10. The Library of the College of South-Carolina, Columbia, S. C. 11. The Library of Dartmouth College, Hanover, N. Hampshire. 12. The Library of Amherst College, Amherst, Massachusetts. 13. The Library of Transylvania University, Lexington, Ky. 14. The Library of Bowdoin College, Brunswick, Maine. 15. The Library of Brown University, Providence, Rhode-Island. 16. The Library of the College of New-Jersey, Princeton, N. J. 17. The Library of the University of North-Carolina, Chapel Hill, North-Carolina. 18. The Library of the University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia. 19. The Library of the University of the State of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama. 20. The Library of the University of Ohio, Athens, Ohio. 21. The Library of St. Louis University, St. Louis, Missouri. SIR, New Boswell's Court, Lincoln's Inn,} February 22, 1834. Being assured that his Majesty's Government and the Record Commissioners entertain sentiments in all respects corresponding to those which you recently stated to me were entertained by the United States towards the British Isles, I have had no hesitation in instructing his Majesty's Printers to prepare sets of the Record Publications for the whole of the American Libraries mentioned in the list accompanying your letter of yesterday. I am, sir, your obedient humble servant, O. RICH, Esq. C. P. COOPER. No. 4. IN SENATE, January 7, 1835. REPORT Of the Attorney-General on a bill referred to him by the Senate, May 3, 1834. STATE OF NEW-YORK, TO THE PRESIDENT of the Senate. } Sir-In obedience to a resolution of the Senate, I submit herewith a report on a bill referred for the opinion of the Attorney-General, and on several questions relating to the creation of corporations. I am, very respectfully, Your obedient servant, GREENE C. BRONSON. Albany, January 6, 1835. [Senate No. 4.] REPORT, &c. "STATE OF NEW-YORK, IN SENATE, MAY 3, 1834. } Resolved, That the bill entitled "An act in addition to the act relative to incorporations for manufacturing purposes," be referred to the Attorney-General, and that he be requested to submit to the Senate his opinion, whether the provisions contained in said bill, and the law which it proposes to amend, are constitutional, and also whether any company can be incorporated without the concurrence of two-thirds of the members elected to each branch of the Legislature to each act of incorporation. By order. JOHN F. BACON, Clerk." The Attorney-General, in obedience to the foregoing resolution of the Senate, respectfully submits the following REPORT: By the act entitled "An act relative to incorporations for manufacturing purposes," passed March 22, 1811, it was provided, that any five or more persons who should be desirous to form a company for the purpose of manufacturing woollen and various other articles mentioned in the act, might become a body politic and corporate, for the term of twenty years, on complying with certain prescribed terms. The provisions of this act were, on the 14th of April, 1817, extended to associations "for the purpose of manufacturing morocco and other leather;" but such companies were not allowed "to locate their establishment in any other counties than Greene and Delaware." On the 7th of April, 1819, the right to locate leather factories was extended to the county of Oneida. The act of 1811, so far as it related to the right of forming associations, was origi nally limited to the period of five years. After having been several times revived and continued in force, it was rendered perpetua by an act passed January 26, 1821. 3 Revised Statutes, 310 to 314. The bill referred by the Senate provides that "any number of persons who may associate together for the purpose of carrying on the business of tanning and manufacturing leather in the counties of Orange and Sullivan, or either of them, may become a body corporate" on complying with the requisitions of the act of 1811: And that "such corporation shall be entitled to and possess all the rights, privileges, immunities and benefits, and be subject to all the liabilities and restrictions" mentioned in the acts of 1811 and 1821. The Constitution, so far as it affects the present inquiry, went into operation on the first day of March, 1822, and is in the following words: "The assent of two-thirds of the members elected to each branch of the Legislature, shall be requisite to every bill appropriating the public moneys or property, for local or private purposes, or creating, continuing, altering or renewing any body politic or corporate." Art. VII., Sec. IX. The resolution of the Senate presents three general subjects of inquiry. First. Whether the Legislature can, by one act, create more than one corporation? Second. Whether the act of 1811 was so far abrogated by the Constitution adopted in 1822, that associations for manufacturing purposes can no longer be formed under it? Third. Whether the Legislature can now extend the provisions of the act of 1817, beyond the counties of Greene, Delaware and Oneida? FIRST. The Attorney-General can perceive no substantial ground for doubt that the Legislature may, by one act, create two or more corporations. The Constitution says nothing on that subject. It only prescribes the number of votes which shall be necessary to every bill creating a corporate body: leaving all other questions about the passing of such laws, as they stood before, to the discretion of the Legislature. It must be conceded that it would in general be unwise, if not unsafe, to legislate concerning several corporations at the same |