Strength of parties. - Proceedings of the Public Prosecutor. - Resigna- tion of Mr. Spencer. - The Legislature. - Governor's message. - Appoint- ments of United States Senator and Judge of the Supreme Court.
230
SEVENTH PERIOD.
8. Joint resolutions against the renewal of the charter of the United States Bank were reported and adopted by both Houses. and a bill for the construction of the Chenango Canal again pre- sented and defcated. The Legislature finally adjourned on the 20th of April. Soon afterwards Mr. VAN BUREN was appointed. by the President, Minister to England, to which post he repaired, after resigning his position in the Cabinet.
9. In May JONAS EARL, of Onondaga, was appointed Canal Commissioner, in place of Henry Seymour, resigned. On the 4th of July, Ex-President JAMES MONROE died at New York. making the third of these venerable chief magistrates who had expired on the anniversary of the day which gave birth to the nation.
10. The November elections terminated in favor of the Demo- crats in all the districts except the Eighth, and in the return of a large Democratic majority in both branches of the Legis- lature. The Anti-Masons elected thirty members in the Assem- bly, and the National Republicans, or supporters of HENRY CLAY for President, at the ensuing election, against General Jackson, six. The residue were Jacksonian Democrats. WILLIAM WIRT of Maryland, late Attorney-General of the United States, had been placed in nomination by the Anti-Masonic party as their candidate for the Presidency in 1832, and AMOS ELLMAKER, of Pennsylvania, as Vice-President. Mr. CLAY was nominated by the National Republicans, with JOHN SARGEANT, of Pennsyl- vania, for Vice-President.
1832. 11. On the assembling of the Legislature at the opening of the succeeding year the message of Governor THIROor ยท presented the usual topics of information and suggestion to the Legislature. A proposition for a State tax of one mill on the dollar, recommended by the Governor and Comptroller, was, after full discussion, rejected, as was also another bill for the construction of the Chenango Canal.
12. On the 21st of June. FRANCIS GRANGER and SAMUEL
Renewal of the United States Bank charter. - Defeat of Chenango Canal Bill. - Mini-ter to England. - Appointment of Canal Commissioner. - Death of Ex-President Monroe. - Result of the elections. - Nomination of candidates for the Presidency and Vice-Presidency. - Legislature of 1832. - Rejection of the bill for a State tax and for the Chenango Canal.
231
POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS.
STEVENS were renominated, by the Anti-Masonic Convention at Utica, for Governor and Lieutenant-Governor, with an electoral ticket headed by JAMES KENT and JOHN C. SPENCER. This ticket was adopted by the National Republican State Conven- tion at the same place, held on the 26th of July. The Demo- cratic Convention at Herkimer placed in nomination WILLIAM L. MARCY for Governor, and JOHN TRACY, of Chenango, for Lieutenant-Governor ; and an electoral ticket in favor of AN- DREW JACKSON for President, and MARTIN VAN BUREN, whose nomination as Minister to England had been rejected by the United States Senate, as Vice-President.
13. The triumph of this party at the November elections was complete. The western counties gave their usual majorities for the Anti-Masonic candidates, but the Democrats carried the State by thirteen thousand majority, and with it both branches of the Legislature. General JACKSON and Mr. VAN BUREN were elected President and Vice-President by a large majority of the electoral votes, the former receiving 219 and the latter 189 votes, against 67 for Mr. Clay, 11 for John Floyd of Virginia, 7 (Vermont) for Mr. Wirt, 49 for Mr. Sergeant, 30 for William Wilkins of Pennsylvania, 11 for Henry Lee of Massachusetts, and 7 for Mr. Ellmaker.
14. This contest virtually terminated the existence, as a political, national, and State party, of Anti-Masonry. In the district of its origin it continued for several years to elect its Senators and Representatives in the Legislature, but soon be- came merged in the other political organizations of the period. It had accomplished its mission in the almost total exclusion of Masons from public office wherever it had obtained an ascen- dency. It had asserted and gallantly maintained the great principle of personal inviolability to the humblest citizen, and although it failed in fastening upon any one or any number of men the perpetration of the crime of deliberate murder, it left upon the public mind the assured conviction of the fact, by a combination too powerful and extensive to be reached.
Nominations for Governor and Lientenant-Governor. - Election of Marcy and Tracy. - Democratie triumph at the presidential election. - Jackson and Van Buren elected President and Vice-President. - Termination of political Anti-Masonry. - Results of the Anti-Masonic organization.
232
SEVENTH PERIOD.
15. Nor did it succeed in its efforts to destroy and root ot !! the institution of Masonry, or convince the majority of reflectir. : people that anything in its organization or obligations justifie l the crime of murder or abduction, however some of its unwor- thy members may have construed those obligations. Masonry. though bending for a time before the blast in its fury, soon regained its original power and influence ; and its opponents, among whom were many of the ablest and best men in the State, abandoning their warfare against an institution, devoted themselves to a higher and wider ambition, and have left their impress upon the councils of the State and nation.
Revival of Masonry.
Croton Aqueduct. The Dam.
CHAPTER V.
ADMINISTRATION OF GOVERNOR MARCY. - INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS. - COMMON SCHOOLS. - CHENANGO CANAL. - ENLARGEMENT OF THE ERIE CANAL. - FINANCIAL EMBARRASSMENTS. - CANADIAN INSUR- RECTION. - GREAT FIRE IN NEW YORK. - CROTON AQUEDUCT AND HIGH BRIDGE.
1. GOVERNOR MARCY, in his first message to the Legis- 1833. lature in January, 1833, reviewed the general policy of the State in reference to all its leading interests, recommending a judicious prosecution of the system of internal improvements, the improvement and advancement of the common schools and other educational institutions, and the preservation of public and private credit by an economical expenditure of the public funds, and a wise restriction of extended banking facilities and improvident speculations.
2. SILAS WRIGHT, Jr., of St. Lawrence, was chosen United States Senator to supply the vacancy occasioned by the resig-
Legislative proceedings. - Governor's message. - United States Senators.
234 COMMON SCHOOLS AND CANAL ENLARGEMENT.
nation of Governor Marcy ; and NATHANIEL P. TALLMADGE, of Dutchess, in place of Mr. Dudley, whose term had expired ; Mr. FLAGG promoted to the office of Comptroller ; and General JOHN A. Dix to that of Secretary of State and Superintendent of Com- mon Schools ; and MICHAEL HOFFMAN, of Herkimer, was ap- pointed an additional Canal Commissioner.
3. From the annual report of the Superintendent it appeared that the number of common schools in the State had increased to nine thousand six hundred, in which about five hundred thou- sand children were taught during the preceding year. After chartering a few additional banks, passing an act for the con- struction of the CHENANGO CANAL, and transacting the ordinary business of the session, the Legislature adjourned. The Novem- ber elections resulted in another decided triumph of the Demo- cratic party.
4. During the summer of 1834 the opponents of the na- 1834. tional and State administrations, now known as the WHIG party, placed in nomination at the Utica Convention WILLIAM H. SEWARD, of Cayuga, for Governor, and SILAS M. STILWELL, of New York, for Lieutenant-Governor. The Herkimer Convention re- nominated Governor MARCY and Lieutenant-Governor TRACY, who were re-elected in November, with a large Democratic majority in both branches of the Legislature, by about eleven thousand majority.
1835. 5. The Legislature of 1835 assembled in January. Gov- ernor MARCY, in his message, recommended the enlargement of the Erie Canal, and the suppression of all bank-notes under the denomination of five dollars, both which measures were adopted by the Legislature by a strong vote. He also earnestly insisted upon the importance of securing, by means of the common schools, such an education of all classes and conditions of our future citizens as should qualify them for usefulness and virtue.
6. The removal by the Secretary of the Treasury of the United States, under the direction of President JACKSON, of the
State officers. - United States Senators. - Canal Commissioner. - Com- mon Schools. - November elections. - Democratie triumph. - Legislative proceedings - Political nominations. - Re-election of Governor Marey and Lieutenant-Governor Tracy. - Democratic majorities. - Governor's mes- sage. - Enlargement of the Erie Canal. - Small bills.
235
STATE BANKS. - COMMON SCHOOLS.
government deposits of money from the United States Bank, whose charter was about expiring, to the State Banks, and the consequent contraction of the circulation and discounts of that institution, and collection of its debts, resulted in serious em- barrassment to the commercial interests of the State, involving the imminent danger of the suspension of its principal banks. To avert this danger, the Legislature, on the 22d of March, passed an act, on the recommendation of the Governor, tender- ing the loan of the credit of the State to the amount of five millions of dollars to the banks, should such relief become, in their judgment, necessary.
7. The Bank of the United States, however, soon adopted a change of policy, from the contraction to the extension of its issues, which not only rendered any assistance from the State unnecessary, but so rapidly filled the channels of circulation as to induce the creation of a large number of additional banks, and an extensive spirit of speculation in their stocks and in real estate and commercial transactions generally. A period of un- exampled prosperity in nearly all branches of trade and industry stimulated to the highest extent this spirit, which speedily per- vaded every department of business.
8. On the 8th of January of this year, General Dix, as Chair- man of a Committee of the Regents of the University, submitted an elaborate and able report, recommending the establishment and organization of departments for the education of common- school teachers in one of the academies in each of the eight senatorial districts, to be selected for that purpose by the Regents. This report was adopted, and carried into immediate effect by that body. On the 13th of April the Legislature passed an act authorizing the purchase of DISTRICT LIBRARIES in the several school districts of the State, -a measure originat- ing with JAMES WADSWORTH, of Geneseo, Livingston County, and vigorously supported by Secretaries FLAGG and Dix, and Sena- tors YOUNG, of Saratoga, and LEVI BEARDSLEY, of Otsego.
Effect of the removal of government deposits from the United States Bank. - Loan of the credit of the State to the banks. - Commercial revul- sion. - Increase of charters. - General spirit of speculation. - Unexampled business prosperity. - Academical departments for the education of teachers. - Common-sebool Libraries.
236
SEVENTH PERIOD.
9. Early in the session, Dr. WILLIAM CAMPBELL, of Otsee, was appointed Surveyor-General, to fill the vacancy occasione by the death of the venerable SIMEON DE WITT, who for the: past fifty years had occupied this position, through all the vicis- situdes of party strife. During the recess of the Legislature. JOHN BOWMAN, of Monroe, was appointed Canal Commissioner, and ESEK COWEN, of Saratoga, a judge of the Supreme Court, in place of Judge Sutherland, resigned. The November elections resulted, as usual, in the complete success of the Democrats in both branches of the Legislature.
10. In the summer of this year the construction of the CRO- TON AQUEDUCT was commenced, at the distance of forty miles from the city of New York, whence the waters of the Croton River, in Westchester County, about five miles from the Hud- son, were collected by means of a dam thrown across the stream, creating an immense pond, five miles in length, covering an area of four hundred acres, and containing 500,000,000 gallons of water. From this dam the great aqueduct was cut through solid rocks, across valleys and hills, by embankments and cul- verts, until it reached the Harlem River, which it crossed by the magnificent HIGH BRIDGE, a stone structure, 1,450 feet long, with fourteen immense piers, 114 feet above tide-water, and costing $ 900,000.
11. From this bridge, at the foot of One Hundred and Sev- enty-Fourth Street, the aqueduct extended to the receiving reservoir, at the corner of Eighty-Sixth Street and Sixth Avenue, covering thirty-five acres, and containing 150,000,000 gallons, whence, through a distributing reservoir between Fortieth and Forty-Second Street, of 21,000,000 gallons, the water was con- ducted by iron pipes to every portion of the city.
12. On the night of the 16th of December, one of the coldest known for half a century, a terrible and extensive conflagration occurred in the lower portion of the city of New York, raging for three days with intense fierceness, and consuming six hun- dred and forty-eight houses and stores, with a loss amounting
Death of Simeon De Witt. - Appointment of Surveyor-General. - Judge of the Supreme Court and Canal Commissioner. - Result of the elections. -- Construction of the Croton Aqueduct. - The High Bridge. - Great fire in New York.
-
237
ADMINISTRATION OF GOVERNOR MARCY.
to eighteen millions of dollars, chiefly in Wall Street and the adjacent neighborhood, including the large marble Exchange Building and the South Dutch Church. The several insurance companies of the city were compelled to suspend payment, from the excessive magnitude of the losses.
13. On the 5th of January, 1836, the Legislature again 1836. assembled. Governor MARCY, in his message, cautioned the Legislature against the further prosecution of internal im- provements without the provision of specific funds for the pay- ment of the interest of their cost. Bills were, however, passed during the session for the construction of the BLACK RIVER and GENESEE CANALS, and for the loan of three millions of dollars to aid in the construction of the NEW YORK AND ERIE RAILROAD, through the southern tier of counties.
14. Chief-Justice Savage having resigned his position on the bench of the Supreme Court, SAMUEL NELSON was appointed to that position, and GREENE C. BRONSON, Associate Judge. SAMUEL BEARDSLEY, of Oneida, succeeded the latter as Attorney-General. WILLIAM BAKER, of Otsego, late Speaker, was appointed an ad- ditional Canal Commissioner.
15. Previous to the adjournment of the Legislature, resolu- tions for the expulsion of Senators KEMBLE and BISHOP, on charges of fraudulent speculations in the stock of banks chartered during the session, were reported by a committee of the Senate charged with their investigation. The passage of the resolu- tions was, however, anticipated by the resignation of the two Senators, followed by that of Colonel YouNG and Senator VAN SCHICK, who felt indignant at the lenity exhibited in their be- half by the refusal of the Senate to expel the offenders.
16. JESSE BUEL, of Albany, and GAMALIEL H. BARSTOW, of Tioga, were nominated by the Whig Convention at Utica for Governor and Lieutenant-Governor, at the ensuing election, against Governor MARCY and Lieutenant-Governor TRACY, who were again placed in nomination by the Democratic Convention at Herkimer, and re-elected, with a Van Buren electoral ticket,
Black River and Genesce Canals. - New York and Eric Railroad. - Chief Justice and Judge of the Supreme Court. - Attorney-General. - Proceedings against Senators Kemble and Bishop. - Re-election of Gov- ernor Marcy and Lieutenant-Governor Tracy.
--
238
SEVENTH PERIOD.
by upwards of twenty-nine thousand majority, with a large majority in both branches of the Legislature. MARTIN V.A.N BUREN was elected President, and Colonel RICHARD M. JOHN- soy, of Kentucky, Vice-President, of the United States, by a majority of one hundred and three electoral votes over Gen- eral WILLIAM H. HARRISON, of Ohio, and FRANCIS GRANGER, of New York.
17. At the opening of the session in 1837, Governor 1837. MARCY again invoked the attention of the Legislature to the subject of common-school education, in connection with the act of Congress of the preceding year, authorizing the deposit with the several States of the surplus revenue of the United States. He recommended the appropriation, from the annual in- come of this fund, of an amount equal to that now apportioned by the State for the support of the schools, a liberal sum for the various academies, especially those in which departments for the education of teachers had been established, and the addition of the residue to the capital of the common-school fund.
18. SILAS WRIGHT, Jr., was re-elected to the Senate of the United States. A few days previous to the adjournment of the Legislature, information was received of the suspension of specie payments by the banks of New York and the country generally, produced by the unusual inflation of the currency, the immense importation of foreign merchandise, - calling for a heavy demand of specie to meet the balance of exchange, - the requisitions of the United States Government for the payment of specie or its equivalent in treasury notes in the purchase of the public lands, and the withdrawal of the surplus revenues of the United States from the State banks for deposit with the several States, in accordance with the recent Act of Con- gress.
19. A bill was immediately introduced and passed by both Houses, suspending for one year the provisions of the Safety Fund Act, requiring the appointment of receivers, and the
Democratic triumph. - Election of President Van Buren and Vice-Presi- dent R. M. Johnson. - Message of the Governor. - United States Deposit Fund. - Recommendation for its investment. - United States Senator. - General suspension of the State banks. - Proceedings of the Legislature.
239
UNITED STATES DEPOSIT FUND.
closing up of the banks ; and a strong effort was made to suspend for the same time the operation of the act prohibiting the issue of bills under the denomination of five dollars, which, however, proved ineffectual. The effect of this disastrous state of things was highly unfavorable to the Democratic party, who were, on all sides, held responsible for its occurrence.
20. During the month of March of this year, Ex-Governor YATES expired at his residence in Schenectady ; and in January previous, the death of the venerable ABRAHAM VAN VECHTEN, formerly Attorney-General, occurred from an attack of paralysis. Appropriate legislative, judicial, and municipal honors were paid to the memory of these distinguished public servants and estimable men. At the November elections the Whigs suc- ceeded in electing one hundred and one out of the one hun- dred and twenty-eight members of the House, and in carrying six of the eight senatorial districts, and obtaining majorities in nearly every county of the State. The Senate, however, still retained a small Democratic majority.
21. Towards the close of this year, a formidable insurrection on the Canada border occurred, headed by William Lyon Mac- kenzie and Joseph J. Papineau, which created great excitement on the northern frontier of the State, and involved several of its citizens in an unauthorized invasion of a portion of the territories of Great Britain. It had its origin in some popu- lar discontents in both provinces, which speedily evoked the sympathies of their neighbors on the American shore of the Niagara River, forming the boundary between Upper Canada and the United States.
22. About the middle of December a party of Americans, headed by Rensselaer Van Rensselaer, a son of General Solomon Van Rensselaer, of Albany, and accompanied by Mackenzie, took possession of Navy Island, situated in the Niagara River about two miles above the Falls, and belonging to Canada. They numbered about seven hundred men, well provisioned, and provided with twenty pieces of cannon. The steamboat
Whig triumph in New York and Albany. - Death of Abraham Van Vechten and Ex-Governor Yates. - Results of the November elections. - Overwhelming success of the Whigs. - Canadian insurrection. - Navy Island.
240
SEVENTII PERIOD.
Caroline was brought from Buffalo to ply as a ferry-boat be- tween the island and Schlosser's Landing, on the American shore.
23. On the night of the 29th of December, an armed party of royalists from the Canada shore, under the command of Colonel McNabb, crossed over and boarded the boat while its unarmed occupants were quietly sleeping, loosened it from its moorings, set it on fire, and sent it down the river in the di- rection of the Falls, where it was dashed to pieces at the foot of the cataract. Several of the men on board were killed, wounded, or sunk with the burning boat.
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