A Century in the Comptroller's Office, State of New York, 1797 to 1897

by James A. Roberts

This seems to have been the first time these officers were intrusted with this responsibility, and it was not until 1846 that the general power was definitely conferred upon them. Subsequent legislation has added to the printing board then created the Attorney-General, so far as legislative printing is concerned; but as to department printing, the Secretary of State and the Comptroller are still clothed with the authority of letting the contract.

By chapter 295 of the Laws of 1840 the Comptroller was assigned quarters in the State Hall, together with the other State officers, and that building was made the headquarters of the Canal Board, and there both still remain, although the Comptroller, from time to time, as the needs have compelled, has taken to himself more rooms, so that his offices now occupy the entire first floor of the building.

On January 27, 1841, the Legislature elected John A. Collier, of Binghamton, a leading lawyer and an Anti-Mason, to succeed Bates Cook. He had previously served as District Attorney of Broome county from June 11, 1818, to February 22, 1822, and had served his district in the Twenty-second Congress. After his retirement from the office of Comptroller he was appointed, with Chancellor Walworth, to codify the laws, but declined to serve. This was a high tribute to his ability.

During 1841 the Comptroller's office was examined by a legislative committee, to ascertain if warrants had been drawn in conformity with the law, and the funds properly disbursed. The office was found able to stand the fire of a rigid investigation.

Mr. Collier had been a Federalist and a Clintonian, but it was as an Anti-Mason that he was elected both to Congress and as Comptroller. He, too, was largely indebted for his appointment as Comptroller to the potent influence of Thurlow Weed. The administration was a short but efficient one, and Mr. Collier proved himself through life an able and discreet man.

The Legislature, which for several years had been Whig, in 1842 became Democratic, so that by concurrent resolution, on February seventh they were enabled to remove John A. Collier and re-appoint Azariah C. Flagg. During his second term Mr. Flagg performed the multiplying duties of the office with his usual fidelity, and to the satisfaction of the people of the State. There seems to have been no important enlargement of the duties of the office during this period. By various statutes, passed prior to the Constitution of 1846, the State had loaned its credit to a number of corporations, mostly railroad, until, in 1845, the State debt thus incurred, called the "contingent debt," amounted to $5,235,700. Provision was made for a sinking fund, and the management of this fund was placed with the Comptroller. Corporations have no souls, and, consequently, we find that of the credit thus loaned the State lost $3,665,700. From the additions to and accumulations of the sinking fund, the last of the contingent debt was extinguished in 1877.

By chapter 350 of the Laws of 1847, passed during his term, the Comptroller was required to make a report of the fiscal year before the close of the calendar year, and to present the same to the Legislature shortly after the commencement of its session.

But at this point a new method of chosing a Comptroller was introduced in the organic law. Section 1 of article 5 of the Constitution of 1846 provides that "The Secretary of State, Comptroller, Treasurer and Attorney-General shall be chosen at a general election, and shall hold their offices for two years." The constitutional provision was supplemented by chapter 240 of the Laws of 1846. The first man elected by the people to the office was Millard Fillmore, of Buffalo, an able lawyer and a Whig. He had been a Member of Assembly from Buffalo in 1829, 1830 and 1831, and a Member from his district to the Twenty-third, Twenty-fifth, Twenty-sixth and Twenty-seventh Congresses. During his term as Comptroller he was nominated and elected Vice-President on the ticket with Zachary Taylor, and upon the latter's death, on July 9, 1850, he succeeded to the Presidency. As President he is, perhaps, more distinguished as the signer of the "Fugitive Slave Law" than for any other one thing. He was elected Comptroller and Vice-President as a Whig, but by the signing of that obnoxious measure he alienated very many of his old Whig associates. He was, however, a clean, able man. In politics he was thought by many to have been a favorite of fortune. Some one of his acquaintances is said to have remarked, at the time of his election as Vice-President, that he felt sorry for General Taylor, because the General never could live out his term against Fillmore's luck. Mr. Fillmore resigned the office of Comptroller on the 17th of February, 1849, to assume the duties of Vice-President.