STATE OF NEW YORK: EXECUTIVE CHAMBER, ALBANY, February 7, 1880. NATHANIEL M. WHITE, ESQ., District Attorney, Syracuse, County of Onondaga, N. Y. SIR: Charges have been preferred against you for “lax or wilful violation" of your oath of office; which charges have been duly entered and placed on file in this office. A true and correct copy of the same is herewith presented, to which you are requested to make answer in writing at as early a day as practicable. Very respectfully, ALONZO B. CORNELL. STATE OF NEW YORK: EXECUTIVE CHAMBER, ALBANY, February 14, 1880. Whereas, At a meeting of the Governors of the original Thirteen States, in Philadelphia, on the 19th day of October, 1879, it was "Resolved, That we, the Governors and representatives of the original Thirteen Colonies, convened at Independence Hall, this 18th day of October, 1879, knowing that the purposes for which we assembled meet the hearty approbation of our constituents, do hereby commend to the people of the United States such a celebration of the centennial anniversary of the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown, as shall befit the historical significance of that event and the present greatness of the nation. "Resolved, That a committee of one from each State, to be nominated by the Governors thereof, of which committee Governor Holliday shall be chairman, be appointed to make proper arrangements for such celebration." Therefore, in accordance with the foregoing, the Honorable JOHN A. KING is hereby designated as the representative of the State of New York, for the purpose indicated. [L. S.] ALONZO B. CORNELL. STATE OF NEW YORK: To the Legislature: EXECUTIVE CHAMBER, ALBANY, February 16, 1880. ( The Revised Statutes provide that the Governor shall be the keeper of the Great Seal of the State. In practice, however. the Secretary of State is the actual keeper of the Great Seal; and the custom for many years has been for the Governor to sign certificates in blank, to be issued by the Secretary of State in due form when required. In order therefore, that the law may be made to conform to the established usage, and place the responsibility for the correctness of official papers upon the officer who really executes them, it is recommended that the Statute be so amended as to make the Secretary of State the official custodian of the Great Seal. This change of the law will relieve the Governor of an onerous but useless duty, and simplify the form of official action to which it relates. ALONZO B. CORNELL. STATE OF NEW YORK: EXECUTIVE CHAMBER, ALBANY, February 27, 1880. ¡ It appearing by the certificate of the District Attorney of the County of Albany, that John Hughes has been indicted by the Grand Jury of said County, for the crime of murder in the first degree, and that the trial of said Hughes, upon said indictment, is about to be commenced, and that the same is an important criminal action; Now, upon the request of said District Attorney, I, Alonzo B. Cornell, Governor of the State of New York, pursuant to chapter three hundred and twenty-three of the laws of 1874, do hereby assign and appoint Hon. Hamilton Ward, Coun sellor at Law, as counsel on behalf of the People to assist upon the trial of the said John Hughes upon said indictment. Done at the Capitol at the city of Albany, this 27th day [L. S.] of February, 1880. ALONZO B. CORNELL. STATE OF NEW YORK: EXECUTIVE CHAMBER, ALBANY, March 1, 1880. ( To the Assembly : Assembly bill No. 89, entitled "An act to amend chapter 863 of the laws of 1873, entitled An act to amend the charter of the city of Brooklyn,' and the various amendments thereof," is herewith returned without approval. The object of this bill is to extend the term for which constables in the city of Brooklyn shall be elected, from one to two years. In my opinion these officers should remain as at present, subject to the review of their constituencies at each annual election. ALONZO B. CORNELL. STATE OF NEW YORK: To the Assembly: EXECUTIVE CHAMBER, ALBANY, March 3, 1880. ( Assembly bill No. 19, entitled "An act to amend chapter 686 of the laws of 1872, entitled 'An act to amend an act entitled an act to erect the village of Middleburgh into a separate road district,' and the several acts amendatory thereof," is herewith returned without my approval. Section 18, of article 3, of the Constitution, and the laws passed in pursuance thereof, give Boards of Supervisors full jurisdiction over the subject of road districts. It is believed, therefore, that this bill is quite unnecessary, if not actually in conflict with the constitutional provisions on the subject. ALONZO B. CORNELL. VETO, ASSEMBLY BILL No. 38, CREATING ADDITIONAL OFFICERS IN KINGS COUNTY. STATE OF NEW YORK: EXECUTIVE CHAMBER, ALBANY, March 4, 1880. To the Assembly: Assembly bill No. 38, entitled "An act to amend chapter 353 of the laws of 1878, entitled 'An act in relation to the term of office of the Clerk and Assistant Clerk of the Board of Supervisors of Kings county. and of the engineers of the county court-house in said county,'" is hereby returned without my approval. Existing laws confer upon the Board of Supervisors all requisite powers for the employment of persons for the transaction of necessary business. This bill arbitrarily directs the Supervisors of Kings county to elect an additional clerk and messenger. In my opinion it ought not to become a law. ALONZO B. CORNELL. VETO, ASSEMBLY BILL NO. 105, RELATIVE TO THE SUPPORT OF THE POOR IN NIAGARA COUNTY. STATE OF NEW YORK: EXECUTIVE CHAMBER. ALBANY, March 5, 1880. To the Assembly: Assembly bill No. 105, entitled "An act conferring additional powers upon the Board of Supervisors of the county of Niagara, relative to expenses for the support of the poor,` is herewith returned without my approval. The object of this bill is to take from the superintendents of the poor the powers and duties given by the general laws of the State, and to transfer them to the supervisors. This is manifestly unwise and improper. ALONZO B. CORNELL. IN THE MATTER OF A REQUISITION OF THE GOVERNOR of PENNSYLVANIA FOR THE SURRENDER OF JAMES HECK HART. STATE OF NEW YORK: EXECUTIVE CHAMBER, ALBANY, March 22, 1880. ( His Excellency, HENRY M. HOYT, Governor of Pennsylvania: SIR: Proper consideration for the rights of a citizen of this State compels me to deny your requisition, dated January 12, 1880, for the surrender of James Heckhart, of Lindley, Steuben county, New York, charged with the crime of larceny committed in the county of Tioga, Pennsylvania. The papers upon which the requisition is based show that, on the night of the 18th of December last, a quantity of leaf tobacco of the value of eighty dollars was stolen from the premises of one Adam Miller, in Lawrence, Tioga county, and Miller swears he has good reason to suspect Heckhart of the crime. From another source it has become known to me that the cause of suspicion against Heckhart is the fact that a quantity of leaf tobacco was found upon his premises in this State, and supposed to be the same tobacco alleged to have been stolen from Miller. There is no evidence of Heckhart having been in Pennsylvania or having committed the larceny, or that he is really a |